Why is it that when we see a student who is not willing to learn, we automatically make judgments about his or her character? If a student is choosing not to learn we assume it is because they are rebellious, or have something against the teacher or school. We do not see them as individuals, rather we lump them into the category of the rebellious teen and stop trying.
In my observations as a graduate student studying art education, I have noticed teachers doing these things when a child acts out or refuses to participate in class. When I asked why they were ignoring said student, they would say, “Oh that’s So-and-So. They’re a problem. They just don’t want to learn.” This distresses me for several reasons.
There are many reasons a student chooses not to learn. Maybe they are embarrassed because they cannot understand a subject, or maybe they did not get the chance to have a decent breakfast that day. Maybe they have been scolded by their parents, or worse. Maybe they have a learning disability, such as dyslexia, that prohibits them from being able to read correctly.
As teachers, we have to understand that every student is different and look past their odd actions in class. If we get to know the student and become involved in their personal stories, we can understand why they cannot participate in class. We can help them as individuals rather than lumping them into the “problem” category. We should be tolerant of students who learn differently than we do so that we can become better teachers to everyone. Most importantly, we should have compassion for every child and make the classroom a safe environment for learning, even for those problem children. After all, is that not what our teachers have done for us?
Andrea Farr
