In his essay, Graff reflected on the failure of conventional schools to accommodate the needs and learning styles of students who are gifted differently. Through the essay, Graff essentially makes the case for more inclusive education. He argues that ‘street smarts’ should be elevated to the same level of significance and focus as conventional intelligence. Graff represents the many students whose gifts have remained ignored and untapped. Despite being capable of performing remarkable feats, these students are labeled failures owing to their inability to excel in academic pursuits. After reflecting on my own experiences, I can confirm that the intellectual world is more similar to the world of team sports than it is different.
There are a number of personal experiences which have led me to agree with Graff. I have always been an avid fan of sports. In particular, I have had a passionate interest in football. While my football skills are not particularly impressive, my interest in this sport has exposed me to the complex dynamics of football. For example, while part of a football team in high school, we had sessions where we would brainstorm and develop strategies for defeating our competitors. The suggestions that we offered ranged from obvious solutions to more inspired strategies. There are those who felt that the team’s performance could be improved by focusing on training while our coach believed that we would perform better by leveraging the weaknesses in the strategies employed by our competitors. I think that these sessions highlight how the world of team sports involves the use of various theories. This is also true for the intellectual world where theoretical frameworks are developed as part of efforts to explain complex phenomena.
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In addition to rival theories, the world of team sport is also based on rival texts and elaborate team competitions. For instance, our team’s football coach had created a pamphlet that outlined the strategies that we would employ in different scenarios. When facing a stronger team, this text advised that we focus on defense. On the other hand, if we had greater power than our competitor, the text challenged us to implement a strategy of offense. There was another text that focused on team work and the critical role that it plays in success. The two texts show that the world of team sport is defined by the use of texts which present varying perspectives on the same issue. This mirrors the reality in the intellectual world where students are exposed to huge volumes of texts that shed light on a wide range of subjects and perspectives. Elaborate team competitions are another feature that highlights the shared foundations of the world of team sports and the intellectual world. In all my years as a student, I have participated in intense academic competitions. I believe that my case is not unique. Across the country, thousands of students study intensely in a bid to outdo their peers in exams and other measures of academic intellectual competence. In the world of team sports, competitions among teams are also a defining feature. My football team participated in various contests. We trained passionately and spent huge amounts of time and effort trying to perfect our skills. The parallels between my experiences in the classroom and the field underscore the fact that the world of sport and the world of academic pursuits are more similar than they are different.
In the discussion above, I have presented the argument that the intellectual world shares similarities with the world of team sports. Whereas I maintain that there are significant similarities, I also find that the two worlds are vastly different. I regard the intellectual world essentially as concerning the classroom and academic learning. For example, this world involves sitting in class to receive instruction and taking exams to evaluate the level of learning that has occurred. This world is made real by the fact that it is familiar and has been the defining feature of our education system for generations.
While reflecting on my experiences, I was prompted to think about my own ideas and perspectives regarding an intellectual. Personally, I feel that being an intellectual extends beyond mere book smartness. I agree that individuals who are able to grasp the concepts that are covered in class are indeed intellectual. To master these concepts, a tremendous amount of intelligence and talent is required. However, I also feel that being able to solve problems outside the classroom is a critical component of being intellectual. Essentially, street-smart individuals can be regarded as intellectual. In fact, I am of the view that in many cases being street-smart is far more useful and important than being book-smart. Granted, those who are book-smart are able to excel in the classroom. They score high grades that offer them access to opportunities. However, these individuals are likely to stumble when confronted with problems that require practical solutions. Being street-smart means that one possesses the skills and knowledge required to navigate the challenges of life. For example, a street-smart student is able to de-escalate a tense situation that could turn violent. This same individual would be better placed to identify opportunities for financial gain. I do not think that individuals who are book-smart would be able to execute these tasks.
As part of this assignment, I am required to choose a quotation and share it with my colleagues in the classroom. My quotation is derived from Graff’s work. In his essay, Graff laments that “schools and colleges are missing an opportunity when they do not encourage students to take their nonacademic interests as objects of academic study.” I find that this statement is relevant and significant for education. Its significance lies in the fact that it challenges schools to abandon the traditional approach to teaching which failed to recognize the value of such nonacademic pursuits as sports. Having witnessed the benefits of extra-curricular activities, I agree with Graff that there is a need for schools to make non-academic pursuits a critical component of their operations.
