I recall my first student. I was a first semester grad student in biomedical engineering; my student was a freshman with aspirations in the same field. As I began explaining a biochemical pathway, it became clear this student had no knowledge whatsoever of the concept of 'electrons'. I had assumed that this student, having graduated high school and demonstrated a passion for science, would have a baseline skill set.
Common sense is often not common, even less so the more geographically and culturally diverse our classrooms become. In order to serve our broad communities, we must recognize these opportunities.
