As a child, I was prone to moodiness, emotional outbursts, and temper tantrums. In one particular instance, during Filipino class, my mother told me I had a tiff with another student over colouring utensils and my Filipino teacher told my mother that I had a 'problem.' I'm not sure how the teacher explained this to my mother, but it upset my mother enough to start disliking this teacher and enough to leave a lasting impression on my mother to this day (I, however, have no recollection of the incident. Maybe a repressed memory?).
Hearing that from my mother - that I wasn't an easy child and that teachers thought I had a problem, definitely helps me empathize with parents and with students who are branded "trouble-makers" or "problem children" because I was one of them. Me, the girl who graduated from her elementary school with both the literacy and the music awards. Me, the girl who received the four years on the honour roll medal in high school. Me, the girl who graduated from the University of Toronto - Trinity College with distinction. I was that girl who had a 'problem.'
And that's what I think that teachers and other authority figures can fall prey to - branding children or pigeon-holing them into these negative stereotypes, labels, or identities. They believe that if a child is acting out, that is who he or she is. In reality, that's not the case at all. As an instructor myself, I am even more aware of the potential that my students have. I would never call any one of my students a 'problem child' because firstly, that label - no matter what - is untrue. Secondly, it is hurtful to both the parents and the child. The child no matter what has the potential to do something great for society or even just for their community. It is up to us as educators to nourish that potential and help them in every way possible achieve success.
