The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth: Popularity, Quirk Theory, and Why Outsiders Thrive After High School
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“We’re teaching our students”: Interview, Zaremba.
they would have been lost: Interviews.
“When I moved to Dallas”: Interview.
“I’m just as guilty”: Interview.
“Sometimes adults get too focused”: Interviews.
“I’ve made efforts”: Interview.
“It may not seem like much”: Interview.
The British government funneled: See, for example, Shepherd, Jessica. “Fertile minds need feeding: Are schools stifling creativity?”, The Guardian, February 10, 2009.
United Kingdom able to invest: Ibid.; Interview, Pamela Burnard.
Sachse High School: Interview, Cheryl Beard. Thank you to Diane Wilcox for facilitating the group discussion with teachers and administrators in which I first learned about Sachse’s reading program, and to Andrea Bottorff, the teacher who first told me about it.
Improve clique relations—among staff: “In a philosophical examination of issues related to sense of belonging, Edwards (1995) advocated that school administrators ensure that teachers must feel a sense of belonging to school so that they, in turn, can help their students feel a sense of belonging.” See Ma, Xin.
“a hostile environment”: Interview.
“ask students about them”: See, for example, the description of the Generation Y program in Weinberger, Elizabeth and McCombs, Barbara. “Applying the LCPs to High School Education,” Theory Into Practice, Vol. 42, No. 2, Learner-Centered Principles: A Framework for Teaching, Spring, 2003. See also Rigby, Ken. “Health Consequences of Bullying and its Prevention in Schools,” in Peer Harassment in Schools.
“special bully meetings”: Interview.
“There has to be”: See Healy, Rita. “A Long Shadow,” Time Europe, May 6, 2002.
CHAPTER 14
the jellybean jar game: See Berns. I highly recommend Iconoclast for further reading.
“The more diverse the group”: Ibid.
Note: Diverse groups do not polarize. See, for example, Fishkin, James S. and Luskin, Robert C. “Experimenting with a Democratic Ideal: Deliberative Polling and Public Opinion,” Acta Politica, Vol. 40, 2005.
“The more influence a group’s members”: See Surowiecki, James. The Wisdom of Crowds, New York: First Anchor Books, 2005.
Acknowledgments
I am exceptionally lucky to have supportive parents who have always encouraged me to be myself and clearly communicated that they love me not despite my goofy idiosyncrasies, but because those quirks help to make me who I am. A line on an acknowledgments page is not nearly enough to thank them.
I especially want to thank my mom, kind and wise, caring and fun, witty and talented, cheerful and enthusiastic, and an exemplary role model. Her selflessness, thoughtfulness, and generosity in assisting me with both book and non-book matters were a major reason I was able to turn in this manuscript on time. She is the best mother a child could have.
Dave Robbins is a constant source of inspiration, compassion, encouragement, and amusement. Missy Robbins provided invaluable assistance with locating journal articles and commenting astutely from a teacher’s perspective. Andrew Robbins, who skillfully handles my Web sites, also kept me laughing from afar. Ira Robbins, my most lovingly, wonderfully meticulous reader, made this book so much better than it was.
The following people have my utmost appreciation for their support, friendship, and frequent reminders that while I love what I do for a living, life outside of work is also a blast: Ryan R., most of all—and Amy L., Nick and Andrea B., Gwen A., Andey K., Kelly L., Ellie A. (my go-to grammer guru), Vicki and Matt G., Kristy K., and the magnanimous Jake F. Additional heartfelt thanks to Lita G.
I’m so grateful to be paired with Gretchen Young, a smart, insightful editor who constantly demonstrated her passion for and devotion to this book. An author could not ask for a better editor. On top of that, she’s one cool chick. (Er, legitimately, sociometrically cool.) Elizabeth Sabo was patient and tireless; I could always count on her for upbeat answers to my (probably too many) questions. My awesome publicist, Christine Ragasa, blew me away with her ideas from our first meeting onward, as did associate publisher Kristin Kiser and super-stupendous marketing guru Bryan Christian, who rounded out the Geeks creative team. Many thanks to publisher Ellen Archer and the rest of the gang at Hyperion, which I’ve been fortunate to call home for nine years.
Paula Balzer, my dear friend and trusted agent of more than a decade, went above and beyond with this book, and I’m not just saying that because she sent me no-reason chocolates. I’m also indebted to Michael Prevett for his steady support and good humor. Sebastian Rupley, the only non-family member I entrusted to serve as a manuscript reader, provided terrific guidance and zeal for this project. Thanks also to Lindzi Scharf, who supplied some Hollywood reporting assistance; Adrian Biffen of Aerohost; and Will Balliett, for his support.
A million thank yous to Danielle, Blue, Regan, Joy, Eli, Noah, and Whitney for the time, effort, and most of all, heart they contributed to this book. I am lucky to know them. Thanks also to all of the students, teachers, and other experts whom I interviewed. Even if their words were not quoted, their insights informed my writing.
And finally, thanks, as always, to my amazing and loyal readers, whose feedback I treasure, whether at my lectures, via email, or on Facebook at Facebook.com/AuthorAlexandraRobbins (and now on Twitter @AlexandraRobbins). Your unflagging encouragement makes me smile.
About the Author
Alexandra Robbins is the New York Times bestselling author of Pledged and The Overachievers. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and other publications. The recipient of the 2007 Heartsongs Award for contributions to the mental health of children and young adults, Robbins has appeared on numerous television shows, including 60 Minutes, the Today show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The View, and The Colbert Report.
For lectures, visit alexandrarobbins.com. To learn more about Alexandra Robbins, or to buy her books, go here.
ALSO BY ALEXANDRA ROBBINS
The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids
Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities
Secrets of the Tomb: Skull and Bones, the Ivy League, and the Hidden Paths of Power
Conquering Your Quarterlife Crisis: Advice from Twentysomethings Who Have Been There and Survived
Copyright
Some, but not all, of the names in this book have been changed. Occasionally, some identifying details have been modified. The perspectives portrayed in each of the characters’ sections do not necessarily represent the author’s views.
Copyright © 2011 Alexandra Robbins
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For information address Hyperion, 114 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10011.
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data has been applied for.
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4013-0202-3
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1 For the sake of simplicity, in future chapters, “popular” refers to perceived popularity.
2 IMs and texts have been edited for punctuation.
3 I disagree with both statements.
4 “There is actually not much difference in the social quali
ties of attractive and unattractive individuals,” Psychology Today reported in 2010.
5 Additionally, a childlike mindset recently has been proven to boost creativity.
6 Abridged here.