teaching to the middle

Definition

The pedagogical compromise of aiming instruction at average-performing students, inevitably boring advanced learners while leaving struggling students behind. This crowd-pleasing mediocrity satisfies nobody but represents the path of least resistance in large classes.

Example Usage

I know I'm teaching to the middle, but with 150 students and no TA, I can't differentiate instruction for everyone.

Origin

K-12 education discourse, widely applied to higher education

Fun Fact

Educational research consistently shows teaching to the middle produces the poorest outcomes for both high and low performers compared to differentiated approaches.

Source: Pedagogical theory and classroom practice

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