Educated to Death

0154.5: Politicians, Politicos, and Pollyanna’s: How Futile Change Seems in Education

#SOSchat #p2 #education #revolution

Yesterday, I posed the question: what would education be like without politics? That was a far too general question upon second glance. Education as an institution is an almost entirely political institution. It runs likes a bureaucratic machine— of course, some parts are better oiled than others. I received a response that said education would be worse without the politics. Being that it is so much a political system, I agree. Without politicians, the system would collapse. In my questioning I made a terrible mistake/s. I made the assumption that all politicians are bad, and that all political systems are as well. They are not. Some people/systems have the best intentions and follow those intentions up with committed action. These would be politicians who function as true representatives of the people. My dealings with this group have been generally delightful, but only in the way sharing war stories is delightful. We share frustration with the slow rate of change, and nonsensical impasses to seemingly common sense legislation. As we see, things that need funding often aren’t, and money is often put into things it shouldn’t. When we ask “why can’t these funds be redirected” we’re met with mounds of paperwork, advocacy challenges, and so forth. I have, on the other hand, encountered politicians who are not at all sympathetic to the needs of teachers, students, people in general. They have what they need, so do their children and grandchildren. They share with me insincere condolences and general pats on the back for “all the good work in doing”, but have general disregard for anyone who isn’t allowed to walk in tunnels beneath The Hill. I’ve had ranges of experiences with politicians, politicos, and Pollyannas, but one thing remains the same and will remain the same: bureaucracy so often prevents progress (that’s stating the obvious in the worst way). Additionally, people make decisions as representatives for People who they will never know or understand. Education Systems, Prison Systems, Healthcare Systems, etc. all fall prey to grave inefficiencies, greed, corporate influence, nasty politics, and most important harming and neglecting just as many people as they “help”. Certainly, there is good that comes from all of the above institutions, but huge profits should not be listed in those lists of goods, especially if they’re not functioning in a helpful manner for all. So, I ask another question, hopefully a more focused question (with fewer “what-if’s” and more “how’s”): How can bureaucracy be eliminated or lessened from our institutions? How can services become more equitable? How can people be empowered to better sustain themselves? What will it take to make education more equitable for the children I teach? What will it take for the children of color I teach to be considered just as valuable as the kids across town?

I don’t know if these questions are better phrased or more specific, maybe just more honest. What can be done? Who can do it? Is it possible? Historically, Institutions don’t really change too much once they’ve been given life. So, if no change, what?

Rules for Radical #Teachers: Rule 5

#education #activism

If you get fired don’t quit. Tell your story to whoever will listen. Tell the story of what good you did as a teacher. Share the ways you taught. Become an advocate for students and good teaching. Turn your blog or website into a tool for activism. Continue to show your value, but kick it up a bit. Show what students have lost. Talk to people. Write. Read. Go back to school if you must. Take a break, but for God’s sake try to do whatever you can to progress education.

Rules for Radical #Teachers: Rule 4

#education #activism

Be flexible. Excellent teaching involves risk. By not teaching to the test your students may not make the gains on the tests that are required. The test doesn’t necessarily measure learning. It measures score differentials. So, you may lose your job anyway. The school could just let you go for other reasons. If you have followed the first rules, then you should scream bloody murder—in a collected and professional manner, of course. You already have your case built. If you’re a member of a union or professional organization contact them before you sign or agree to anything. Use their counsel. If it doesn’t work out move on. Your peace of mind matters. You taught to the best of your ability. If you did right by your students, then you should rest well. Find another job (that’s tough right now).

Rules for Radical #Teachers: Rule 3

#education #activism

Keep your nose clean. Be on time. Do your job. Be professional. Turn in lesson plans, etc., etc. Don’t give them extra reasons to dismiss you.

Rules for Radical #Teachers: Rule 2

#education #activism

Teach excellently, not to the test. If you’re teaching, then students are learning. When you teach, and then share your practice with the world you are building a case for real teaching. Testing aside, you must show the world what good teaching looks like. That’s why, referring to the first rule, you must be visible. Students need an opportunity to learn without being bound by mindless teaching or training. They need to think, create, solve problems (real problems), collaborate, and so forth. Teaching to the test does not allow for this.

