Thanks for Chucking that at the Wall Instead of Me
​(2005, 2018)

For adults

​An informative and reflective study of teaching at-risk students, Thanks for Chucking That at the Wall Instead of Me is a window into what many classroom teachers don’t get to see in their whirlwind vision of a disruptive student. One teacher’s experience is shared in a way that all teachers will relate to, on both a professional and personal level. The book offers a glimpse into real lives and the pain, struggles and emotion beneath the behaviour of “bad” kids.

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Praise for Thanks for Chucking that at the Wall Instead of Me

Monica Nawrocki has written a very personal and eloquent expose of working with at-risk school children. In a compelling narrative, the author provides us with an engaging and passionate glimpse of school culture and the ups and down of teaching at-risk students within the public school environment.
 
The main argument of the book is that these children, often labelled as “at-risk,” “problematic,” and/or “delinquent,” are best understood as young people masking (and dealing with) very troubled and chaotic past and present situations. These young people have continually been told, by diverse social institutions, that they are troubled, stupid, and bad—and with that, they have internalized and amplified such characteristics. The way to capture their imagination and attention is to dramatically change the playing field—providing positive messages and celebrating every success no matter how small or irrelevant. With humanistic prose, the author explores her own learning processes of working with and engaging such a population. We come away from the discussion with a sense that there is a great need to be able to truly listen to these young people, meet them at their own levels, believe in them, trust them, be honest with them, and, in essence, develop deep and lasting relationships of care, trust, and support. As such, being a teacher signifies more than imparting knowledge; it implies acting in the role of coach, enabler, supporter, and friend.
The book is complete with personal vignettes and case studies from the author’s own teaching experiences. The discussion is as much about understanding at-risk youth as it is about understanding oneself—delving into one’s own psyche—and realizing the intimate and complex relationships between teacher and student. Nawrocki provides helpful hints not only about building such significant relations with students, but also identifying and nurturing one’s own inner feelings, fears, and questions. This book compels teachers to remain spirited, hopeful, and kind to those who are struggling with educational systems. At the same time, it also celebrates teachers and implores them to be reflective and gentle with themselves..​"  – Jeffrey M. Karabanow, Canadian Book Review Annual  (CBRA) Online 

This easy-to-read book taught me several valuable lessons, provided insights into the minds of at-risk students, and offered numerous new strategies using compassion, humour and positive reinforcement.

Kids need time, space and dignity as well as good communication skills to resolve conflicts and become successful problem solvers – willing (for the most part) to take ownership for themselves and their learning. This book offers excellent strategies for teaching these skills as well as for creating a more collegial atmosphere in your classroom and for reaching “unreachable” students. We need to provide outlets for kids to talk about their concerns and give them tools to solve their issues safely and appropriately.

The author is emphatic about always being absolutely honest with students. She says that in our effort to raise students’ self-esteem, we may be tempted to lie – like saying we like them or their work when we really don’t or that we aren’t mad at them when we really are. Kids will see right through such lies and, as Nawrocki points out, your credibility and effectiveness as an educator will be compromised. This book is a must read for anyone who interacts with challenging students.​"  – Professionally Speaking, The Magazine of the Ontario College of Teachers ( Sept. 2008) 

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