Check out John Taylor Gatto. -----Original Message----- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Wayne Tyson Sent: Sunday, March 02, 2008 9:04 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Education to What Degree? Re: [ECOLOG-L] Science Education.....
The best teachers are compulsively heroic--damning the torpedoes of the scum-sucking bureaucrats that have a strangle-hold on "the system"--and put the kids first. They live lives of quiet fulfillment, enduring the slings and arrows of outrageous misfortune that characterize the whole mistaken notion that the purpose of education is to "turn out" "useful" members of society. This kind of teaching don' need no respect frum nobuddy, especially some gd Authority. They ain't got the time to resuscitate the system--minds lie before them, yearning to be freed from the absurdity of an educational system that is "directed" at making sure that "students" are ". . . carefully taught, before they are six or seven or eight . . .", grading them on an idiot-minded scale of A, B, C, D, or F, and later on an "advanced" arithmetical formula, the GPA, that arbitrarily determines a "score" based on the degree to which minds conform until they are dead, dead, dead. Or else! The best teachers inspire and facilitate, and the last thing they want to do is to reduce the minds in their charge to some mean and hilariously simplistic arithmetic. How arrogant, (and how utterly stupid) can a "system" get that presumes to measure something as complex as a mind with such stone-axe "technology?" But this absurdity is only the beginning. PUNISHMENT is the central driving force of the system. Error is not regarded as the entree of intellectual achievement, a mind-stretching opportunity, it is regarded as a Mark of Cain to be carried to the grave. Never mind (of course!) that the kid might be onto something that doesn't fit with the "answer" du jour, or that the kid was coming down with a cold or his grandmother died or the dog actually ate hisher homework, subject the student to institutional ridicule, and let that ripple through the social network, dismantling opportunity and any tendency to "stray" into inventiveness. Presume that the student is "challenged" (more hilarity) and issue tests that conveniently fulfill their own prophesies. Teaching might very well drive away some of the most "talented" individuals, but it will, perhaps because it IS such a thankless crucible, suck IN the most dedicated. That's because, I suspect, that teaching IS a PROFESSION. Professionals have a way of putting the WORK first, letting the money flow as it will, even though hoping it will be "commensurate" with their contribution to society. But, with the other kind of "professional" (who put the money first) clogging the breathing-pores of society, they accept their lot of just leaving their finger in the dike. And they strongly resist the insistence by "professional educators" who want them to hammer down the exceptions every time they are on the threshold of discovery and lift up those who have had the spirit of learning beaten out of them by "the system." The best teachers find a way--beyond the manuals and curricula--to stoke the fires in the bellies and minds of those who should be able to trust them to trust themselves, and share The Quest for understanding with them, in joy and devotion. If my view from afar is closer rather than farther from the truth, real teachers will continue to invent ways of inspiring and facilitating, never swapping their simple concern for the students for climbing the academic ladder or sucking up for security. They will continue to form a protective shield between minds and the opportunistic and intellectually sclerotic pathology that infests institutionalism itself. Of course, there always will be the insecure who seek refuge in Authoritarianism and authoritarian institutions, but without the dedicated to take up the slack for them, they would crumble. There is, after all, no substitute for COMPETENCE. The bright side is the persistence of life and its ability to resurge when the millstones of self-serving institutions are lifted from its back. So if the institutions can't themselves maintain, say, a 2.5 GPA, perhaps it is fitting that they sink, taking the incompetent pretenders with them. Those institutions that serve rather than "direct" will survive without artificial propping-up by spin-meisters. To paraphrase my wife paraphrasing somebody else plagiarizing somebody else, "It takes an institution to leave a child behind." I am an optimist. Cheer up. Children's (and all malleable) minds are like sponges. They want to learn. Because they instinctively know how to think, they don't want to be "taught." They want to learn, and they want to explore. Most of all, they don't want to be "instructed." Good teachers celebrate these characteristics, and they stretch rather than confine minds. The distinction is not casual, it is CRUCIAL. It's what makes life worth living. And so damned much FUN! This has become too long a "post" already, and I didn't even get to the "degree" part. Oh well . . . my apologies. WT At 03:20 PM 3/2/2008, Chris Noto wrote: >I have been bothered for a long time by the commodification of not only >university degrees, but the entire educational system itself. >This country's obsession with "free market" ideology may ultimately be >its downfall. The problems with our system start at the earliest >levels of learning and extends all the way up to college. Expecting >schools to behave like businesses and shut them down because they don't >"produce" a good product at a low enough price is a recipe for >disaster. Having an educated and skilled population is a long-term >investment that doesn't seem to coincide with the current mentality of >immediate gratification (both socially and economically). Other >countries that see this are