The Human Spirit Wasn’t Made for Cookie Cutter Molds; Give it Scaffolds Instead

The mold is a product of capitalist thinking. It is about efficiency and consistency. Molds can certainly be useful, but scaffolds are superior when it comes to supporting the development of the human spirit. 

Certainly, some teachers see themselves as “molding” students into “good” students. “Molding our youth,” is a cliche that I’ve heard teachers use throughout my life. While the desire to mold people into “good students,” is commendable at face value, we should all be asking the question, “what do we mean by a good student?” Do we mean a student whose spirit is contained within the edges of our society's cookie cutter mold for “good studentness”? 

For the last 2 years, I have observed students being coded as “good” for being students who are compliant, quiet, unquestioning, “productive,” deferential, and displaying skills that are at or above grade-level. Who is this good for? It certainly makes it easier for the teacher. It also makes the teacher look better when they are observed by people who think a quiet, “orderly” classroom is one that fosters learning and development.

But what happens when the “good student’s,” spirit grows too large for the mold? What happens when the “good student” stops being compliant, quiet, unquestioning, “productive,” and deferential? What happens when they start to question authority; speak their truth; question the relevance of the work we assign them; and remind us that teachers also get confused and make mistakes? 

Rather than putting up the scaffolds to support this development leap, I have watched too many teachers push down harder on the mold by using shame, guilt, withholding social interactions; detention; and other unsupportive behaviors that only serve to alienate the student by attacking their sense of autonomy, belonging, and competence. 

Over-structured, over-supported, reward and punishment-managed classrooms smother the human spirit. They do not allow for people to express themselves authentically; to explore the natural inclinations of their own mind; to explore their own ways of thinking; to develop their ability to self-regulate; to learn how to collaborate and complete challenging tasks; or develop the intrinsic motivation needed to persevere through challenging tasks. They are the product of culture and tradition; not of research and evidence-based practices. 

As a middle school teacher, I worry greatly about the harm inflicted upon students by holding them to expectations in a manner that isn’t autonomy supporting. I have observed the suffering that neurodivergent students experience as they try to conform to social molds whose sharp edges are those manifested in the practices of the traditional authoritarian classroom. I was once a student who outgrew the mold. I was once a student who had teachers push down so hard on my spirit that they almost broke it. I was blessed that some incredible teachers swooped in with their scaffolds to build me back up by affirming my autonomy, belonging, and competence, and helping me direct my energy towards growth, instead of competition. I hope that I can do the same for my students. 

Please, for the sake of all children, let’s stop with the cookie cutter and let's switch to scaffolds. The human spirit cannot be constrained; it must be built up.

We Must Turn the Cheek and Practice Gracious Forgiveness for All Students to Unlock their Greatness

All students and youth should be treated with respect, empathy and dignity. Students who struggle to learn; students who cause harm; students who disrupt instruction; students who are truant, tardy, or absent frequently; students who show any of the behaviors that challenge our ability to do our work effectively; students who show behaviors that make their neighbors feel unsafe; they all deserve to have their dignity upheld. 

These students become more angry, hurt, and disengaged when we make them feel unheard, rejected, and misunderstood for their behaviors. As adults, we need to do better at listening to students and understanding the why behind their behaviors. In the heat of challenging situations, this is hard, but once things deescalate it is absolutely necessary to support their growth and development. 

These behaviors are symptoms of underlying problems. These behaviors show us that students are disengaged from their families, their schools, their communities, and other positive social networks. We cannot punish, coerce, or entice students out of disengagement. Disengagement is rooted in a self concept that tells students that they don’t have autonomy; that they are not seen in a positive-sense or like they belong in their community; and their community fails to provide them with a sense of competence and growth. This can be true at home, at school, or in the community. 

These self-concepts are born of the routines, values, and interactions that students develop at home, at school, and in their community. When children and youth constantly feel like their autonomy, belonging, and competence are thwarted, they begin to disengage. This can look like resistance, with the student actively avoiding engagement with the school community and their family, or it can look like a shift into passenger mode, where kids feel bored and give their bare minimum to “get through it.” When children and youth disengage from their families, schools, and neighborhood communities, they find and create their own communities. Depending on their friend groups, this can get students into a lot of trouble as they move through adolescence.

The best way to re-engage students at school is through positive student-teacher-relationships and other autonomy-supportive practices. Skilled teachers know how to engage and re-engage students by supporting all students’ autonomy, belonging, and competence in their instructional practices and routines. Happy, engaged people who feel connected to a supportive community do not go about getting into trouble and causing harm routinely. They may make mistakes occasionally, but they have developed the socio-emotional and cognitive skills necessary to recover from their mistakes. 

