Opened the spam folder this morning to scan for a commercial email I needed that might have landed there. Subject of email at the top: "Looking for a friend." Oh, must be a mom from one of the local listservs who is new to the area. I think this for the microsecond between seeing it and remembering that I am in the spam folder.
While I am not generally a credentialist, I did this morning, upon beginning a book about education, go directly to the author's bio in the back to assure myself that the writer probably wasn't a crackpot. Perhaps unfair. Perhaps not. Time is limited, and there are so many books in the world.
While I am not generally a credentialist, I did this morning, upon beginning a book about education, go directly to the author's bio in the back to assure myself that the writer probably wasn't a crackpot. Perhaps unfair. Perhaps not. Time is limited, and there are so many books in the world.
66 comments:
I have a new professional relationship with someone who is constantly celebrated and spoken of in glowing terms for having "thirty years of experience in education with a long list of professional accolades and accomplishments." I work at a private preschool. This "thirty years of experience in education"--in public schools--which others assume is shorthand for incredible wisdom and insight and we should do everything she says--just serves to make me more, not less, skeptical of her judgement. Her credentials tell me right off the bat that she is a career educrat, and accustomed to thinking in a particular box. I'm approaching her contributions with an open mind, but also not automatically accepting her points of view simply because of her credentials, which many others are doing.
Credentials can signal many things, some of which are not always what is intended.
I agree, Pants. "Thirty years experience in education" can mean many things.
You have to read them with a critical eye. If the bio gives off a cult of personality vibe, I am instantly on crackpot watch. If it gives off a narrow vibe, I am on crackpot watch. And finally, if it gives off an "I have found the one answer!" vibe, I am on crackpot watch.
Even if something puts one on crackpot watch, the writer may turn out not to be a crackpot. Crackpot watch just brings out the heightened awareness. The earlier one identifies that a book is not helpful, the earlier one can put it down and move on to something else.
The other day, I gave a book the benefit of the doubt because it was well reviewed, and the writer seemed like someone who would have real information to share. As it turned out, semi-crackpot.
So it goes.
I'm always on crackpot watch. : )
Heh.
In the empty room, on the credenza, no ptyx.
Interesting. I've been listening to a lecture series on jazz appreciation and just got to the disc on "modern jazz."
The thought occurred to me that I ought to dig out some of those old cassette tapes I've got in the basement.
I thought I'd start with Coltrane's Giant Steps and that's quite the coincidence.
I never understood jazz, I mean what's appealing about it.
Brubeck was interesting for time signatures, and that's about it.
I could hear chords as a kid and play them instantly, track them in my head on any piece.
Jazz has zero interesting chords.
This "thirty years of experience in education"....credentials tell me right off the bat that she is..... accustomed to thinking in a particular box.
This happens in the business side of medicine, too. Physicians aren't trained to think much about the business of medicine, so we rely on business consultants too much. My accountant referred me to a consultant who is widely regarded in our community for his work with hospitals, etc, when I decided I wanted to get away from working with Medicare. He spent 30 minutes berating me for the decision, and it was clear to me after five minutes he had not one clue what changes were coming down the pike for physicians with the passage of new government regulations.
"__ years of tradition unmarked by progress."
Seems to me one issue--with respect to experts is--the longer they are in the field, the less they can keep up with new info. New info comes so rapidly its hard for a professional who has a practice to keep up with current technology.
I think "education" should be replaced with "teaching" in my first thought.
Teachers are usually otherwise too stupid to hold down real jobs.
Professors are drunks. The worst are law professors, who are mean and nasty drunks.
I am more likely to trust someone who self-identifies as a "teacher" than as an "educator." The latter suggests pretentiousness. Most public teachers, especially those of a certain age with dissatisfying careers, want to provoke lofty thoughts by saying they're "educators." They usually sign their own names with "Ph.D" or "Ed.D" at the end. Those who are still close to the students or interested in their craft know they are simply "teachers" first.
The same phenomenon occurs in the legal profession. When we want to sound respectable and substantial, we say we're "attorneys." When we face the reality that we're over-priced hourly workers in the trenches, or at least we want to seem a little humble, we say we're mere "lawyers." Law-slingers.
I have a close friend who has his kid being homeschooled by his ex-wife. This means she does not have to go to work so he is paying a lot more child support. Which he doesn't care as long as the kid is allright.
The problem is that the kid is not really socialized. He is as white as ghost, thin as a rail and dresses all in black and only plays violent video games. When you ask him to go outside to toss a football around he won't do it.
Now it soon will be time for him to go to high school and he has no social skills at all. I am afraid he is going to end up going to Columbine High.
What can I tell my friend to help him socialize his kid? How do you homeschoolers handle it?
Sixty grit,
That's not at all accurate. Most teachers get into the profession because they want to teach.
The problem is that the (overall) relatively few poor teachers have a disproportionately large effect. Example:
Elementary school with grades K-5, 4 classrooms each. 24 total teachers. 1 bad teacher would represent just 4% of the teaching population, but would adversely effect 25% of the student.
