Exceptional Spaces: Diverse Learning Environments in a Public High School

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 3:45 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Being, Belonging, and Becoming in School and Community

Abstract

Many American high schools feature extensive differentiation, offering various class topics (e.g. algebra, biology) and levels (e.g. college prep, honors). Across these courses, teachers create distinct learning environments. In this paper, I compare students' experiences in “regular” classes versus those geared towards “exceptional learners” in a large public high school. I find that teachers emphasized rigid rule enforcement and rote learning activities in “regular” classes, while creating spaces characterized by flexibility, collaboration, and permissiveness in classes intended for “exceptional learners.” These patterns held both in classes intended for students perceived to have exceptional academic abilities and those perceived to have exceptional social needs. These findings offer insights into the significance of labeling and the social dimensions of academic differentiation.

Author

• Karlyn J Gorski, University of Chicago