Being Average

Tim Brighouse in Renfrewshire
Originally uploaded by Gordon McKinlay

As part of his presentation to head teachers in Renfrewshire, professor Tim Brighouse used this poem:

The Average Child
by Mike Buscemi

I don’t cause teachers trouble;
My grades have been okay.
I listen in my classes.
I’m in school every day.

My teachers think I’m average;
My parents think so too.
I wish I didn’t know that, though;
There’s lots I’d like to do.

I’d like to build a rocket;
I read a book on how.
Or start a stamp collection…
But no use trying now.

’Cause, since I found I’m average,
I’m smart enough you see
To know there’s nothing special
I should expect of me.

I’m part of that majority,
That hump part of the bell,
Who spends his life unnoticed
In an average kind of hell.

I hope it's OK to reproduce the poem here. It appears to be all over the Internet! As we think about the quality of learning and teaching this is clearly something very important that we need to think about.