Monday, May 2, 2011

Twitter Book Club: @alfiekohn (2004) What Does It Mean To Be Well Educated? - Five:15

Five: School Reform and the Study of Education
15. Almost There, But Not Quite


"some teachers strive to keep tight control over their students less because of their principles than because of their principals." Kohnless than a minute ago via Twittelator Favorite Retweet Reply


I can certainly relate to this statement. For most of my early teaching career I felt dogged by this dilemma. In reality, a lot of my stress was likely due to an imagined threat based on prior experiences and misguided notions of classroom management.

"although most teachers try to maintain 'control with a light touch,' their goal typically remains to control students." Kohnless than a minute ago via Twittelator Favorite Retweet Reply


So, if I give up grading and give up trying to control my students, how many parents, teachers, administrators, and school board members will say I am being negligent in my job?

"The more I visit classrooms, talk with teachers, and read the literature, the more convinced I become that you can... http://tl.gd/9sg2crless than a minute ago via Twittelator Favorite Retweet Reply



"Consultants will tell you that few barriers to change are as intractable as the belief that one doesn't need change." Kohnless than a minute ago via Twittelator Favorite Retweet Reply



"Norman Kunc (n.d.), who conducts workshops on inclusive education and noncoercive practices, points out that 'what... http://tl.gd/9sg64sless than a minute ago via Twittelator Favorite Retweet Reply


Lets repeat that one:
"Norman Kunc (n.d.), who conducts workshops on inclusive education and noncoercive practices, points out that 'what we call behavior problems are often situations of legitimate conflict; we just get to call them behavior problems because we have more power' than the students do." Kohn

"Unsettling as it may be to acknowledge, an awful lot of smart, warm, empathetic teachers continue to blame their c... http://tl.gd/9sg71tless than a minute ago via Twittelator Favorite Retweet Reply


Lets repeat this one too:
"Unsettling as it may be to acknowledge, an awful lot of smart, warm, empathetic teachers continue to blame their children when things go wrong—and they may not even be aware that they are doing this." Kohn
Unfortunately, I see this nearly every day. And, I know there have been times I have done this myself.

"Accepting someone else's expectations is very different from developing one's own."


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