Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader
Toya Bryant
July 28, 2008
I have to admit that as a parent of a fifth grade student I wondered if Fox’s concept for their game show “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader” was really viable and merited watching. But surprisingly, the show hosted by comedian Jeff Foxworthy is a hit with both children and adults. The show’s contestants are comprised of people from various races, ages and professions, such as lawyers, doctors, and even teachers.
In a day and age when most primetime television programs are not designed for children, the show actually promotes learning. Interestingly enough, it is mostly the adults who do the learning.
As I watch the show with my fifth grader I am often surprised at how much I do not remember, bearing in mind that I once dreamed of being the next Ken Jennings of Jeopardy fame. My child on the other hand quickly responds to every question.
What the show does is brings to the fore that the average American adult is not educated beyond a fifth grade level, so to speak. The elementary school curriculum has changed significantly since most of us were adolescents to include subjects that go beyond the realm of reading, writing, and arithmetic. Gone are the days of the “Dick and Jane” approach to teaching. Innovative thinking on the part of educators as well as technology has taken classroom instruction to new heights. Formerly students studied various subjects strictly from textbooks, but teacher’s today employ hands on or virtual learning aids. Children are able to connect with the information in a way that really inculcates what they study deep into their minds leaving most adults behind the times.
My fifth grader often asks for my help with her homework and it usually results in me staring at the page with a puzzled expression. As I struggle to assist my child in a way that doesn’t show up that she may be smarter than I am, I am daily forced to acknowledge that:
My name is Toya Bryant and I am not smarter than a fifth grader.
In a day and age when most primetime television programs are not designed for children, the show actually promotes learning. Interestingly enough, it is mostly the adults who do the learning.
As I watch the show with my fifth grader I am often surprised at how much I do not remember, bearing in mind that I once dreamed of being the next Ken Jennings of Jeopardy fame. My child on the other hand quickly responds to every question.
What the show does is brings to the fore that the average American adult is not educated beyond a fifth grade level, so to speak. The elementary school curriculum has changed significantly since most of us were adolescents to include subjects that go beyond the realm of reading, writing, and arithmetic. Gone are the days of the “Dick and Jane” approach to teaching. Innovative thinking on the part of educators as well as technology has taken classroom instruction to new heights. Formerly students studied various subjects strictly from textbooks, but teacher’s today employ hands on or virtual learning aids. Children are able to connect with the information in a way that really inculcates what they study deep into their minds leaving most adults behind the times.
My fifth grader often asks for my help with her homework and it usually results in me staring at the page with a puzzled expression. As I struggle to assist my child in a way that doesn’t show up that she may be smarter than I am, I am daily forced to acknowledge that:
My name is Toya Bryant and I am not smarter than a fifth grader.
Print
Email
