A good student can be described in many ways. A good student arrives to class on time, hands in assignments, take notes, sits quietly, listens to instructions, and does well on tests. In the article, Kumashiro describes a good student as “completing certain assignments and repeating on exams the correct definitions or themes or analyses in a strong essay format” (21) or “a good student required behaving and thinking in only certain ways” (21). Everyone learns differently at their own speed. Teachers must also consider teaching with many different techniques to help students learn at their best. Whether it’s clarifying concepts or asking for help/questions, educators are the best source for a student’s success.
There are a couple of different types of students who are privileged by this definition of a “good student”. A wealthy family would definitely fit into this category as they are able to provide/afford technology, transportation, and accommodation. This is a huge advantage for students as they are recognized as “good students” because of the resources and tools they have to help them achieve success. Kumashiro states in the article, “M did not follow instructions well… M would have difficulty listening quietly to the speaker at the museum… M was restless if required to sit for too long and rowdy if required to sit quietly for too long”. This impacts the students who are not able to comprehend information quickly or stay focused in class for long periods of time.