August 15, 2025
Confusing Harder with Better
What do the following have in common?
a) parents who don’t seem particularly concerned about whether what their kids are doing in school is engaging or meaningful, but are quick to complain if their assignments aren’t sufficiently challenging
b) people who assume that Advanced Placement classes must be the best that a high school has to offer just because these classes are really tough
c) proponents of school reform who use the language of “rigor” and “raising the bar”
d) legislators and administrators who require students to take standardized tests that many successful adults would struggle to pass
The common denominator here is the deep-rooted assumption that, where schooling is concerned, higher quality is basically equivalent to greater difficulty. This episode of Kohn’s Zone explores how profoundly this misconception has shaped our understanding of schooling.
A note from Alfie Kohn:
If you’ve been enjoying, or at least listening to, the podcast but have put off doing your part to support it, I am pleased to inform you that it is not too late to do so. It will also not be too late tomorrow, but doing so today would be even better. Microphones, as my father might have said, do not grow on trees. Please consider a modest contribution — ideally on a regular basis, since a podcast, after all, is not a one-shot event — to keep us ad-free and unpaywalled. Thanks!