You have to keep your job, so teach the curriculum. Give your students the tools they need to pass the test. But, teach them the value of learning over testing. Help them build their identity as learners not test takers. If you don’t cover everything, but your learners really learn they will be able to at least improve their scores, and they will have learned. We are at a point that we may have to put our jobs at risk to give our students what they need. Worry not, by following the first rule we have a little more freedom. Your teaching is giving good PR. Your test scores don’t all come up, you’re still valuable. You’ve tilted the balance slightly.

Rules for Radical #Teachers: Rule 1

#education #activism

Make yourself a visible valuable asset to the school district. What this really means is to make yourself a PR liability. If they fire you, the school and district will look bad. Schools are struggling to maintain positive public images, the last thing they want is more bad publicity. To do this you must do things to get yourself noticed. Do a project with your students and invite the principal, superintendent, city officials, school PR, local news, parents, and anyone else you can think of to see what wonderful things your students are doing. Build a public case for your value. Positive publicity helps school/district image. The administrators will be praised for having such an active teacher, and this keeps you visible. Additionally, you will be benefitting your students with project-based critical learning with real outcomes. Publicity for good work is far better than a grade.

Keep a class website, keeping in mind district policies and confidentiality laws. This website or blog can function as a place for students to interact, if they have access to technology. If they don’t keep a website or blog anyway. Post their work. Show them in class. Email it to the administration. Again, it’s good PR. It helps your students. It helps you.

Participate in school board meetings when you can. Go to public forums. Speak positively about things that are happening in your classroom. Get on the docket at the school board or city council meeting and use your two minutes to brag on your students’ achievements. Show that they’re learning and you’re not teaching to the test. This is good PR for the school and the district. It’s also modeling best practices for teaching in a public forum.

Seek out partners for your classroom. You’re not looking for donations here; you’re looking for support. Invite a community member to teach your class. Maybe a bank president to teach students to balance a checkbook. A store manager to talk about leadership. An attorney to teach an English lesson. A carpenter to teach Pythagorean theorem. Have an artist teach the Golden mean. You get the idea. Get people in your class. This doesn’t need to be constant, just a few times.

Don’t forget to bring your colleagues along with you on the ride. Build participation and connections among faculty members. Break the silence.

It is of the utmost importance that you bring a positive light to your teaching practice. This will give you liberty to speak candidly against injustices (not the school or district) in other instances.
Positive, free PR is an invaluable resource for schools and districts. If you’re at the center of it, then you become a loss. They can’t afford to lose someone like you.

0090: Rules for Radical #Teachers

#education #activism Please RT

The goal of teaching is learning. There is no teaching without learning. Teaching to the test is not teaching. It’s training. Teachers are often bullied into unsavory practices that aim to keep teachers in line and students working only for the test. Teachers need to fight to teach. We must be able to advocate for our students and ourselves without fear of retribution, and there will be retribution. Don’t be a victim. Here’s how.

1. Make yourself a valuable asset to the school district.

2. Teach excellently, not to the test.

3. Keep your nose clean.

4. Be flexible.

5. If you’re fired don’t quit

Now let’s look a little deeper into each rule.

1. Make yourself a visible valuable asset to the school district. What this really means is to make yourself a PR liability. If they fire you, the school and district will look bad. Schools are struggling to maintain positive public images, the last thing they want is more bad publicity. To do this you must do things to get yourself noticed. Do a project with your students and invite the principal, superintendent, city officials, school PR, local news, parents, and anyone else you can think of to see what wonderful things your students are doing. Build a public case for your value. Positive publicity helps school/district image. The administrators will be praised for having such an active teacher, and this keeps you visible. Additionally, you will be benefitting your students with project-based critical learning with real outcomes. Publicity for good work is far better than a grade.

Keep a class website, keeping in mind district policies and confidentiality laws. This website or blog can function as a place for students to interact, if they have access to technology. If they don’t keep a website or blog anyway. Post their work. Show them in class. Email it to the administration. Again, it’s good PR. It helps your students. It helps you.

Participate in school board meetings when you can. Go to public forums. Speak positively about things that are happening in your classroom. Get on the docket at the school board or city council meeting and use your two minutes to brag on your students’ achievements. Show that they’re learning and you’re not teaching to the test. This is good PR for the school and the district. It’s also modeling best practices for teaching in a public forum.

