Lowering The Bar

I make a point of clearing some brain space before each semester to accommodate the new stuff my students will proffer. I get rid of useless information (like anything regarding Hemingway’s Old Man and the Sea) and anticipate the new. That’s not to say my students always get it right. Many of them are relatively recent additions to this world, some even to this country, so they’re still figuring things out. A common mistake made by international students is giving American scholarship too much credit. If they haven’t been here very long, they still think there is plenty to be had. But, never fear, our plucky can-do American enthusiasm (and our can’t-do American reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic) set them straight. Not that I think all stateside students are mediocre (on the contrary, I know some real cracker jacks), but when you get whole classes asking about extra credit for showing up to school the day before a holiday, you start to sense a theme. This summer, one Japanese student gave a persuasive speech about the benefits of student exchange, particularly the idea that when foreign students come here and excel it motivates American-born students to higher achievement. Sure it does. Ever been the one to “ruin” the curve? You only have to do that once to see just how motivating it is for your classmates. Theo LeSieg’s Ten Apples Up On Top is a cautionary tale about the perils of overachieving in America. And, happy ending notwithstanding, they are legion.

P.S. Happy Birthday, Uncle Ben! We love you!

http://www.amazon.com/Ten-Apples-Top-Beginner-Books/dp/0394800192

http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/contributor.jsp?id=166971