in that the very least practical approach
is to try to herd them in large groups in rank and file,
in the same direction and at the same speed
there in lies the rub,
with NCLB
just a thought
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Teaching is like herding kittens
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
I have herded some kittens in emergencies, and I can tell you there are differing ability and awareness levels among kittens in real honest danger. Bears nearby, hungry ones. Bad guys in barricaded houses with a literal straight shot into APS classrooms. Chemical spills in labs, acids and bases mixing, oh my!
That herd of kittens takes cajoling and a few will want attention at the most inopportune of times, and you will have to give it to them of they are to survive.
NCLB is clumping my little wards into false educational groups to their detriment, the gifted will be picked off one by one over time, and the Special Ed will become the low caste, the ones to feed to the bear if you have to give someone up while the others run.
Special ed kids often need extra help in evacuations, and gifted kids sometimes save lives by leading a whole classromm out of danger once a teacher has been incapacitated or killed, or maybe just has the guts to put his desk up against the door and lean on it, the gunman pushing but then seeking easier prey who won't fight back as much.
If emergency management of real live danger, of chaos is possible, and I can accomodate differing ability levels with my puny security guard brain, why the Hell can't they let the APS big brains do the same in their main purpose - educating kids?
An ancilary function like security should not be leading the educators in serving disparate needs by age and special need.
Post a Comment