On the flip side of the Reluctant Writers were the STEM Enthusiasts—students who excelled in math and science but often struggled with humanities. For them, essays and literary analysis felt like a foreign language, while calculus and coding were second nature.
One student, Emily, was a brilliant programmer. She could debug complex code in minutes but found herself utterly stumped by an assignment on Shakespeare's Macbeth. "Why can't literature have a clear formula?" she asked me once, half-jokingly.
To bridge the gap, I drew parallels between STEM and humanities. We compared Shakespeare's character arcs to algorithms, discussing how every decision and consequence in Macbeth followed a kind of cause-and-effect logic. This approach clicked for Emily, and she started analyzing the play with the same methodical mindset she used in coding.
Her final essay on Macbeth's descent into madness was analytical yet creative, earning her an A-. More importantly, Emily told me she no longer dreaded literature assignments.
STEM Enthusiasts like Emily reminded me of the value of interdisciplinary thinking. By connecting their strengths to their struggles, I could help them see challenges as opportunities for growth.
YOU ARE READING
Through the Homework Lens: Observations of an Educational Ally
Non-FictionDiscover heartfelt anecdotes and insightful observations from a journey of offering homework help to US students. From procrastinators to creative thinkers, explore how diverse learning styles shape the challenges and triumphs of education.
