Educated to Death

0087: I got your #Education Reform right here

#edreform

Dear Ms. Rhee and other Corporate Reformers,

I notice you’ve taken an interest in the education of the students I teach. Their test scores aren’t great so you have offered a package of solutions. I’m glad someone it taking an interest. As you collect more money on the behalf of my students I ask that you donate a little bit to Terry, who has kidney stones and an infection Medicaid won’t pay and even if they would his parents don’t have a car. The nearest clinic is ten miles away. Eudora has an abscessed tooth, it hurts they can’t afford to get into the dentist, another healthcare issue. There are other kids in the house with more pressing medical issues. So I bought her some orajel, and showed her how to use saltwater to kill the pain a little. Laneka’s mom is working three jobs, and is tired. She takes care of her brothers and sisters. After she’s done helping them with their homework she’s too tired to do what I assigned. Donovan’s dad lost his job. Will you get him a job? Janeice got raped by her mom’s boyfriend. Kiki watched her brother get shot in the chest a month ago. Jeremy sleeps in a different house every night, and only eats at school. You get the point right?

I’m glad you’re taking an interest in education. Use you power to help my kids, please. For the price of a lobbyist, a few corporate donations, and your salaries, you could make a few communities better, move them up Maslow’s hierarchy, and then they could focus more in class, and add some value, as it’s called. Their scores would improve drastically. I’ll even give you the credit. Then you’ll be the hero. You will have transformed a life or two. You will then be a real education reformer.

Thanks for your concern, but I’ve got your education reform right here.

Yours very truly,
ETD

0041: An Educator’s Guide: Learning to consume together! (Hey, what about creating together?)

#teaching #edchat #rebellion #consumer

Each day students awaken from their sweet dreams in their rich and peaceful 3 car garage homes in white neighborhoods and come to schools where their reveries can continue. Because of their natural privilege they are allowed to enter classrooms that have a marvelous curriculum of consumption. Fortunate students are blessed to “sit-and-get” knowledge each day that will allow them to perform well on their standardized tests. These standardized tests allow them to be given numeric values as human beings. Note: there is nothing more humanizing than a numeric value. These numeric values allow them to be properly sorted for better processing. It helps the schools decide how much remediation material to purchase. Luckily, almost everyone needs remediation materials of some sort. Numbered people need remediation. Usually these remedial people have strange behavior patterns that must be managed. They often squirm around and try to force their teacher-depositor to chase rabbits. The chasing of rabbits is strictly prohibited, as it distracts from what is truly important. If these remedial humans continue to chase rabbits, they can be remediated with medication. Then they will no long distract from what is important. Sometimes the teachers need remediation, especially if they insist on wasting time with discussing and reteaching material that was already consumed at its determined time on the pacing guide. These teachers usually learn to behave with a simple reprimand, but many of them need to be put on improvement plans. We must accept that the curriculum is designed and scheduled by someone who is an absolute expert. They specialize in curriculum mapping. They know the curriculum. That’s their only job. They don’t have time to waste with students and pesky misbehaving teachers. Sometimes, too, principals try to interfere with the process of organizing the numbered individuals, by defending certain practices that rebellious teachers implement. These rogue principals can usually be reprimanded, or relocated, or terminated. So, there’s no need to worry there.

It’s of the utmost importance that we as educator-depositors remember to avoid collaboration and discussion with our peers. We have consumers to groom. We must model, by properly swallowing each pill we are given. Lead by example, they say. And, we shall! Be a leader. Lead by following. We have consumers to groom.

Finally, we must remember that the task of creation should always go to someone else. This could also be said for collaboration. Education should not concern itself with creation or collaboration. Consumption is the goal. Otherwise, our economy will fail and we will have to rely on one another. How awful.

Really?

0031: If you can’t reach ‘em, drug ‘em. I guess.

#teaching #adhd

I just finished carefully filling out a form that had the insignias of the America Academy of Pediatrics (dedicated to the health of all children), the National Initiative for Children’s Healthcare Quality, and McNeil Consumer and Specialty Pharmaceuticals— two health organizations and one corporation, good benevolent companies with children’s interest at heart. The goal, I’m assuming is to issue drugs to tame this rambunctious young black child. He is a handful, but drugging a child just doesn’t seem helpful. Perhaps, a behavioral intervention or some adjustment to the way he is being taught. I’ve made a few adjustments and seen improvements. He’s a genius of a kid, just not really interested in complying. And whose to say he should comply? He disrupts during whole group activity. He has energy. When he writes it’s clever and amazing. His writing is a little off color, a little blue. He has an adult sense of humor. But the syntax is amazing. He struggles in all of his classes, but should we drug him? Or, are we just too cheap and lazy to do anything else? I am not without blame. I haven’t learned to manage his behavior. I have neither forced him into compliance or broken his spirit. He is one of the few and proud who is refusing to be schooled. I admire his wit and commitment to doing what he sees fit. He questions absolutely everything. And yes he becomes inappropriate. But, he deserves a proper education. He is not “driven by a motor”. He is driven by his mind and his choices. They do not align with the state curriculum, but they are his.

He struggles in most of his classes. Maybe he struggles against them. I’ve encountered kids like this over the course of my career. Sometimes they make it; sometimes they’re made into victims. I hope my non-referral keeps him corporate-drug-free. I hope the system that serves him adjusts to him. Unfortunately, systems wants perfect sprockets that fit on their machines. If you can’t reach ‘em drug ‘em. I guess.