The back of the class kid

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Many times as a substitute teacher, I've encountered a kid,

usually a boy, whom the class and the teacher have labelled "the worst" kid in the class. I watch the kid; I listen to him speak; I throw him a few extra questions when others are waving their hands in the air. This kid more times than not is the unrecognized smartest one in the bunch. He's just ignored and mislabeled.

And he's being denied the education he deserves. OTOH, he relishes on a certain level his label. He's the "best" at being "worst".

I won't take the bait. If he's keeping another kid from doing work, I'll address that and only that. I'll take him out in the hall, address him privately, and won't humiliate him in front of the class.

In the regimentation of public (and many times private) education, children are expected to behave in a uniform fashion and any one who wants to be recognized as an individual or whom requires more attention will be punished one way or another.