Week Four: The "Good" Student

Every student has the potential to be a "good" student. According to the definition of common sense; it is a student who is on time for class, does the assigned work and who is ready to learn. "Good" students often have previously learned knowledge from home that they bring into the class with them. They have a good idea of these topics and if they do not, they are attentive and ready to learn. These students take part in discussion-when appropriate-, listens in class, has a good behaviour and follows all the rules. It is seen many students that are "good" have supportive parents behind them.

The students that are privileged by this definition of being a "good" student are ones with supportive parents. They have a good relationship with their parents and teachers and inevitably, have no problems at home or at school. They complete their work the way the teacher wants them to. When a student begins to have different work habits it often seems they become excluded from those "good" students as it does not meet those teachers expectations.

What is made impossible to see and understand is this idea of a "good" student. Everyone is different which means everyone has different work ethics and different work habits. Just because they are not getting done the work the way the teacher would like them to, does not mean they are any worse than the student who are getting done the work in the way the teacher would like them too. Students will have different backgrounds and different learning strategies. We cannot place this label upon students as each person is different, with different personalities. Teachers need to learn to accept students how they are and come to the conclusion that they cannot change their students but rather they can continue to educate them. Common sense has caused us label these students and has forced us to decide who is "good" and who is not. We cannot let common sense over take us but rather we can learn to accept our students for who they are.