There’s a difference. It’s there. I see it, feel it, hear it daily. And as “present” as it is, the reason eludes me. Why is there a difference? Are the honors kids really smarter? Are the “regular” kids (hate that title, by the way) actually dumber? Is it parenting? Is it socioeconomic? Is it bias? Maybe. Maybe not. But there’s a difference. And I want to know why.

Most of my career, I have taught “regular” kids. Not until my twentieth year did I start having honors kids. And though I have more honors than “regs,” each year I have continued teaching a few sections of regular sophomore language arts. This year, I have four sections of honors and one section of regular. And there is a difference: academically, behaviorally, socially. But why?

Of course it may be impossible to know the actual answer. It may be equally unlikely that we could ascertain all the factors that contribute to the difference, but if I were to guess, I’d put my finger on the institutional bias the kids have experienced since they entered the schoolhouse. From day one, they have been ranked and sorted; consequently, they have learned to live into the roles of school.

As such, my informal observations have led me to believe that the biggest difference is one group simply plays the game of school better than the other. And the longer they play the game, the more situated into those roles they become. And why wouldn’t they? We handed them the script, and we have made them follow it for years. In truth, we have largely made them. We have fixed them into place. And we keep them there–mostly, it seems–because we believe we have to. But we don’t. And until we radically rethink how we do things, they will remain statically stuck waiting for the deus ex machina to liberate them. But the god in the machine won’t save them. The play must go on. The script and stage are set. They are what we think.

Maybe we need to think differently.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience…

…reconnecting through Smiles and Frowns.

…preparing for tomorrow’s Learning Check.

…reflecting in our Journey Journals.

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Monday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.