I Just Wanna Be Average

The essay “I Just Wanna Be Average” written by Mike Rose really made me think and reflect back on my own education. I think we have all had teachers like he experienced in Vocational Education, and have all had teachers who lacked enthusiasm for teaching. I have sat through many mediocre classes with the majority of the learning coming from PowerPoint presentations, note taking, and weekly quizzes that don’t come close to engaging my imagination. When the curriculum being presented is merely average, how can students be expected to strive for and become more than just average. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has furthered the problem of producing average students. Teachers are now required to make sure every child succeeds, but at what cost. Often teachers have to dumb down the curriculum and teach to the test in order to keep their jobs and make sure that all children produce test scores at an average level. They worry about helping the struggling students do well, and often over-look the gifted students because they are not a threat to their end-of-level test scores. Even now there are teachers who truly have a passion for teaching and helping students succeed. Some of us have been lucky enough to be in one of these teachers classrooms. Regardless of the subject matter these teachers have such an enthusiasm for the subject that they can evoke an intrinsic motivation in their students, like Mr. MacFarland did for Mike Rose. The students in the essay “recognized MacFarland’s considerable intelligence and respected the hours he put into his work” (169). One of the lines that stood out to me was that “Students will float to the mark you set” (164). This statement is very true, and I believe students will rise to the level that is expected of them. Unfortunately some students are often left “bobbing in pretty shallow water” (164). However, all the responsibility can’t be placed on the teachers. Students need to take some initiative of their own and help forge the path they would like to follow.