invariably going to outperform us over >time. I am constantly amused by the stories of charter schools failing >or the scandals regarding unaccredited teachers, grade inflation, etc. >The fact that we lack national education standards in itself is a >disgrace. In addition, the attitude that teaching is not a respectable >job makes it unattractive, driving away some of the most talented >individuals. The thing that continues to bother me is that the >presidents of many universities are business leaders or political >figures; hardly the kinds of people who know about education? >Furthermore, the very people who are supposed to do the teaching at the >college level, i.e., faculty, are rarely formally trained in education. >Most of us pick it up on the fly through TA experience--but rarely is >there teacher development. In many departments (at least in the >sciences) teaching is not a priority. >Again, perhaps this market-based concern with productivity has blinded >us to the larger problem, that we are simply not training students very >well any more? In order to attain tenure, faculty have to spend so >much time working on grants and papers to show their value as producers >that they must let something else slide in the interest of keeping >their hard-earned jobs. Our university system right not is still among >the best, but is also populated by talented foreign students (who may >then leave...although right now they seem to stick around). Perhaps I >am biased, as the child of a high school teacher and now myself a grad >student planning on a career in academia. But I am also pessimistic by >nature. Unfortunately I'm afraid the problem will only get worse, >probably starting with a drop in foreign-student enrollment in US >universities, and then perhaps even a loss of our own academic >professionals as they are lured away by the growing quality of foreign >schools. Amid the current economic downturn (when domestic spending is >invariably cut), and if the situation remains like this for a while, >this may come sooner than we think. > >gloomily, >Chris > > >On Mar 2, 2008, at 3:31 PM, Chris Creese (Czerniak) wrote: > >>Hi Mike, >> >>I agree with your sentiments - great to see an increase in >>contributions from other countries and global integration towards a >>common goal (e.g. sea turtle conservation). >> >>I think you've touched on a really critical issue here too. I'm not >>questioning the validity of the question, but the utility of framing >>this problem in such a way that either non-Western countries are >>"catching up" OR we are falling behind. It seems both forces are at >>play here. >> >>I'm with you on concern over the ebbing economical stability and >>intellectual capital of the country. I also worry about educational >>standards slipping and the commodification of university degrees. >>But I found that youtube clip especially inflammatory in how it plays >>on the notion that "improvements" in other countries threaten >>America's power and prowess. Agreed that having jobs outsourced to >>other countries is not great for our economy, so perhaps this will >>help inspire us to put more energy and resources into the development >>of our own intellectual capital? >> >>Cheers >> >>Chris >> >> >> >>Quoting "J. Michael Nolan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: >> >>>Chris.... >>> >>>Am on many lists like Ecolog-l that span the globe.....C-Turtle which >>>promotes Sea Turtle Conservation and the Coral list. It is great to >>>see contributions and requests for literature, other resources from >>>all corners of the Earth on these lists. I have seen an increase >>>each and every year. Obviously the web and internet have made much >>>of that possible. >>> >>>We do hear American Education get slammed almost daily. I was >>>actually raising the question of whether the non-Western >>>countries/scientists are catching up or are we falling behind. In the >>>end, Americans should be concerned when jobs are being outsourced >>>daily to lower cost, equal or better quality options around the >>>world. >>> >>>Thanks. >>> >>>Mike Nolan >>> >>>---------- >>> >>>If we are on another line or away from the phone, please leave your >>>number, best time to return your call and/or your e-mail address. >>> >>>After hours and weekend phone appointments are available upon >>>request. >>> >>>Sincerely, >>> >>>J. Michael Nolan, Director >>> >>>Rainforest and Reef 501 (c)(3) non-profit >>> >>>********************************************************************* >>>***************************** >>>"Outstanding-Affordable Field Courses in Rainforest & Marine Ecology" >>> >>>"Spanish/Cultural Immersion Programs: Spain, Mexico, Central and >>>South America" >>> >>>Rainforest and Reef 501 (c)(3) non-profit P.O. Box 141543 Grand >>>Rapids, Michigan 49514-1543 USA Local/International Phone: >>>001.616.604.0546 Toll Free U.S. and Canada: 1.877.255.3721 Skype/MS >>>IM: travelwithrandr AOL IM: buddythemacaw >>>E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] and [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>*Note: Please send inquiries to both e-mail addresses >>>Web: http://rainforestandreef.org >>>********************************************************************* >>>***************************** >> >> >> >>-- >>Chris Creese (Czerniak), PhD Student >>Ecology and Evolutionary Biology >>University of California Los Angeles >>621 Charles E. Young Drive South >>Box 951606 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606 >>http://czerniak.bol.ucla.edu > > ><<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>> >Christopher Noto >Dept. of Ecology and Evolution >Stony Brook University >650 Life Sciences >Stony Brook, NY 11794-5245 >http://life.bio.sunysb.edu/~crnoto > >"Every person is a fool for at least five minutes a day; wisdom >consists in not exceeding this limit." >-- Elbert Hubbard
