Here and there, a few students are beginning to see gatekeeping as pedagogical malpractice. She found information on the Internet. Students in the AP course gave her copies of their exercises. Friends shook their heads in amazement when they found her in the library, doing homework no teacher had told her to do. Perhaps young intellects were more capable than the school gave them credit for.
Educators waving students away from the most taxing courses mean no harm.
But their kindness is akin to keeping a tottering infant from taking his first dangerous steps. As every parent knows, babies have to stumble before they can learn to walk. High scores on AP exams can earn kids college credit. Nothing is more prestigious for their high schools. 14 Andover, Bloomfld.