School Cliques
There wasn't much on the radio on the way in to work this morning, so I defaulted to Boortz. His rants this morning included one on school cliques and the pervasive importance of popularity and social groups in school environments. I've been out of school for a good long while, but I chat occasionally with some folks more recently out of that environment, and it sounds like it's still alive and well, though possibly bigger in some schools than in others.
Paul Graham has an essay in his book Hackers & Painters titled "Why Nerds Are Unpopular" in which he examines cliques in primary and secondary education. Now granted, the claims of fact at the essay's base are far from scholarly, but they seem reasonable on their face, and they match my own casual observations. His conclusion from them, in essence, is that a major part of this school popularity contest derives from a lack of real expectations in school. Lacking a strong external standard measure of accomplishment, they create one of their own, and it's no more mature than the average school-goer. From my own casual observations, this seems like a reasonable conclusion or at least a strong factor in school cliques, but with my distance from school it's hard for me to say for certain whether this is based on my actual experience or on stereotypes I've learned in the interim. I'd love to hear some counterarguments in comments, but for the sake of this train of thought, let's assume it's real.
Boortz's response to the problem of cliques seemed to be that it's a necessary evil. Assure the underdogs that it won't be that way forever: the geek shall inherit the Earth. I wonder, though, if perhaps there's a better way. If Graham is right and the problem is both still real and influenced heavily by weak external standards, then could the problem be addressed with stronger external standards? And if it could, is there a way to create equitable standards in modern American schools (public or private) without offending half of the PTA? If not, could schooling be changed in a way that made it possible, and what would be some other effects of doing so? Would it, in the end, be beneficial?
Just the thoughts going through my head this morning.
(LJ Spellchecker Genius of the Day: Boortz -> Boast)
PS: I'm aware that a fair number of my readers are also avid Boortz listeners and members of the Libertarian Party. I'm somewhat fond of them myself at times, though I fear that some of its louder supporters may be afflicted with a strain of rabies. Thus I'd like to make it clear that any hint of frothing at the mouth will be interpreted as that dreadful disease, and I will gladly help the afflicted out of his misery.
Paul Graham has an essay in his book Hackers & Painters titled "Why Nerds Are Unpopular" in which he examines cliques in primary and secondary education. Now granted, the claims of fact at the essay's base are far from scholarly, but they seem reasonable on their face, and they match my own casual observations. His conclusion from them, in essence, is that a major part of this school popularity contest derives from a lack of real expectations in school. Lacking a strong external standard measure of accomplishment, they create one of their own, and it's no more mature than the average school-goer. From my own casual observations, this seems like a reasonable conclusion or at least a strong factor in school cliques, but with my distance from school it's hard for me to say for certain whether this is based on my actual experience or on stereotypes I've learned in the interim. I'd love to hear some counterarguments in comments, but for the sake of this train of thought, let's assume it's real.
Boortz's response to the problem of cliques seemed to be that it's a necessary evil. Assure the underdogs that it won't be that way forever: the geek shall inherit the Earth. I wonder, though, if perhaps there's a better way. If Graham is right and the problem is both still real and influenced heavily by weak external standards, then could the problem be addressed with stronger external standards? And if it could, is there a way to create equitable standards in modern American schools (public or private) without offending half of the PTA? If not, could schooling be changed in a way that made it possible, and what would be some other effects of doing so? Would it, in the end, be beneficial?
Just the thoughts going through my head this morning.
(LJ Spellchecker Genius of the Day: Boortz -> Boast)
PS: I'm aware that a fair number of my readers are also avid Boortz listeners and members of the Libertarian Party. I'm somewhat fond of them myself at times, though I fear that some of its louder supporters may be afflicted with a strain of rabies. Thus I'd like to make it clear that any hint of frothing at the mouth will be interpreted as that dreadful disease, and I will gladly help the afflicted out of his misery.