The other day I was reading USA Today at work during lunch time. I happened upon an article concerning a Muslim female swim hour at George Washington University in DC. I support this effort 100%!!!
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2010-11-10-IHE-Muslim-student-female-swim-GWU11_ST_N.htm
Later I came home and re-read the article online and saw the large volume of commentary on this topic. Opinions ran the entire spectrum. I was surprised at the hateful comments and surly manner in which some people were reacting.
There were comments about males not getting equal time, about reverse Title IX issues and Islamphobia. I was ashamed to be an American!! I am still shivering over the hatefulness I felt being promoted. I can only imagine what the Fox "News" "ladies" had to say about this 1 hour a week swim time at a private university. Thank goodness I don't watch FOX.
I know several Muslim women who don't get many opportunities to learn to swim, learn to ride bicycles or participate in sport teams. Learning to swim is a safety issue and a life skill. At least two public colleges; UNC and UMW both have swim requirements for undergraduates.
Making this accomodation for women is important, liberating, healthful, and the right thing to do. Please get over yourselves and stop the bickering. All women need opportunities for physical exercise and I'm proud that the GWU Muslim Student Association asked for this opportunity. Who is it hurting?
http://womensrights.change.org/blog/view/university_creates_female_swim_hour_for_muslim_women_anti-muslim_alarmists_freak_out
As an almost 55 year old women, I never benefitted from Title IX. It was still being fought about in the courts in 1973 when I graduated from public high school. I could probably file a lawsuit over the opportunites not allowed to my peers and me; because we were discriminated against our entire school careers!
"Let it be~~Let it be! Let it be~~Whisper words of wisdom...Let it be!!!!"
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Public Libraries
You might ask, "What is it like for a teacher/school librarian to transition from the classroom to working in a public library? "
Working in a public library is fascinating! Everyday is different and patrons keep it interesting. In the course of a day, I have checked out very personal books without making direct eye contact, performed "Reader's Advisory, listened to kids tantruming, asked/guided teens to leave promptly at 9 pm, checked books, music, and movies in and out, collected fines, counted money, cleaned a coin machine for printer fees, listened to loud neighborhood gossip, been told that the men's bathroom has no toilet paper, watched mentally challenged adults do crafts, sold transit tickets for the disabled, given out library cards, gone to the bank with the deposit and helped volunteers find things to do. I have seen meetings of sewers, knitters, drama clubs, bipolar support, mental health professionals, and even the locval tea party group, who shall remain nameless, as they annoy me and haven't reserved a meeting room since they pulled the "gun" stunt.
One day recently, I check out books on suicide, divorce, sexual prowess for men, miscarriage, biographies of Adolf Hitler and child abuse. Another good reason to have self-checkout computers. I really don't want to know all of this information about you. TMI~~TMI~~~TMI!!!!!
In terms of differences in careers, not teaching is less stressful. Certain library workers are quite anal and OCD. Teachers deal with many more people during the course of a school day and must be very quick on their feet and decisive about unacceptable behavior and immediate consequences. Teachers also are assigned to committees and have to deal with report cards, parent conferences, testing, and admin, plus bus duty, lunch duty and anything else that can be dumped on them.
My favorite part of being a school librarian was collection development; spending county money on books and materials that I felt would be most beneficial to the school. I also enjoyed storytime with the youngest students mixed with songs, puppets and an occasional parade or craft activity. One school system had a good budget and I was also in charge of ordering AV equipment and cleaning it! I miss the sweet students and seeing all different ages.
As I ramble, I will share that I also ordered numerous educational videos; a somewhat controversial topic. Educational videos can be so beneficial if not overused or misused. When I reminisce about the black and white filmstrips and reel to reel movies of my elementary school days, I really marvel at Bill Nye The Science Guy offerings now available to the younger generations. Educational videos can offer another type of learning opportuniity that taking notes from books or Power Pointless don't offer.
One of the reasons I don't believe in K-12 teacher tenure is that some teachers do get too set in their ways and can't/won't grow and change with the times. Many teachers do wear the golden handcuffs. It is not fair to the students!
When you read about the Dallas Cowboy coach getting canned for not winning enough games, it just makes sense to let people go who are not up to snuff.
Even though I do believe in teacher's unions, I have misgivings about them in the same way I have misgivings about the UAW in Detroit. I disapproved of Ronald Reagan's firing of the Air Traffic Controllers in 1982. He put passenger safety at risk to prove a point.
We have homeless patrons, patrons who have been incarcerated and patrons who are demanding and grumpy. The library is a gathering place for everyone. Little children come to storytime with their parents and grandparents. Artists diplay their work. Symphony music greets you at the doorway. It has been conjectured that this music is to deter the skateboard crowd.
We have demanding people who want to check out without their library card, without ID and have no interest in learning about computers. Classes are offered for free in excel, e-mail, and Word.
Your tax dollars at work. I know you are getting your money's worth! Come on in!
Working in a public library is fascinating! Everyday is different and patrons keep it interesting. In the course of a day, I have checked out very personal books without making direct eye contact, performed "Reader's Advisory, listened to kids tantruming, asked/guided teens to leave promptly at 9 pm, checked books, music, and movies in and out, collected fines, counted money, cleaned a coin machine for printer fees, listened to loud neighborhood gossip, been told that the men's bathroom has no toilet paper, watched mentally challenged adults do crafts, sold transit tickets for the disabled, given out library cards, gone to the bank with the deposit and helped volunteers find things to do. I have seen meetings of sewers, knitters, drama clubs, bipolar support, mental health professionals, and even the locval tea party group, who shall remain nameless, as they annoy me and haven't reserved a meeting room since they pulled the "gun" stunt.
One day recently, I check out books on suicide, divorce, sexual prowess for men, miscarriage, biographies of Adolf Hitler and child abuse. Another good reason to have self-checkout computers. I really don't want to know all of this information about you. TMI~~TMI~~~TMI!!!!!
In terms of differences in careers, not teaching is less stressful. Certain library workers are quite anal and OCD. Teachers deal with many more people during the course of a school day and must be very quick on their feet and decisive about unacceptable behavior and immediate consequences. Teachers also are assigned to committees and have to deal with report cards, parent conferences, testing, and admin, plus bus duty, lunch duty and anything else that can be dumped on them.
My favorite part of being a school librarian was collection development; spending county money on books and materials that I felt would be most beneficial to the school. I also enjoyed storytime with the youngest students mixed with songs, puppets and an occasional parade or craft activity. One school system had a good budget and I was also in charge of ordering AV equipment and cleaning it! I miss the sweet students and seeing all different ages.
As I ramble, I will share that I also ordered numerous educational videos; a somewhat controversial topic. Educational videos can be so beneficial if not overused or misused. When I reminisce about the black and white filmstrips and reel to reel movies of my elementary school days, I really marvel at Bill Nye The Science Guy offerings now available to the younger generations. Educational videos can offer another type of learning opportuniity that taking notes from books or Power Pointless don't offer.
One of the reasons I don't believe in K-12 teacher tenure is that some teachers do get too set in their ways and can't/won't grow and change with the times. Many teachers do wear the golden handcuffs. It is not fair to the students!
When you read about the Dallas Cowboy coach getting canned for not winning enough games, it just makes sense to let people go who are not up to snuff.
Even though I do believe in teacher's unions, I have misgivings about them in the same way I have misgivings about the UAW in Detroit. I disapproved of Ronald Reagan's firing of the Air Traffic Controllers in 1982. He put passenger safety at risk to prove a point.
We have homeless patrons, patrons who have been incarcerated and patrons who are demanding and grumpy. The library is a gathering place for everyone. Little children come to storytime with their parents and grandparents. Artists diplay their work. Symphony music greets you at the doorway. It has been conjectured that this music is to deter the skateboard crowd.
We have demanding people who want to check out without their library card, without ID and have no interest in learning about computers. Classes are offered for free in excel, e-mail, and Word.
Your tax dollars at work. I know you are getting your money's worth! Come on in!
Monday, November 8, 2010
Teacher Tenure K-12
So, here I am, no longer working full- time in the public schools having made a side stepping career move to work part-time in a public library. After a 20+ year long dream of becoming a school librarian and being "under-appreciated" by 3 different administrators in 3 different school districts, I decided to call it quits. After 7 years in public education in VA and 3 years in MD, I had enough of the favoritism, abuse of resource teachers and general status of working in a public school system. No, I chose not to wear "the golden handcuffs". And luckily I didn't have to.
There are many positives for being a teacher and yet there are also many comprimises of philosophy to be made. New grads come out of college very idealistic and energetic. The reality is not what most are prepared for.
In the K-12 world I do not believe in merit pay based on test scores nor do I believe in teacher tenure after 3 years of service. Being a teacher is a calling. Not everyone has the patience for all of the challenges a teacher must face on a daily basis.
I began teaching in 1977 as a new graduate of a state university in Maryland. I was 21 years old. OMG- what a naive baby I was, but didn't know it. I had lots of energy, enthusiasm and empathy for the kindergarteners I taught", but no office politics saavy.
The world of education has changed dramatically in the past 33 years. I thought I was high-tech when I bought a red plastic Sony tape recorder and used it in my car and classroom. Considering i-pods, youtube, 3D video games, TIVO, cell phones, I-phones, wifi and other technology advances, maybe I should be laughing at myself. Except, I am not laughing.
Overly high expectations and the extreme testing atmosphere has made the educational world a place I can't quite stomach. Maybe it started when Ronald Reagan tried to label catsup as a vegetable in school cafeterias. Things are not what they seem, are they?
As a society, it is important to have public schools available to all. I NEVER thought I would come to this conclusion, but homeschooling doesn't seem so bad to me anymore. It has become more mainstream and is not so "weird". The public schools are not babysitters for your children. Parents need to participate and be partners in education. There is no free lunch.
In regards to office politics, it never occured to me that I would be faced with difficult colleagues or people who weren't honest and caring. Manipulative, self-serving adults were not a part of my awareness. But, they are now!
I have met some dedicated marvelously talented teachers along they way. I have met a few excellent administrators in my time, but they seem to be far and few between. Being the one to "put out fires" is no piece of cake.
I created Lavender Chalk to express my feelings and concerns about current events in public education; from my perspective as a trained professional with two license endorsements and a parent of 3 young adults who went through one particular school system in Virginia.
There is a book called White Chalk Crime describing Karen Horowitz's very negative experience with initiating reform in a public school system in Chicago. I decided to call this blog Lavender Chalk, because I am not a whiner nor malcontent, just disenchanted with many aspects of how public schools are currently being run.
http://www.whitechalkcrime.com/
I plan to see Waiting for Superman soon and have commentary to follow.
http://www.waitingforsuperman.com/action/?gclid=CPn-x-DlkaUCFeh25QodlzZlPw
I will point out that Davis Guggenheim, creator of Waiting for Superman is sending his own children to private school.
Remembering that there are often more than 2 sides to every story, I will explore some of the main points made in Waiting for Superman and explore the ramifications of NBC's Education Nation,
http://www.educationnation.com/
As one of my favorite angry comedians Lewis Black says... (Listen to this)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/06/lewis-black-education-daily-show_n_752234.html
More later~~~~~
There are many positives for being a teacher and yet there are also many comprimises of philosophy to be made. New grads come out of college very idealistic and energetic. The reality is not what most are prepared for.
In the K-12 world I do not believe in merit pay based on test scores nor do I believe in teacher tenure after 3 years of service. Being a teacher is a calling. Not everyone has the patience for all of the challenges a teacher must face on a daily basis.
I began teaching in 1977 as a new graduate of a state university in Maryland. I was 21 years old. OMG- what a naive baby I was, but didn't know it. I had lots of energy, enthusiasm and empathy for the kindergarteners I taught", but no office politics saavy.
The world of education has changed dramatically in the past 33 years. I thought I was high-tech when I bought a red plastic Sony tape recorder and used it in my car and classroom. Considering i-pods, youtube, 3D video games, TIVO, cell phones, I-phones, wifi and other technology advances, maybe I should be laughing at myself. Except, I am not laughing.
Overly high expectations and the extreme testing atmosphere has made the educational world a place I can't quite stomach. Maybe it started when Ronald Reagan tried to label catsup as a vegetable in school cafeterias. Things are not what they seem, are they?
As a society, it is important to have public schools available to all. I NEVER thought I would come to this conclusion, but homeschooling doesn't seem so bad to me anymore. It has become more mainstream and is not so "weird". The public schools are not babysitters for your children. Parents need to participate and be partners in education. There is no free lunch.
In regards to office politics, it never occured to me that I would be faced with difficult colleagues or people who weren't honest and caring. Manipulative, self-serving adults were not a part of my awareness. But, they are now!
I have met some dedicated marvelously talented teachers along they way. I have met a few excellent administrators in my time, but they seem to be far and few between. Being the one to "put out fires" is no piece of cake.
I created Lavender Chalk to express my feelings and concerns about current events in public education; from my perspective as a trained professional with two license endorsements and a parent of 3 young adults who went through one particular school system in Virginia.
There is a book called White Chalk Crime describing Karen Horowitz's very negative experience with initiating reform in a public school system in Chicago. I decided to call this blog Lavender Chalk, because I am not a whiner nor malcontent, just disenchanted with many aspects of how public schools are currently being run.
http://www.whitechalkcrime.com/
I plan to see Waiting for Superman soon and have commentary to follow.
http://www.waitingforsuperman.com/action/?gclid=CPn-x-DlkaUCFeh25QodlzZlPw
I will point out that Davis Guggenheim, creator of Waiting for Superman is sending his own children to private school.
Remembering that there are often more than 2 sides to every story, I will explore some of the main points made in Waiting for Superman and explore the ramifications of NBC's Education Nation,
http://www.educationnation.com/
As one of my favorite angry comedians Lewis Black says... (Listen to this)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/06/lewis-black-education-daily-show_n_752234.html
More later~~~~~
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