Week 1 Prompt Reflection - by Maria Brown

What role should high schools have, or should they take a role, in adolescents struggles with negative identity formation (rebellion)? Or should they only concentrate on positive identity formation?

 Having taught high school students, I was able to see first hand the impact and consequences of both positive and negative identity formation.  Focusing or concentrating only on positive identity formation does a huge disservice to the students we are supposed to be serving and educating.  This idea of negative identity formation - described in the book review as a rebellion against the society around you and a rejection fo social demands, definitely plays out in the classroom.   Whether it's the student who refuses to be a "good student" because he/she is determined to go against the grain or the student who is actually a joy to have in class but rebels in small, semi-noticeable ways (secretly texting under the desk, coming in 1-2 minutes late when you know they've been at school for the last 10 minutes, etc), ignoring these rebellions or micro-rebellions can be detrimental to the class culture.

 How do you deal with the student that is "bad" or that's taking your class for the second time and "doesn't care".  I think on one hand, we can safely assume no one starts out in kindergarten wanting to do poorly. So for me, connecting with my students on that level and using a type of reverse psychology has been helpful in getting the rebellious (yet unsophisticated) student to participate and pass. In addition, addressing the behaviors that are a result of negative identity formation is CRUCIAL.  Students KNOW when they are doing wrong.  They know when they are breaking the rules no matter how shocked and exasperated they look when you call them out.  Consistency, boundary setting, enforcing of rules, all of these are of utmost importance in a classroom.  And finding that "carrot", which can be different for every kid, is important. Whether it's calling a parent, taking a cell phone, deducting points off of an assignment, etc. there has to be an appropriate negative consequence.  With that said, positive consequences may be even more important to encourage the behaviors and traits you want to see in your students. 

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