On Jul 19, 2007, at 8:15 AM, Bonita DeAmicis wrote: > This thread has become a compilation of stories about unions, other > teachers, and administrators. It is no longer a discussion on reading > comprehension........ I have marked it "OT" in the subject line for > "off topic" ......
I have gone one further and changed the topic line a bit. I am one who does not think it is really off topic, although it is a bit of a meander in the reading comprehension stream. Some questions for thought: If you are the only teacher at your school (or in your district) teaching reading using the strategies, and your principal wants you to do what everyone else is doing, are you a bad teacher? What if your principal writes you up for insubordination? If you are doing most of your reading of student work and other prep work at home, as well as reading as many books on teaching the strategies as you can on your own time, so you come to school a bit early and leave with the students, are you a bad teacher? I don't remember who said it..... perhaps it was Paulo Friere...... that ALL teaching is a political act. This is so true from my head space that I can't really separate the two. Maybe it's because I have been on the ugly end of the pink slip stick so many times for no good reason. Maybe it's because I watched a perfectly competent teacher (not great, not horrible, just competent and very traditional) be falsely arrested for child abuse because of a false accusation by a student, and seen the union kick in immediately to protect her. But also, maybe it's because in the current climate.... do you know that they are right now arguing about what to do with No Child Left Behind? In Washington?...... those who want to teach the whole child are not only a decided minority, but also are being raked over the coals by people with very loud voices and very deep pockets. Reading comprehension is on the line. Teaching is on the line. Education is on the line. It is those in the teaching profession with the gumption to stand up and put themselves and their jobs at risk that will save the academic freedoms that allow those of us in the minority to do what we feel is right for children. That's why it's not off-topic. :-) Renee "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." ~ Voltaire _______________________________________________ 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.
