Platt, Platt, What do suggest I do that would "make a difference in the system?" Mati: I think it has fallen on deaf ears but if you ask as question..... it is about making small differences. As I read Pirsig account of tuning his motorcycle and note that a 1000th of an inch and contribute to success or eventual failure of the motorcycle. By perhaps working with a kid with a difficulty takes a little pressure off the system and it can work on other aspects of the system in this case a classroom. Perhaps I have been pushy on this topic. Ok how about getting educated about your local educational system and attend a local board meetings. It is amazing what you might learn about the system by actually listening to what is going one and not just the newspaper accounts. One of the most redeeming things about my father was that he came to me about learning about schools. He would have his criticisms and I would go through extensively the all the realities that are involved and need to be considered. For example sports, in a small rural district it is not uncommon to spend $150,000 to $250,000 thousand dollars to maintain an athletic program. My father suggested that this is not an educational endeavor and school should not be in the business of sports. Then I pointed out that it comes out to about $1.25 an hour of involvement for each kid. Hmmmmm..... ok cut sports then you create a tremendous void of constructive activities at about a 3rd of the price of a babysitter. Now what are you going to do to provide 100,000+ hours of activities in a small community. If you then will likely spend the money in other ways such as law enforcement who will deal with a lot of idle kids with 100,000+ spare hours on their hands doing what kids do. I asked him if he was ready to volunteer to organize a baseball team and solicit funds for uniforms and provide transportation. He quickly realized that he wanted no part of that and realized what bargain athletic programs offered to the community. It is one thing to spout off international studies, it is quite another understand locally what is really going on.
The educational system is, as any, an incredible system with its own beauty and nuances like a motorcycle. It bothers me that people can flap the yap about the short comings of a system and yet fail to take the time to get to know the system. You in some respects remind me of the Sutherlands and their attitude toward the systems of motorcycles. You suggest it is suppose to work because it is expected to work and a failure in that system comes to you as an immoral shock that will be repair by outrage and blame. Used that rich intellect of yours to see and make a difference. Throwing your hands up and suggesting you can do nothing but complain about the system is a sad loss of the contribution you could make. I apologize about the pushiness of my idealism but I have been the business too long to hear the voices of outrage and yet they chose to offer nothing else. What bothers me is that kids learn from those old folks and they themselves, when they get old will likely do the same. You suggest you can't make a difference, well without an effort of trying, you are right. And if you are not so crazy about the educational system there are plenty of other systems you can chose from. Platt: Right. The experience of successful schools out to imitated or at least tried by the less successful ones. Mati: This cookie cutter approach to change is really a failed approach. Yes we can learn from successful systems. But change in the system is really tricky. Literally it is like tuning the motorcycle while riding down the highway. The political winds and long established social values that often create a minefield, and then there is the required culture of change that needs to happen from within the system. I know that these are generalities but the specifics can be very consuming. The reality is research in school change, really sustained change, happens incrementally and with thoughtful vision and understanding of what we want school to really be. > Platt: > What do good schools do that can't be made to happen everywhere? > > Mati: > That could be said of the communities that those schools exist in as well. Platt: I would suggest it's harder to change an entire community than a school. Are there no good schools in poor neighborhoods? Mati: Seeing schools are as good as the communities that they serve, they are interdependent systems. > Platt: Or that being rich is evil? > > Mati: Only when being rich is an excuse for not caring for those less > fortunate and failing to make a difference when you can. Platt: Let's keep in mind the problems created in doing for others what they should do for themselves. Mati: Again as wise as you are, I am certain you can help without creating dependence but that again requires an invested interest with other people. Ok don't give money but something far more valuable, yourself.... your time. Again is there is a problem is the system find a niche to in which you are able to tune up what you can. There is no magic political bullet or legislation or answer. It requires go old fashion rolling up the sleeves and getting some grease on the elbows, otherwise it really is lip service which doesn't bring much in the way of change. Platt: Well, you have your philosophy of how best to deal with life and your father and I have mine. Each can justify his views. That's what makes life interesting. Mati: Respectfully I suggest it is not a philosophy but rather a willingness to accept cold comfort in exchange for change. Philosophy requires reflection of not only the realities around us but also from within us and with that new found wisdom to make a difference in what we do with life. That is the real power of Pirsig's work. Once again I dismount the soapbox. Take care, Mati moq_discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
