Chapter 3. Classroom Behavior

What jumped out to me in chapter 3 under the headline “What Lies Behind Classroom Disruptions” is when Vance says, “It’s not that we’re going to string teachers up, but most teenagers are insecure about something, and we’ll take it out in different ways–we’ll try to attack before they can attack us.”

I think that what Vance said is a perfect explanation for why kids act out, because it’s truthful and real. He is not blaming it on other people, or certain circumstances except his own insecurities. Teachers do not have the ability to control our students’ insecurities, but we have the responsibility to help our students deal with them, understand them and possibly overcome them. However, along with that responsibility, we must have an environment and attitude that prevents any more insecurities from forming in our classroom, from circumstances that we can control within our classroom.