Reply to What's wrong with calling kids "students"?

Forum Index » Schools and Education General Discussion

Reply to "What's wrong with calling kids "students"?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Our elementary refers to the students as "scholars". I don't have an issue with this, scholar is a fine word even if it doesn't roll off my tongue. However, in the last month I have seen people corrected when they've used the word "students" to refer to the kids, once in person by an admin and another time in a group email exchange among parents (the corrector is a PTO officer). Apparently we are not supposed to use the word students at all if we can avoid it. I've asked a few other parents but no one has had an explanation for why, just that the school adopted the "scholars" language a while back and I guess is pushing it harder this year.

Can anyone explain this to me? What is wrong with the word "students" and why is "scholars" better? I feel like I'm a pretty culturally aware person but this one has be stumped.[/quote]

I am all for it, because it makes kids feel more safe, and creates a safer environment to learn in.[/quote]

How does the word "scholars" keep kids safer? I don't understand. What is unsafe about "students"?[/quote]

DP.  Not sure if this is the reasoning for everyone, but there are some that believe that "teachers" and "students" creates a power imbalance and the students do not feel that they have any control or ability to decline anything that makes them feel unsafe.  If the teacher is enforcing behavior that makes the student feel unsafe, they feel that they have no ability to object or refuse.  When you call them scholars, they feel that they are less controlled and have more power to object or refuse an order or instruction that makes them feel unsafe.

I don't agree with the thought process, but this was what was said to me by one proponent of the term scholar.  I think it's ridiculous, but I wasn't asked, only told.[/quote]

I'm the PP who asked and thank you for explaining, I never would have gotten there on my own.

The thing is, I actually strongly agree with the idea of addressing major power imbalances that historically have led to abuse. I have worked in advocacy for sexual assault survivors for over a decade and that idea is very much in keeping with the "culture of consent" that we advocate for. The idea that everyone should have the right to speak up, advocate for themselves, say no, explain that they are uncomfortable, etc. I know people roll their eyes at this, but I've seen firsthand how working with people to empower themselves in this way can totally change dynamics and make it far less likely that people will be victimized.

But I'm skeptical about just changing terminology being effective. You can call kids "scholars" but if it's in a school environment where they are often punished for speaking up, where their physical activity is tightly policed (reprimanded for being wiggly or strict limitations on when they can get a drink of water or use the bathroom, for instance), then what you call them won't matter. The word "scholars" will just come to mean the same thing "students" means in the same environment -- someone who must do what they are told no matter what or face consequences.

It would be better to educate teachers and administrators on how you can have empowered children and still have authority when you need it. It means establishing authority in authentic ways (by showing the kids the benefits to everyone of listening and following the mutually agreed upon rules, being respectful of each other, etc.) rather than simply ordering them to obey and never being accountable to them in any way. It takes a perspective shift.

"Scholars" isn't a perspective shift, in my opinion.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics