Hey you're on the "Wrong Mountain!"

Hey so yea, my last post or two have a few people wondering- 

What's wrong with Mrs E?

I would say nothing...that is to say nothing but the usual, or what I have come to know as usual mid winter funk.  Now in the past when I was a brick and mortar gal I experienced the funk, but the truth is I did not give my administrators enough credit for what they shielded me from.  It turns out that modern public education is not about what is best for students.  This was a pie-eyed belief that I held for years.  Turns out that in fact modern public education is a lot about politics, history, relationships, nepotism, and a little about making ourselves feel better that we are doing what is the currently acceptable best for kids.

I feel naive for not having noticed before, but I really didn't.  I mean how did I miss that "new math" was less about teaching math and more about making it seem like our government was making our kids better.  "Whole Language" was just English as a second language retooled for native slang speakers because they just don't speak the way their elders did.  I think I missed it because I believe.  Notice I didn't add a "d".  No past tense for me baby!  I believe that kids deserve my best every day.

So funny thing about realizing that education is about fashion as surely as kitten heels and the next "it" bag.  Turns out that like fashion, it all gets reused, whats old is new again, And earnest individuals like myself are not wasting our time when we collect our bag of tricks. 

E teaching is no exception.  Man it is a roller coaster of funding debates and politics, fads and fancies, fashion dos and don'ts.  I am happier and more fulfilled in this job even dealing with the same struggles.  I fight the good fight FOR KIDS with more success and less entrenchment.  And wow is that marvelous.  So I am happily climbing a new mountain of learning.

Perhaps Chuck Lorre said it best in vanity placard #62 

 

Poor Dave, who like so many teachers balks at the advent of the online ed era,  I understand your plight.  I once stood at the top of your mountain, and I can now say without a shadow of a doubt that no sir, it is you who is on the "wrong mountain" for me.  

wishing you find your mountain

~E

seriously I am now torn by whether to play the sound of music soundtrack or miley cyrus :(

From Servant to Service..leaving the public sector to join the service industry

Story Time

Once upon a time there was a Public Servant.  She went to work everyday with the mindset that she could help the Common Good, and that through the powers of her Servant attitude she served the Common Good.

Now Common Good is a fickle taskmaster who was constantly trying to get in bed with Public Opinion.  The ever faithful Public Servant became a master of navigating the moods of Public Opinion.  But Public Servant one day grew to have her own opinions about Common Good.  In fact Public Servant was convinced that she, and not Public Opinion. was the best match for Common Good. Common Good said that he no longer knew the truth.


Thus, Public Servant began the quest for truth which would lead her into the arms of Common Good. Meanwhile back at the ivory tower Public Opinion did her best to undermine Public Servant's position with Common Good. 


Public Opinion's evil plan worked for a while, throwing such pitfalls before Public Servant that Public Servant was forced to compete for her own survival and Public Opinion became so busy with the attacks on Public Servant and her quest that Common Good was abandoned.

Until finally Public Servant dejected and defeated landed near  Rock Bottom.   Rock Bottom had a motto which he shared with Public Servant "Rock bottom is good solid ground, and a dead end street is just a place to turn around." And so Public Servant did, she turned around and there she saw her poor beloved and dejected Common Good,  and realized that Public Opinion had brought them both so low, that she could no longer serve Common Good.

So she left the public for the private, and in becoming Private Servant learned that she could work for the common good with less whim, and more vigor.  Public Opinion was thwarted and reduced to considering only the money, and Private Servant could make it worth their while.  This in the end became the model that was followed and they all lived happily ever after.

Is this the fate of all Public Servants?