Friday, May 30, 2008

seen and not heard

We are always searching for an easier way to do things. It's human nature, and supports the "KISS" philosophy as well as the "work smarter not harder" adage. In education, one of the most important aspects (not at all surprisingly) is communication. People talk/people listen sort of deal. The problem, or one of the main problems is that those in power sometimes forget that communication is a 2-way street! You cannot direct/tell/order someone to do something and expect them to do it willingly unless there is a controlled and implied relationship (parent to child, drill sergeant to recruit, guard to prisoner, etc.). One would think that in a company or a public institution where information, brainstorming,, and suggestion are valued, feedback is desirable. The top-down management organization misses out on many opportunities to improve the circumstances and form a stronger connection, thus the concept of "teachers being seen and not heard" is predictably a recipe for disaster...

Monday, May 12, 2008

Education today

Today's public schools and all schools for that matter are faced with the same dilemma: we are held accountable for the the ills of society from porr test grades to institutionalized racism to locusts and other plagues! And as teachers, we are not challenging these false precepts and are accepting what we are accused of!

When do we say Enough is Enough and I'm mad as hell and just won't take it anymore?

When do we stop accepting the paperwork and the buraucracy?

When do we begin taking pride in what we do and get involved in our own life?

When do we demand that people respect us and stop trying to place blame on those that are the last line of defense?