There is a quote by Lily Tomlin that is so true and that I think of when I consider standing back and letting Krashen or someone else fight out there all alone--- "I wondered to myself, 'Why doesn;t somebody DO something about that?' and then I realized, 'I'm somebody' "
I love this. It is so true. I may have to add the Lily Tomlin to my signature... I know how you feel, Renae. I've been there many times. I think things have gotten bad enough. I think some of it has to do with the confidence of teachers, too. We want to do what we feel is best for kids, but change is hard and scary. We don't just fight badly informed administrators or politicians, we fight society's perceptions, in general. In my experience many have the thought of "if I suffered through, then so do our kids." We, as a profession, and individually, have been beaten down. As you say, the only answer is to speak up, risk offending people. The practice of closing the door and doing what we want has also been the norm for many years, but that doesn't work anymore. I learned at my last school that IF I spoke up I was often alone, and got into trouble for it. Yet, I would hear my views being upheld in the faculty room. But I could sleep at night knowing I had kept my integrity. When I came to my new school, I made sure the principal understood that I would speak out. I would join committees. I needed to have my voice be heard. I feel it's easy to sit back and whine. I have done exactly what I said I would. It's nerve wracking to step up, but I do it. I tend to just spit it out, I am not known for my tact, but I say what I think needs to be said. My principal may not always agree with me, but he always knows where I stand. IMHO Kim On 7/11/07, elaine garan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > I can't tell you the number of times I have spoken up, been > > the ONLY one who has spoken up, and everyone else just sits silently, > > so some wackadoodle thing gets pushed through, and then later four or > > five people will come to me privately and tell me they agreed with me. > > > > What is the matter with people? > > Renee > well, this might not make you feel much better but people are afraid. > As someone here said once in a meeting we had to address NCLB and RF, > the reason we have so few people in attendance is because 1) they are > afraid, 2) thing have not yet gotten bad enough for them. > > I would add that if you measure success by the methods of Reading First > -- skills reproduction in isolation, etc then there is the illusion of > progress. I believe teachers are so overburdened and so pressured that > they often don;t stand back and look at the big picture. They see kids > in their own classrooms but don't necessarily have a wider perspective > of how their performance at that isolated slice of time in their > classroom plays out as school gets more complex and isolated skills are > not enough to get them by (thus the infamous 4th grade slump) > > Also, teachers at the elementary level are largely female. And Dave and > John, I know this is sexist-- but women do tend to be nurturing and > nonconfronational. I am too. In fact, I vacillated for hours about > whether or not to post the information on the Essential Five Elements > because I'm afraid to offend people. Same with any other disagreement. > I do it. I do it a lot especially when I'm writing books (the new one > is not confrontational at all)-- but it is really hard for me to stand > up there and call spade a spade and in some cases, a liar a liar. > > I kind of feel though that if I don't, who will. Krashen has said > something that gives me strength and courage when I'm exhausted and > discouraged (which is about half the time)-- He says it doesn't matter > if you win or lose, but that you follow your conscience and do what you > know is right. In my first book I ended it by saying that even if what > I've written does no good, when I'm real old and sitting in a rocking > chair thinking back over my life, at least I can say, "I didn't just > stand back and let it happen. at least I tried. " So did all of you so > be proud > > There is a quote by Lily Tomlin that is so true and that I think of > when I consider standing back and letting Krashen or someone else fight > out there all alone--- "I wondered to myself, 'Why doesn;t somebody DO > something about that?' and then I realized, 'I'm somebody' " > > > On Wednesday, July 11, 2007, at 08:24 AM, Renee wrote: > > > > > On Jul 10, 2007, at 10:26 PM, Beverlee Paul wrote: > > > >> I have to agree, with reservations. I think our profession is going > >> to be > >> gone as a profession if something doesn't change. And it'll go with > >> "a > >> whimper not a bang." Too many with integrity and intelligence just > >> plain > >> won't be able to stand seeing that script one more time. They'll go. > >> And > >> the ones left? They'll be the ones who cruise in 10 minutes before > >> school > >> to take up their post and administer the day. > > > > Well, I certainly agree with this, and in fact I would venture to say > > that there are some folks out there who are actively working for this > > to happen. All the writers of NCLB may not have intended this, but it's > > the result. > > > > Those teachers who would speak out need to be supported in staff > > meetings. I can't tell you the number of times I have spoken up, been > > the ONLY one who has spoken up, and everyone else just sits silently, > > so some wackadoodle thing gets pushed through, and then later four or > > five people will come to me privately and tell me they agreed with me. > > > > What is the matter with people? > > Renee > > > > > > "If you choose the quick and easy path, you will become an agent of > > evil." > > ~Yoda > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Mosaic mailing list > > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/ > > mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > -- Kim ------- Kimberlee Hannan Department Chair Sequoia Middle School Fresno, California 93702 Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, let go of what you can't change, kiss slowly, play hard, forgive quickly, take chances, give everything, have no regrets.. Life's too short to be anything but happy. [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
