Well I couldn't feel more opposite about the two assigned readings.
The Public Education Primer did nothing but beg for more questions to be answered. If the state is paying almost half of the cost for schooling, why the *#?! are my taxes enough to pay a semester at university? If 8 out of 10 school teachers are female, how many administrators are? How many superintendents are? I bet that number is pretty different! Why did it seem like it was a negative that so many teachers have a non-teaching background? I have a non-teaching undergrad degree - isn't well rounded an asset?
Anyhow, initially this reading material did make cringe, but, in the end, it also made me ask questions and that can be a good thing.
The preface to Studying Your Own School evoked quite the opposite feeling in me. It made me feel really excited about the potential of learning something useful. I was intrigued by the statements regarding the gap between practitioners and academics and past lack of appreciation one has for the other. It reminded me of the first time I heard "Those who can't teach." I was quite appalled by it then, when I was not a teacher, and I am equally appalled at the thought that one professional does not hold the other in equal regard. However, the text does suggest that a change is on the horizon in that regard. I think we could all associate with the 'talking head' in-service seminars. I think I would feel like I won the lottery if I could take greater control over those professional development activities. Having worked for program that relies heavily on % type data collection as the only form of legitimate knowledge, action research really seems to support the teacher's observations as legitimate knowledge - how refreshing!
3 comments:
First, love the picture of the pooch. One of mine is trying to help me type (not).
This is a really rich first entry. I'm looking forward to seeing where you go in this class.
I too have an under-grad degree in both education and special education however, I have no area of focus. Regardless, when the science teacher is made to be the head of the band department what good is an area fo focus?
Great picture! Just want to reply to you post about inservices. I love being lectured by someone who is completely out of touch. Yes they may be brilliant and have world of info to share, but time and time again tells me that they have no idea who they are talking to because they never set foot in a classroom. I am really looking forward to the next destrict inservice that I have and write the same thing on the evaluation sheet.
Post a Comment