Yes, I agree that most educators are following statistics based on "normal". I was a programmer/analyst for sixteen years and am now a teacher (math and computer ed). Most people don't question "facts". If one is told "children level out in third grade", that is a fact to them.

As a programmer, we had to think of everything that could go wrong and code for it so I am a little unusual for a teacher. I do work with my students and carefully think about their strengths and weaknesses.

I know where most of them are going and want to do. I am even teaching German to one of my tenth graders in a modified content math course. I just teach him a phrase per week, but that is what he wants. His mother (through a Spanish interpreter) said that he practices all the time.