Cracking The Honors System
Don’t let them say you can’t
There is an ever-increasing discrepancy between service workers and the people they serve. New York, San Francisco, it doesn’t matter — you can work three jobs and still be homeless. Why is it that some people fly first class through life, and others struggle just to get onto coach?
At the same time, education in America sucks. Why is it that we’re always reading about Vietnamese 11th graders kicking ass at Google interviews; only 7% of US students reaching advanced 8th grade math compared to 40%+ internationally; and that the American dream is actually in Finland?! Again and again, other countries demonstrate that the vast majority of we Americans could be doing better.
But don’t let these stories depress you. We as a nation can do better. We can empower our people. We can improve our public school systems. We are capable of far more than we believe. We just need to start from the beginning.
It was not until fifth grade that I felt the microscope. Adults examining us, poking and prodding our brains for signs of promise. That was when they introduced the Gifted and Talented Education program (GATE). Little did we know that our schoolwork then actually mattered.
When we all received our schedules for sixth grade, there was a new divide. While most went to “6th grade math,” some of us got into “Pre-Algebra Honors.” By eighth grade, we were taking our math class in high school. High school introduced an explosion of new “Honors” and “Advanced Placement” courses in all subjects. Onwards, we will find that the divide will only intensify through life — Cal State or Ivy League; hourly or salary; Timex or Rolex? But your judgement day was back in fifth grade.
What is it like to be at the bottom of the academic hierarchy? Your friend is ‘gifted’ and you’re not. He’s ‘smart,’ and you’re not. That’s disheartening. So instead, your natural defense may be to take comfort, and even pride, that on the bell curve, you’re in the middle. Because to be at either end is to be a freak of nature.
Children are told who they are, and they believe it. But we adults rely too strongly on the notion of innate ability, and are quick to dismiss those who don’t demonstrate it. How can they believe in themselves if we don’t believe in them? Our expectations of them, however high or however low, are plainly obvious in how demanding they are.
Educators are more inclined to let you be comfortable, rather than challenge you. My friend moved here from New Zealand in the 10th grade. The school counselor placed him in all regular classes, because obviously, our education’s superior. He was bored within 2 weeks, but they said he can’t change his schedule now. Next year, he demanded Honors classes. Senior year, he demanded all Advanced Placement classes. The counselor tried mightily to dissuade him — “No, no, you only take 2 or 3 AP classes, they are immensely difficult!” — but he went ahead and crushed it.
Like my friend, my father was also impatient with the school system. So he’d create his own curriculum for me at home, then he’d approach the district to let me take placement tests. I started off advancing in math, then he’d want me to level my English up, too. Then that wasn’t going fast enough for him, so he’d enroll me in community college. By the time I was 15, I was starting UCLA.
I’m grateful to have a dad who guided me, and challenged me to find my limits. He’d watch me before class — “Take out your pencil and notebook! Be prepared!” When I needed to ask the professor a question, but was too timid— “Go up to the front!” He’d tell me I’m not a genius everyday. Somedays he’d find me so hopeless and frustrating that he’d growl that I should just resign myself to washing dishes for life. But at the end of the day, he had a calm certainty that I was capable, and that I would succeed.
When you hear success stories of people who pulled off the impossible, it all started with someone’s strong belief that it was possible.
To instill confidence in students, I propose that schools emphasize public speaking. By learning how to organize their thoughts, communicate their ideas, and incorporate feedback, students would gain confidence and become active participants in their own education. For example, students can take turns teaching their peers what they learned in class that week. That way, they can reinforce their own knowledge, have their mistaken assumptions corrected, and feel a sense of ownership over the material. Like Toastmasters, I envision a warm and friendly environment where everyone participates and grows together.
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