Raising the Bar

What is meant by the phase "raising the bar"? It means that all students should be exposed to learning that is not at the low end of the spectrum. It means more challenge and interest in what they are learning.

After reading some research, it's clear that everyone benefits from differentiated teaching of gifted students. They are expected to learn more, ask more and discover more. This helps all students!

What often happens in schools is that the bar is set too low for those students deemed average. They can become bored and lose interest. When the bar is set higher all students must reach up, try harder and be challenged.

The more challenge students feel, the more they will rise to the occasion. Do we really want all students learning the minimum? Don't we want our future leaders, doctors, lawyers etc. exposed to as much learning as possible?

Teachers and parents should be asking their kids to think harder and longer and often in a different way. Simply spoon feeding students the information doesn't subject them to any type of challenge.

If this current thinking of setting the bar lower isn't changed, we will have students who are disinterested and expect their learning to be easy and handed to them.

Gifted students need much more then this and their differentiated approach can benefit the whole classroom.

Ideally, teachers want to reach students at a young age. They want to get them excited and involved in learning. It's clear that a lot is expected of teachers! This is why we should be moving away from lowering the bar to raising it on expectations.

There are those who would argue that the bar has not really been lowered. However, if you look at the homework your child comes home with it is often stuff that you learned in a lower grade.

The evidence is there. The question becomes how do we make the shift necessary to change the mindset of those in education?

Our political leaders, school boards and districts, teachers and parents will all benefit from changing their expectations and raising the bar.

Our children are capable of much more. We have to believe in them.

Thinking has to change at every level and hopefully make its way down to the students before anymore drop out or lose interest and excitement in learning.

Raising the bar is one of the ways to help all students in the classroom.


Raising the Bar to Teaching