Winter break is over for teachers. Next time you hear a teacher complain about the low pay and lack of respect, remind them that they just had a two week vacation, some three weeks, which is as much as most people get for the entire year.
When teachers come back many districts are setting the first day aside, giving the students another day off and having what they call an in-service, a professional development day, staff training, or some other title.
One of the presentations I went to dealt with emotionally disturbed and autistic children. Over all it was an interesting presentation and there were a few ideas I felt like might be of value. Where I run into a wall is when the basic difference in philosophy comes through in a clear, uncompromising, sneaky voice.
We were listing to a clip on autism and at the end the speaker snuck in the comment “All students always do their best.” There are times when I wonder what planet these people come from and if they are dealing with human beings or creatures from Sim City. If all students always did their best we would have no failures, no suspensions, and no need for an small army of social workers dealing with truancy. Understand, no teacher fails a student who is trying. It just doesn’t happen. Every teacher has built into their system ways to allow students to pass if they are at least trying half the time.
This is a problem of philosophy and world view. It is the difference between the Christian view of human nature and the pagan education view of human nature. Christians believe that the problem in society is personal. There is something broken inside us. We call it sin. Only God can fix it. New Age, post modern pagans believe that the problems are systemic. If we can just get society right then everything will go swimmingly. Only the chosen elite can fix what is wrong.
So welcome back, if you were gone. For the working classes it is just another day, samo, samo.
Oh, and thank you again for paying your taxes.
homo unius libri
You missed us. Admit it.
ReplyDeleteHow can I miss you when I don't throw things?
DeleteGrace and peace
Hope you enjoyed your time off.
ReplyDeleteI did. Family, Festivities, an absence of eighth graders, time to post and respond.
DeleteBack to the swamp.
Grace and peace