To quote an old spiritual "...all of God's children have a place
in the choir, some sing low and some sing higher....." It seems to me
that you are arguing that we should sacrifice the brightest 5% in favor of
the other 95%. I don't see that as my obligation as an educator. I feel
obliged to do my best to help 100% of the student population.
For better or for worse each of my students comes to me with
unique capabilities and potential. I can do my best to help that student
make the most of his or her capabilities and potential. If the student is
willing to use his or her capabilities and potential to their fullest, we
can go a long way. However, no matter how hard we both work some students
will learn more than others and some will succeed better than others in
what they attempt. The worst thing that I could try to do as a teacher is
to make them all equal, because I could do that only by not trying as hard
with the more capable than I try with the less capable. In the long run
we all lose from that strategy.
Mark
Dr. Mark H. Shapiro
Physics Department
California State University, Fullerton
P.O. Box 6866
Fullerton, California 92834-6866