You have seen it before — that one kid at school who always gets sent out of class or challenges every teacher, never obeying the rules. Some people say these kids are reckless because they are clueless or just enjoy starting up trouble, but there might be more to it than that.                                                                                                                                                     You need to first consider what could be going through a teen’s mind when something like that happens.

One main cause of this rebellion could be the limitation of freedom that comes along with school, which even though necessary, can be more than frustrating to someone who refuses to be controlled.  It can be hard for adults to remember how the teenage mind works, since a teen is so close to adulthood but may feel “tied down” by things they feel too old to deal with.

One of these things may be the power teachers occupy, or some strict rules for the classroom that could make someone feel bossed around or just angry in general. Add that to someone who may lack self-discipline or simply feel that the rules are impractical and some rebellious behavior is bound to happen.

Aside from that, you never really know what is going through someone’s mind. The student who just got sent out the room for flipping a desk over and going off could have been having terrible thoughts or could be having the worst day ever. Students who never get any work done could be completely unmotivated or depressed. People handle things differently. Combining the daily routine of school to a bad day or bad mindset can be overwhelming for some people.

The need for a separate identity, or feeling self-ruled is important for anyone. One’s self-identity might feel lost in a depressing, windowless classroom while listening to an hour of uninteresting facts and things that must be learned for someone to be recognized for achievement.

For example, a dog’s ability to obey a human determines how “intelligent” they are perceived to be, which could be comparable to how students are seen to be judged on obedience and seen as “smarter” based on how well they follow authority.

Although this seems harsh, some people think of school this way. Independence is a different journey for everyone. Some may attempt to find it through making their own decisions, whether seen as good or bad ones, especially with our age group.

Along with these qualities of school, some students have a harder time in the school atmosphere or find school degrading. A teacher’s request or authoritative stance could feel similar to an attack in some cases, and it could cause a teen to want to “stand up” for themself or show that they refuse to be pushed around.                                                                                            All of this is important to remember before a student is judged on their seemingly careless actions. You have to look into the mind of a student before you can understand why they do the things they do, whether or not the action was irresponsible.