tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339910176549966696.post4002739381848835654..comments2023-06-16T09:50:28.728-04:00Comments on I am a teacher et cetera: Time for ChangeJennifer Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01459363843692965338noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339910176549966696.post-89648046376008572762008-01-12T00:26:00.000-05:002008-01-12T00:26:00.000-05:00Thanks for both of your comments!Clay, I find your...Thanks for both of your comments!<BR/><BR/>Clay, I find your thinking and writing about how education might be quite inspirational.<BR/><BR/>Barry, I agree, change can be subtle. I think the part that I was most troubled by in Lehmann's post was the repeated call to temper idealism. I'm not saying that we throw the baby out with the bath water, but certainly we need to spend some time reflecting on our current educational paradigms. <BR/><BR/>The foundation of our current system seems to rest on high-stakes achievement tests - whether it is our course final exams, state tests, or SATs. Students must have a particular set of knowledge before passing onto the next step, before being labeled proficient. I don't see this as the best way to challenge and guide our students. And although I agree that the first step is to begin by making changes within our individual classrooms, I think it is only the first step.<BR/><BR/>My comment about the need to think outside the box or outside the system stems from my belief that if we continue to work within it, aren't we in danger of recapitulating it? If we don't make connections outside of our classroom, if we don't consider more systematic changes an option, aren't we just doomed to repeat the same mistakes?<BR/><BR/>I believe in public schools. I love working in a public school. But I think we have need to let ourselves imagine a different sort of classroom, a different sort of school that might better address the needs and challenges of a more technology driven, interconnected world. <BR/><BR/>I'm not quite sure what that looks like, but I'm having a wonderful time thinking about the possibilities by reading blogs like Clay's, Will's, Chris', and yours! Keep it up! You've got me thinking!Jennifer Wardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01459363843692965338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339910176549966696.post-80947716646881199922008-01-10T13:08:00.000-05:002008-01-10T13:08:00.000-05:00Glad you liked the video. I feel your frustration...Glad you liked the video. I feel your frustrations-- I think all teachers have days like that. Luckily, you'll be feeling better soon and doing the stuff that inspires and pushes kids.<BR/><BR/>In regards to you thoughts about change, change can be a subtle thing. All too often, I think schools think a complete reinvention is needed to cause change when it only might be a small change in direction.<BR/><BR/>We could nuke the educational system and start over, but in essence we would almost have to change out entire government to do that. (i.e China's "cultural revolution" under Mao) Do we want that?<BR/><BR/>Instead, I believe we need to work within the system and that means bottom up will be the revolution. When kids demand changes (not wholesale change) of their teachers, when teacher demand changes from administration, administrations from Boards, Boards to state governments, and so on, the ground level revolution will change the system.<BR/><BR/>Short of systemic change, the best a teacher can do in the immediate is the make whatever corrections they need to do to reach the students they have that year.<BR/><BR/>Good luck!<BR/><BR/>BarryBarry Bachenheimerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17145587794589872889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339910176549966696.post-52718062435536031342008-01-09T01:14:00.000-05:002008-01-09T01:14:00.000-05:00I love the style of the first paragraphs, and the ...I love the style of the first paragraphs, and the reasoning of the last ones. <BR/><BR/>I also tried to respond to Chris Lehmann's take on my post and Will's, as I wasn't sure he had read the entire conversations in the threads, nor convinced by some of his logic.<BR/><BR/>That being said, I respect him for caring enough to write about it. <BR/><BR/>The system does seem to be crumbling. If Chris succeeded at building an oasis that's an exception, what would it take to make it more of a rule?<BR/><BR/>Hang in there. Some of those days in the classroom are still magic, we both know. I hope you have one soon. And that that damn virus goes away! :)CBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11236657531187596253noreply@blogger.com