School district employee criticizes teacher for calling her 2nd grade students 'kids': 'Are you teaching kids, or are you teaching scholars?'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Apr 21, 2026 7:45 AM EDT

Gimme a break.

If you tell a child that he's a scholar enough times, will that actually make him do his homework on time? I'm not an expert on pedagogy, but I'd bet that telling kids that they're genius academics all the time does very little to motivate them to be good students. If anything, it might make them feel like they don't have to try that hard, because they're scholars and academics just by existing! I kind of doubt if that's true. I'm not one of those boomers who think that participation trophies will make every kid think he's going to be Lebron James. I think kids have a better sense of their athletic prowess than other kids do, because sports are objective. You can watch an MLB-bound kid and know he's MLB-bound compared to you, the average little league 3rd baseman. With academics, it's slightly different. You don't know exactly what grades your classmates get, so it's harder to be able to tell who is objectively smarter by just being in the same classroom as your peers. Some exceptionally quiet kids are secret geniuses that their teachers can't figure out, let alone the other kids in their class. 

I do think that kids get an inflated sense of self from being told they are academically gifted, and it's probably best to treat slightly above-average kids the same way you treat average kids. The teacher in this story was just trying to treat all of her students like regular kids, and she got shut down by a higher up at her school. 

Add as a preferred
source on Google
Advertisement
  • A female teacher stands in front of the classroom as she teaches a science lesson
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    A teacher instructing a class of kids (oops, I mean scholars) on scientific matters. 

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • "Are you teaching kids, or are you teaching scholars?"

    This was asked to me by a district employee after I called the students kids during a meeting. I was teaching 2nd grade at the time. How would you have responded?
    via u/TopIntroduction1876
  • DependentAd235 "True, I suppose students would be a better word." Agree with them to give them a win. Downtown admin can be shady. But like... they aren't 45 year olds reading illuminated manuscripts in a monastery. They are learners. Students.
    via u/TopIntroduction1876
  • Two monks sitting on steps reading a book
    via Aditya Saxena (Unsplash+)

    Two Buddhist monks studying a text in a temple, something that a class of 2nd graders probably could not handle at their developmental stage. 

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Anoninemonie This. Let them think they did something. They leave sooner once they do.
    via u/TopIntroduction1876
  • StarryBlinkie OP, yeah this is exactly it. You can nod and say "students" to keep admin happy, but it's such a pointless distinction. They're kids, and everyone knows what you meant.
    via u/TopIntroduction1876
  • BoomerTeacher This is the answer. Calling them scholars is like giving them a participation trophy.
    via u/TopIntroduction1876
  • ThePrideOfKrakow No Scholars Left Behind!
    via u/TopIntroduction1876
  • sk8nteach A scholar is a researcher or someone who is an expert in a certain field. A kid is someone who is a child. Also a young goat. I'd probably be paid more if I was teaching scholars and/or goats.
    via u/TopIntroduction1876
  • Awolrab Even when I was going for my masters I probably wouldn't have called myself a scholar. Lol
    via u/TopIntroduction1876
  • Harriet M_Welsch My middle-schoolers are far more similar to goats than they are to scholars atp
    via u/TopIntroduction1876
  • Xgenistential_1 Agreed!!! Plus, granting the title of scholar eliminates a key motivation to strive to be better. To develop that competency. It blurs the concept of a growth mindset. What would they think if I referred to them as as scholars in one sentence and in the next speak of a fabulous mathematician or research scientist as a scholar. It blurs boundaries.
    via u/TopIntroduction1876
  • So yes, I hate it when teachers misuse the term. A swear, a great many teachers and most of admin should return to school and take a graduate level class in motivation and take a deep hard look at self-determination theory.
    via u/TopIntroduction1876
  • _contrabassoon_ Kids. "Scholars" ignores all their needs outside of academics. Kids need SEL, play, etc and the term "scholars" does nothing to communicate that about them.
    via u/TopIntroduction1876
  • Little preschool boy and girl climbing rock wall at playground outside on summer day
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    Kids rock climbing together, something that scholars don't necessarily do.

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Storming TheCastle This! I was going to go with, "I'm teaching the whole child."
    via u/TopIntroduction1876
  • LuckysGift One of the truest things I was ever told is, "If you think you're teaching math, then you need to change perspectives. You're teaching kids."
    via u/TopIntroduction1876
  • ilacwamh A few months ago, one of my middle school classes was being rowdier than normal, and I said something like, "Why is everyone talking right now" out of frustration. One of the students literally said, "Because we're kids.” I find that I sometimes have to stop and remind myself that sometimes things aren't going to go perfectly because I'm working with kids, and that's just the nature of the job.
    via u/TopIntroduction1876
  • Snoo-85072 People who make such comments have already shown themselves to be startlingly unaware of how language works. I doubt they would be able to grasp the nuances of any rebuttal. Stay silent and don't make any sudden movements.
    via u/TopIntroduction1876
  • yeyiyeyiyo Also, hate to say it but the only schools that call kids scholars are poor. Upper class schools don't do that nonsense. It's not some positive thing.
    via u/TopIntroduction1876
  • AltairaMorbius2200CE Rich kids get to be kids. Poor kids are forced to be adults by EVERYONE, even those looking out for them.
    via u/AltairaMorbius2200CE
  • empiric1 "Is being condescending and pedantic a good way to communicate your point to a fellow professional?"
    via u/TopIntroduction1876
  • ThrowRAheregoes Ooh! Magic words, cool.
    via u/TopIntroduction1876

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

school employee elementary school students kids criticism teacher scholarship studying pedantic
Scroll Down For The Next Article