What's wrong with calling kids "students"?

[Anonymous]

I’ve been in education for 20 years and I go the opposite direction—they’re children. This was actually a topic of debate in one of my college courses.

“Students” and “scholars” (blech) implies that they are only focused on academics. “Child” shows respect for the development of more than cognitive abilities and the fact that children have full lives outside school.

My kid’s school tries to use “scholars” but it’s not really sticking beyond the principal, thank goodness.

[Anonymous]

I always thought this kind of terminology started as a way to elevate the academic self-image of low SES students in low-performing schools, and later spread to other schools. Another approach I used to hear was the term, "community of learners" which aimed to combine the learning aspect with the culture/community aspect.

[Anonymous]

$20 says some highly paid consultant came up with this term, just to have something to put into a report.

And I agree, OP. They are students. The one I hate the most is "learners" - unless you're Ted's kids, of course.

[Anonymous]

The first three letters of STUdent are the same as STUpid.

The first three letters of SCHolar are the same as SCHnapps.

Would you rather call a bunch of kids stupid or would you rather have some peach schnapps?

Duh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is absurd.

+1 million

Stop the semantics and teach real math, spelling, grammar, phonics.

Then we can brainwash kids with labels and rebranding.

Slave —> Enslaved (first in Africa, then sold by other tribe to colonialists)
Homeless —> Unhomed (and alienated all friends and family and help)
American Indians —> indigenous people (nomadic and fought each other)
Students —> Scholars (usually means to 10% of a class in the rest of the world. Here students can’t even spell it)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$20 says some highly paid consultant came up with this term, just to have something to put into a report.

And I agree, OP. They are students. The one I hate the most is "learners" - unless you're Ted's kids, of course.

Like a retired teach turned MCPS admin living off pension and kickback contracts from former peers.

Or some new $$$$$ DEI initiative.

Now scholar can mean 50% proficiency in basic reading and math.

Only in Wash DC, America.

Our neighbors moved to Texas for work last year and over thanksgiving they said their ES kids were WAY behind in their new school. And are still catching up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I always thought this kind of terminology started as a way to elevate the academic self-image of low SES students in low-performing schools, and later spread to other schools. Another approach I used to hear was the term, "community of learners" which aimed to combine the learning aspect with the culture/community aspect.

I think you're right. It's all over "Teach like a champion" which is the book we had to read when i taught in low SES schools.

[Anonymous]

Also part of the “growth mindset” that was pushed 10 years ago. Long term studies have come out that school are generally ineffective at developing this in students, but a lot of the vocab stuck around as fluff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The first three letters of STUdent are the same as STUpid.

The first three letters of SCHolar are the same as SCHnapps.

Would you rather call a bunch of kids stupid or would you rather have some peach schnapps?

Duh.

lol. Have you already started hitting the schnapps?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The first three letters of STUdent are the same as STUpid.

The first three letters of SCHolar are the same as SCHnapps.

Would you rather call a bunch of kids stupid or would you rather have some peach schnapps?

Duh.

Absolutely air tight logic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The first three letters of STUdent are the same as STUpid.

The first three letters of SCHolar are the same as SCHnapps.

Would you rather call a bunch of kids stupid or would you rather have some peach schnapps?

Duh.

lol. Have you already started hitting the schnapps?

To be fair, the PP is no more ridiculous than the people calling 7 year olds (half of whom aren’t even at grade level in English or math) “scholars”.

[Anonymous]

Meh, scholars is cute. I like it. Students is fine too though, as is children or kids, learners, readers, mathematicians, scientists and friends. All fine by me.

[Anonymous]

Our county hired an outside DEI consulting firm. Among other work, they came with the suggestion to use “scholars” over students, because in part, it helps kids feel more safe

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's stupid and pretentious.

But the reasoning is that scholar implies a person who is studying. While a student implies that the teacher is trying to teach them. They think that scholar is a more active learner than student.

But mainly its pretentious.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Young kids are pupils. High school and college kids are students. Grad students and university professors are scholars.

.

Says who?