Engaging Troubling Students: A Constructivist Approach

"Danforth and Smith have written an exceptional book on educating ′troubling′ students. It is a clear alternative to current books on educating children with emotional and behavioral disorders, most of which are based on behavioral theories. They offer practical guidance, well illustrated with stories from their own experiences on collaboration, working with families, conflict resolution, social support for students, providing a caring pedagogy, and teacher development."
James L. Paul, Professor, Special Education
University of South Florida

Truly teaching "troubling" students means connecting with them in ways that can last a lifetime!

Teachers are consistently faced with students who behave in disruptive or disrespectful ways. These "troubling" students are frequently disengaged from both academics and the possibility of meaningful relationships with caring adults. How can teachers engage these students in instruction and learning as well as the development of trust and personal growth?

Engaging Troubling Students offers instructional and student support practices grounded in critical constructivism--engaging problematic students in the learning process and building strong relationships with them. These interactions and relationships can have a profound impact on their emotional well-being and learning. Danforth and Smith draw from many academic fields to build this comprehensive resource:

• History and roots of current issues and dilemmas
• Theoretical foundation of critical constructivism
• Teaching practices designed to foster the teacher-student relationship
• Specific programs addressing conflict, families, inclusive education, and more

Filled with rich narrative and directed to teachers working with troubling students each day, this insightful, practical guide will help lead you as you develop helpful, trusting relationships with them.

Dr. Scot Danforth is well-known leader in the growing area of Disability Studies in Education, a multidisciplinary field of educational research exploring disabilities as sociopolitical constructions and construing the disabled community as an oppressed minority group. He is co-founder of the Disability Studies in Education Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association (http://ced.ncsu.edu/2/dse/). His research has explored the roles of professional and layperson discourses in the social and political construction of disability. Additionally, his publications have analyzed the historical and philosophical development of the field of special education. He has written a wide range of books and articles in the areas of special education teacher preparation, working with students with social and emotional difficulties, and classroom management. He is Associate Professor and Department Chair in the Division of Teaching of Learning, University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Terry Jo Smith is an Associate Professor of Special Education at National Louis-University in Chicago.  She has extensive experience teaching students labeled emotionally/behaviorally disordered in inner-city schools.  She has an abiding interest in teacher research, particularly in relationship to the social, cultural and political dimensions of schooling and how these are enacted in school relationships and curriculum.  She has worked with a group of teacher/researchers for several years, researching the impact of constructivist pedagogy in a broad range of educational settings.  Currently, she is engaging in research at a school in a youth detention center where she is developing constructivist curriculum with teachers and students.  Smith′s teaching, research and scholarship spring from a passionate commitment to social justice.