Blog 3: Marcus

 After reading Marcus On Being Good by Carla Shalaby this week I noticed some visible and invisible rules. One of the visible rules was that Marcus was receiving support from  the school faculty such as the  therapist, principal and teachers . Marcus would receive support due to being “ disruptive” in the classroom. When Marcus was being a “troublemaker he would be removed from the class.  Marcus would be out of class throughout the day to get  support.   The invisible rule  was that Marcus was allowed to miss out in class lessons. Once Marcus returned to class he had to  catch up because he missed the lesson. Marcus would miss lessons and activities  throughout the school day. When Marcus would return to class  he would be “ disoriented and and disengaged” I wonder if when Marcus was in therapy if he would be assisted to  complete schoolwork on a  one on one basis.

Another visible rule I found was “ the buddy room” ; it was a place where Marcus would be sent/ go if he was being a “troublemaker”. It was  “An intermediary step between the time out  and the principal’s office.” Macus knew when he needed “ timeout” and when to return. The invisible rule is that he will be separated from his classmates and removed from the community. Due to being a “ troublemaker” instead of helping Marcus work on skills to engage with his classmate,  he was removed or left .  

(Dis)ability by Beth A Ferri was an interesting reading. After reading it, I thought back to Marcus. There were a few things that stood out to me. In the reading (dis)ability  by Beth A. Ferri it talked about how they separate the students based on their “ abilities”. I wonder if Marcus was not a boy of color would have the  school handled things  differently? Marcus was going to enter the special education program. In the (Dis)ability reading it talked about “ treatment  of those who fall outside norms of  behaviors or ability evolve into special school and group home to segregated special education classrooms” Marcus did not fall in the “ norm” for the school .  Based on the reading of (Dis)ability  those who were “unfit” were mainly minorities. Schools play a role in the “ability profiling” they are able to decide what is the “normal” behavior for students and teaching them accordingly to their “ behaviors norms”. 

While reading Marcus On Being Good by Carla Shalaby,  I thought of the program I worked for. I could remember one child in particular. Marcus' story is similar to this student. He was supported by the school such as teachers, principle and therapist. The student would be out of the classroom and  missed lessons. This child was what they consider in the school a “troublemaker” he would be in trouble during the school day. He started attending the program I worked for. Before the student attended the program, I already knew who he was. I remember when he joined the before and after program, my supervisor and myself spoke to him about expectations. I remember my supervisor sitting and speaking to him on many occasions due to behavior. The student will throw things and start making sound effects when my supervisor or myself were speaking to the group. I remember one day, the student started throwing things. The other kids would laugh and he would continue. The student was removed from others. He would sit in the front desk with either my supervisor or myself. He would go there and engage in conversation. Sometimes he was upset he didn't want to speak. I remember speaking to his parents on many occasions. I remember sitting down with the student and going over the program rules. I would have one and one time with him. I would speak to him about his day and things he liked to do. After speaking to the student he requested to go back. My supervisor and myself knew we had to change the way we handled different situations.  As time went on, I remember speaking to the student and going over the rule before he entered the gym. I would have a conversation about his day. I think “ Let him be heard” was important letting the student know we were  listening and not just trying to be in control. After a few weeks he was no longer sitting in the front desk. Everyday I made sure I engaged with the student about his day or something he was interested in but in the gym not separating him from the other students.