| The Schechter Saga, Book 2, Chapter 1 | for everyone |
And so we begin, again....
Must be something about administration. Listening is not one of their great skills, especially when the information is inconvenient.
When I was asked to add the 6th grade to my plate, I said okay, but I'm still doing softball at Webster. "No problem." As the schedule was being developed, I asked to see it (other teachers had seen it). "No." I reminded the administrator that I had softball in the Fall. "We made it work last year. I'm not going to build the whole schedule around softball." The schedule comes out, and I have a class that ends at 3:30. I, after some kind of "pissy" e-mail exchanges (Carolyn thinks I responded in kind) offered what seemed a logical, positive solution that was rejected out of hand; the first "solution" was to get a sub for all those days. The second "solution" was a switch (temporary) so that my first class was at 8:30 until softball ended, effectively extending my day by an hour. Whatever.
I'm not ready to go, but I never am and if they put off the start of school a week, I'd be in about the same spot. So even though it's unlikely many will find it interesting, here are my remarks to the parents last night. I've been mulling more topical stuff, like the mosque in New York City, corporate America and the stock market, etc., but those will have to wait until I have time to breathe, like during October or maybe using one of the multitude of Jewish holidays in September (no full weeks that month).
I’m looking forward to my second year at Schechter and to working with the 6th graders as well as continuing to develop the 8th grade course of study in English and history.
My big picture goals are really fairly simple, although I don’t pretend that accomplishing them for each one of my students will be. Nevertheless, simply put, I want for each of my students…
… to understand that today’s political and social developments arise out of yesterday’s history, that there is a cause-effect relationship that is often the result of the Law of Unintended Consequences, but never purely random.
… to become better readers. Reading, like any skill, must be practiced in order to see improvement. I firmly believe that if you can read you can learn and if you can learn you can earn. Better reading skills not only enhance opportunity but enjoyment of life.
… to become better communicators. It takes very little time or effort to witness the often disastrous results of poor communication in the world today. As a group, we will always be working to become better writers, better speakers and better listeners, to organize our thoughts and present them clearly. In the world our students will have to navigate, the ability to communicate will help them successfully navigate its numerous challenges, both in their immediate and long-term futures.
… to use those communication skills, as well as to develop other interpersonal relationship skills, to learn how to work together, to cooperate, to define success as something beyond just individual accomplishments.
I look forward to working with you to meet your expectations for your children.
E Carl Anderson wrote on Aug 18, '10
ReplyDeleteI hope the administrators were using their listening skills for all that might aply to them.
Carl