Redefining Exceptionalism: The Importance of Removing Super Hero Language from Education

Abstract

The concept of exceptionalism for some years has defined the way schools and society determine success. Abiding by this concept has become problematic for parents and students who believe they must achieve outstanding benchmarks to have greater access to opportunities. In addition, the Danielson Framework became a tool to identify which educators were operating under specific standards to ensure students’ impressive performance. How education chooses to reframe exceptionalism while redefining success will ultimately determine how effectively schools can best support teachers and students to obtain achievable and realistic goals.