Seek out partners for your classroom. You’re not looking for donations here; you’re looking for support. Invite a community member to teach your class. Maybe a bank president to teach students to balance a checkbook. A store manager to talk about leadership. An attorney to teach an English lesson. A carpenter to teach Pythagorean theorem. Have an artist teach the Golden mean. You get the idea. Get people in your class. This doesn’t need to be constant, just a few times.

Don’t forget to bring your colleagues along with you on the ride. Build participation and connections among faculty members. Break the silence.

It is of the utmost importance that you bring a positive light to your teaching practice. This will give you liberty to speak candidly against injustices (not the school or district) in other instances.
Positive, free PR is an invaluable resource for schools and districts. If you’re at the center of it, then you become a loss. They can’t afford to lose someone like you.

2. Teach excellently, not to the test. If you’re teaching, then students are learning. When you teach, and then share your practice with the world you are building a case for real teaching. Testing aside, you must show the world what good teaching looks like. That’s why, referring to the first rule, you must be visible. Students need an opportunity to learn without being bound by mindless teaching or training. They need to think, create, solve problems (real problems), collaborate, and so forth. Teaching to the test does not allow for this.

You have to keep your job, so teach the curriculum. Give your students the tools they need to pass the test. But, teach them the value of learning over testing. Help them build their identity as learners not test takers. If you don’t cover everything, but your learners really learn they will be able to at least improve their scores, and they will have learned. We are at a point that we may have to put our jobs at risk to give our students what they need. Worry not, by following the first rule we have a little more freedom. Your teaching is giving good PR. Your test scores don’t all come up, you’re still valuable. You’ve tilted the balance slightly.

3. Keep your nose clean. Be on time. Do your job. Be professional. Turn in lesson plans, etc., etc. Don’t give them extra reasons to dismiss you.

4. Be flexible. Excellent teaching involves risk. By not teaching to the test your students may not make the gains on the tests that are required. The test doesn’t necessarily measure learning. It measures score differentials. So, you may lose your job anyway. The school could just let you go for other reasons. If you have followed the first rules, then you should scream bloody murder—in a collected and professional manner, of course. You already have your case built. If you’re a member of a union or professional organization contact them before you sign or agree to anything. Use their counsel. If it doesn’t work out move on. Your peace of mind matters. You taught to the best of your ability. If you did right by your students, then you should rest well. Find another job (that’s tough right now).

5. If you get fired don’t quit. Tell your story to whoever will listen. Tell the story of what good you did as a teacher. Share the ways you taught. Become an advocate for students and good teaching. Turn your blog or website into a tool for activism. Continue to show your value, but kick it up a bit. Show what students have lost. Talk to people. Write. Read. Go back to school if you must. Take a break, but for God’s sake try to do whatever you can to progress education.

We’re losing valuable teachers to testing and other atrocities. Please don’t be a victim. Teach at all costs.

If you have something to add, please share at educatedtodeath@gmail.com

Note: Give Saul Alinsky’s ‘Rules for Radicals’ a look.

Suggestions/Submissions

#education #activism If you have anything to share, add to, take away, disagree, etc. please help me learn and grow. Email me at educatedtodeath@gmail.com

Thanks,
ETD

0088: For #freedom dear reader

#education #revolution #occupy

I did not intend for this website to become an activist website, but as water flows so must my writing. We live in a time that is unusual to all of us. Civil unrest has been a distant memory, or a work of fiction. We have been blind to our oppression, sated by myriad mediums of entertainment and distraction. As a teacher, hopefully a critically conscious one, I have the obligation and the deep desire to participate in the protection and further development of a free and open society. I teach with a love of freedom and transformation in my heart. I teach as a humanist, with hopes of seeing my fellow man thrive. Oppression is the norm; whether through the distractions afforded by wealth or the weight of poverty, we are all in some way oppressed. We, as teachers, activists, humans, must do everything in our power to ensure the conscious revolution of those around us, lest we truly be put asunder by powers which seek their own gain implicitly. How can one see his neighbor in despair and do nothing? I thank you, dear reader, for your attention, and ask that you do all in your power to continue in reflective action to protect freedom where it exists and restore it where it has been extinguished. Cheers!

Yours very truly,
ETD