Our students who continue to engage in challenging, disruptive, and harmful behaviors need all of the opportunities possible to support their sense of autonomy, belonging, and competence. The traditional notion that we can exclude them from social activities and punish them into engagement obviously does not work. In fact, a lot of research I’ve reviewed says that reward and punishment schemes are highly harmful.  

We need to recognize that their behaviors are a cry for help. They say, “help me; I don’t feel seen; I don’t know where I am going; I don’t know where I belong, what I am doing, or how I am going to get there.” As educators, we can help address those doubts. We can support students in developing a positive self-concept by focusing on creating the environmental factors that support intrinsic motivation. 

We already have structures and routines in place at our most well-regarded schools and schools with transformational leadership that support these psychological needs. We need to invest more human capital, time, and money to ensure that our entire system is competent at supporting all students’ autonomy, belonging, and competence, especially during the critical years of social, emotional, and identity development experienced during middle school and high school. The people we become in middle school and high school set the trajectory of our lives.

Build Back Our Democratic Muscles: Replace Authoritarian Teaching Practices in the USA with Self-Determination Theory

Authoritarian teaching refers to a strict, control-based approach to education where the teacher assumes the role of a primary authority figure and enforces rules, discipline, and structure with little or no room for student input, creativity, or autonomy. In authoritarian classrooms, the teacher's word is law, and students are expected to comply with instructions without question. This approach often involves rigid control over behavior, standardized methods of instruction, and a focus on rote learning, obedience, and order. This type of teaching style is common in the United States. Many people continue to think that this is what good teaching looks like. However, this is a cultural construct and it is not backed by evidence or research. Authoritarian teaching practices have severely weakened the primary muscle of democracy: the presence of a rational, autonomous brain in every voter.

While authoritarian teaching may appear to support a controlled, well-ordered environment, its impact on students is detrimental. Researchers in education and psychology have found that authoritarian teaching styles stifle critical thinking, creativity, and autonomy, and can lead to reduced motivation, anxiety, and a lack of confidence. In the long run, students who experience authoritarian teaching struggle to develop the skills needed for active participation in a democratic society, such as collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. Moving away from authoritarian methods in favor of more student-centered, democratic teaching approaches aligned to Self-Determination Theory can foster more independent, confident, and engaged students. It exercises the skills needed to maintain a functional democratic system. 

Authoritarian teaching can undermine the foundations of democracy by shaping citizens who are less likely to engage critically, question authority, or participate meaningfully in democratic processes. For a democracy to thrive, it requires citizens who are empowered to think independently, voice their opinions, debate differing viewpoints, and hold their leaders accountable. The more authoritarian the educational system, the less likely students are to develop the skills and attitudes needed to sustain a healthy democracy. Authoritarian teaching simply does not allow individuals to develop the “mental muscles,” or socio-emotional and cognitive skills necessary to engage in a functional democratic system. Lacking these essential skills, individuals become easy to confuse, indoctrinate, and control; making them ideal targets for extremist and antidemocratic groups to deceive and manipulate.

Ultimately, education systems that foster critical thinking, autonomy, and active participation are far more likely to nurture democratic citizens who value freedom, diversity, and the importance of civic engagement. Our social relationships, including those with authority figures, are like a muscle. If our social interactions during important stages of development teach us that might is right; conformity is good; and compliance is ethical behavior, we are setting ourselves up for autocracy. Conversely, if our social interactions during important stages of development teach us that we should respect one another’s autonomy; work together to build strong, supportive relationships and communities that propel one another's growth and development; and create opportunities for individuals to feel like their skills are valuable, put to good use, and support their community, we are setting ourselves up for communities where we find real, collaborative solutions to the problems facing our neighborhoods, our nations, and our planet.

Self-Determination Theory can offer a powerful alternative to authoritarian teaching by building the socio-emotional and cognitive muscles needed for effective democratic participation. By promoting autonomy, competence, relatedness, and intrinsic motivation, SDT fosters the kinds of behaviors, skills, and attitudes that are essential for democratic participation: critical thinking, active engagement, respect for others, and a sense of agency. Replacing authoritarian approaches with SDT-informed practices in the classroom not only benefits students’ personal development but also contributes to the cultivation of a more active, informed, and engaged citizenry, which is essential for the preservation of democracy. Let’s build those democratic muscles by applying the findings of Self-Determination Theory to education and youth development in Baltimore and across the nation.