Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Mike G's avatar

Excellent essay. Though this is hard to conceive: "Susie realizes scrolling TikTok is more fun than Mr. Kane’s math class."

Expand full comment
Peter's avatar

Enjoyed your thoughtful take on this. The one thing I would add to this is student choice. My mother was a child-psychiatrist and saw a lot of patients with trauma. She emphasized to me that students who experience trauma can feel like they have no power or agency. Their responses in class (shutting down, defiance) are them fulfilling their own need for agency and control. We can assist them by giving them choices (which book would you like to read, where would you like to sit, etc.) Obviously we can’t let them make decisions that are harmful to others or impede their own learning, but it is helpful to find room for student choice.

Expand full comment
1 more comment...

No posts