[etni] Not War, but Revolution!!
- From: "David R. Herz" <drh16@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 26 May 2010 22:56:46 +0300
To Jennifer, Lev is right. It is not a war we must wage, it is a
REVOLUTION!!!!
To everyone, watch the following. Sir Ken Robinson is brilliant. It is
well worth your time.
http://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_bring_on_the_revolution.html?utm_s
ource=newsletter_weekly_2010-05-25
<http://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_bring_on_the_revolution.html?utm_
source=newsletter_weekly_2010-05-25&utm_campaign=newsletter_weekly&utm_mediu
m=email> &utm_campaign=newsletter_weekly&utm_medium=email
As to the yearly versus the school grade, maybe the whole institution of
grading is problematic. There are those of you who seem to think that the
grade is some sort of motivator. If it is, it is only because we have
brainwashed our children to think that grades are their purpose in school.
It is therefore no surprise that students should stop "learning" when their
grades are set. Whereas if we were to inspire them to love learning, we
would quickly see that grades only interfere.
What we need is a system where we can teach according to what we believe
with no reference to a test. If the Ministry is going to demand a number -
which is only there for sorting purposes anyway - let them generate it. If
they must do a Bagrut, we should let our students know that Bagruts have
nothing to do with education, that they will have to make up any work they
miss as a consequence, and that learning goes on in our classes all year.
And I have said it before, and will again, if the Ministry wants teachers to
use new methodologies, let them enroll us and provide the support to succeed
without demanding it.
As to getting the inspectors on our sides, I would suggest that they get
paid what teachers get and be required to teach at least eight hours in the
worst schools in their district, alternating teaching one and three point
classes one year, and three and four point classes the next, and one and
four the third year. The five point classes will of course be taught by
newer teachers, who will of course have the support of the inspector in
perfecting their art.
I have heard from some of you that my ideas have no chance of success, and
that we should instead seek incremental improvement. I obviously disagree -
and admittedly have taken the Lev approach to teaching in Israel - but also
ask you to consider what time you have had to fight for even incremental
changes as you have been constantly involved with or arguing about each new
program that the ministry has thrown the teachers' way. This is supposed to
be a list for us to improve pedagogically. Consider how many posts actually
deal with pedagogical matters and how many have as a theme unseens or exams
or making recordings for exams or grading regimes or what materials are
required.
To quote one of our inspectors: "I do not intend to continue this string of
who knows better or what is better. Korczak's orphanage was VERY democratic.
Even so there were rules and regulations made and abided by, abided by ALL."
Perhaps I am somehow blind to the democratic structure of the English
inspectorate, but I certainly have a sense of the demand to follow the
rules. To be fair this was the tail end of a correspondence that began with
the karated text below in one of my previous messages, to which the initial
response was the text immediately below:
"Don't ASSUME what you don't know about the undertakings of the
inspectorate!!"
> "I don't understand why it is so silent on things that persist that have
no proven
> pedagogical foundation, or that have even proven to interfere with
learning,
> such as Grades, Matriculation Examinations, Homework, Red Pens, etc."
I also want to add to Judy's (as in judyewc) comment about the quote: "I
doubt if there is any other Inspectorate in the World that is so attentive
taking into account the feedback that is submitted by the field. . . ."
While I agree that an inspectorate should be transparent and accountable, I
find myself questioning why we should even have an inspectorate in the first
place. For all it ostensibly does, it is another layer of bureaucracy which
carries the typical bureaucratic baggage. Wouldn't we be better to have
these expert teachers out in the field - we do have a shortage don't we -
and stemming the attrition rate by being great mentors to the new teachers
in their individual schools?
I apologize for the rambling omnibus, or is that blunderbuss, nature of this
e-mail. I have had these thoughts running through my head all week and have
finally had the chance to set them down.
I almost forgot, I do really want to thank and acknowledge those of you who
remain in the field. You do make a huge difference.
Yours truly,
David R. Herz
drherz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.educatingisrael.com
Bet Rimon
052-579-1859
-----------------------------------------------
** The ETNI Rag **
http://www.etni.org/etnirag/
Much more than just a journal
** Etni homepage - http://www.etni.org
or - http://www.etni.org.il **
** for help - ask@xxxxxxxx **
** to post to this list - etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx **
-----------------------------------------------
Other related posts:
- » [etni] Not War, but Revolution!! - David R. Herz
