Denise Clark Pope, a distinguished writer, conducted a study on the modern student and the behaviors they feel will help them succeed. She published her findings in a book titled Doing School. In Doing School, she follows five students at Faircrest High School. Pope analyzes their behaviors and why they do them. Firstly, Pope discusses the “Predicament of Doing School.” She describes “Doing School” as how students manipulate their teachers and the system in order to get ahead. Pope categorizes these behaviors into four different habits that students rely on to get ahead of their classmates; The four behaviors were, establishing allies and treaties, multi - tasking, cheating, and being a “squeaky wheel”. Establishing allies and treaties
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Being in the top ten percent of your class), so in order to succeed, students become what Pope calls “Classroom Chameleons”. Students would change their behaviors from class to class, doing what they knew their teachers would prefer them to do. Pope says that because students act this way, their different teachers have different viewpoints of their students. Pope concludes that for this reason, there are many misunderstandings between students and teachers, and students and other students. For example, one teacher could view a student as lazy or annoying, while another teacher could see the same student as intelligent and hardworking. Being a Classroom Chameleon can prevent the teacher from getting to know the “whole” student, claims Pope. Students become Classroom Chameleons in order to help them succeed, but this habit could be doing more harm than …show more content…
She talks about young children, saying they want to be rich and drive a Lexus, so they need to get all A’s. Pope goes on to point out the parallels in the American school system and the American capitalist system. The goal in both is to be the best, even if it means compromising your beliefs. Students knew the expectations set for them by both their parents and the economic system. Pope states that students feel the pressure to be the best at a young age, and that their parents will pay a considerable amount to ensure that that will
Being in the top ten percent of your class), so in order to succeed, students become what Pope calls “Classroom Chameleons”. Students would change their behaviors from class to class, doing what they knew their teachers would prefer them to do. Pope says that because students act this way, their different teachers have different viewpoints of their students. Pope concludes that for this reason, there are many misunderstandings between students and teachers, and students and other students. For example, one teacher could view a student as lazy or annoying, while another teacher could see the same student as intelligent and hardworking. Being a Classroom Chameleon can prevent the teacher from getting to know the “whole” student, claims Pope. Students become Classroom Chameleons in order to help them succeed, but this habit could be doing more harm than …show more content…
She talks about young children, saying they want to be rich and drive a Lexus, so they need to get all A’s. Pope goes on to point out the parallels in the American school system and the American capitalist system. The goal in both is to be the best, even if it means compromising your beliefs. Students knew the expectations set for them by both their parents and the economic system. Pope states that students feel the pressure to be the best at a young age, and that their parents will pay a considerable amount to ensure that that will