"Professors are drunks."
As an adjunct professor, I'm only tipsy.
Never mind. Should have paid attention to who made the comment.
Freeman, do use a purchased curriculum? I once bought a book about homeschooling, which among other topics, compared curricula. If had done it, I would have gone with Calvert School. I just had to look for that name, and I found this list.
So, my dad was a teacher. Taught literacy in juvenile hall, and in continuation schools (which have a lot of kids on the way into or out of juvenile hall). Taught high school ages, but most had very sub-high school educations.
They hated school. Whether due to intelligence, behavior, family stress, drugs, whatever, they learned early that education settings were embarrassing to them, which then heightened the distaste. So, they rejected it and everyone involved.
Part of my dad's approach was to break that, very relational, very interactive, using web based learning that got kids involved in the process at each step, reader's theater sort of stuff, and even kids who couldn't read could do something as they re-learned how to approach the process.
They started enjoying it, reading versions of Dickens, Shakespeare, and other classics. Amazing results.
Some kids were too far gone, though, and instead of teaching towards them he found a way of maximizing what could be done for those who still could be reached and changed. Academic triage, he called it.
The staff in the juvenile hall loved him, because he was getting kids excited about learning, and that often meant they would study in off hours, it affected their behavior for the better.
All the while, my dad constantly ran into the barriers of administrators, most of whom had very little time in the classroom, most of whom had very remedial conceptions of remedial education. Sit the kids down, keep 'em quiet, hand out worksheets.
Got pulled out of teaching at the hall, put into the worst performing continuation school which was being threatened with closure because of low test scores. My dad hated teaching towards that, but did it, and helped raise the average scores significantly. Kids graduated high school who never would have otherwise.
He was doing this until last year. Then he was let go. San Bernardino County went bankrupt, my dad was older and experienced, so had a good income. They simply didn't care about his abilities, effects, or creative approaches.
It was about money, power-grabbing administrators, and assorted other very ludicrous issues. Kids are 4 or 5 on the list of importance for far too many districts.
Meanwhile, a huge amount of teachers really do try, but all too often have their hands tied and either give in or give up or, like my dad, are sent off.
I am serious in my question.
How do you avoid turning your kid into an outcast when he has to go to high school when he is home schooled.
They didn't like my solution.
Paddy the answer is vouchers.
Trooper:
"What can I tell my friend to help him socialize his kid? How do you homeschoolers handle it?"
Does your friend realize there's a problem?
That's a tough one, Trooper. Does he have a good enough relationship with the ex that they could come up with strategies together or does he have to do it on his own when his son visits him while his ex does things her own way?
If it were me, I would eliminate, or at least severely restrict, the video games. Then he couldn't so easily isolate himself. I'd tell him that I required participation in one sport of his choosing that involved a team or practice with others. (So any team sport would be fine. Also martial arts because you practice with others. But something like, "I'm going to go running to practice for 5k races on my own," wouldn't cut it.)
Most areas have 4-H clubs. I've never been to one, but I've heard that all kinds of kids go, and they have a wide range of activities. Some clubs, for example, do rocketry or electronics. If they live around an area with much population at all there should be homeschool groups to choose from. Those groups usually get together quite a bit. I'd also put him in group classes for whatever he's interested in whether that's art, music, or something else.
Could he get a part time job? Could he volunteer somewhere? Are they involved in a church or other religious group? Could he join any civic groups like Civil Air Patrol?
Basically, I would get the kid out and around all kinds of people where they work together on something or spend a lot of time in close proximity.
I'm not an expert though. My kids are still young, and we're around people all the time. Those are just my guesses and things I've heard of other people doing for social time.
Absolutely Deborah. It would be obvious to a blind man. His ex is not helping. She encourages the kid to be a dick. Not to eat anything but pizza and chicken nuggets. Not to do anything outside because he might get "hurt." My friend is afraid that he is raising Norman Bates. He tries to get the kid to do normal stuff like go a water park or the movies or just toss a baseball but the kid won't have it.
I am just hoping that when he gets in his rebellious stage at around 13 or 14 he will rebel against the mothers regime. But I just don't know.
Thanks Freeman. Actually when I am around I get the kid interesting in cooking believe it or not. I taught him how to make his own chicken nuggets which we then experimented with adding stuff like paprika and lemon and other flavors that he started to get into after a while.
The kid takes stuff better from the wife and me when we are done there visiting than from his Dad and his grandparents. Of course I don't stand for any bullshit and threaten to give him a smack. He seems to respond well to threats. As most people do. Just sayn'
The problem with the video games is that is where he and his father relate the best. They play this zombie killing crap all day and all night. I go "Lets go out and toss the pigskin around or something" and they look at me like I have two heads. When I was a kid I was always outside playing ball with my friends and getting in trouble.
I feel so freakin' old sometimes.
How old is he, Troop?
Eileen I wish it was just a joke. I know a couple of home schooled kids here in Brooklyn that don't have these problems. But the parents take the kids out or let them out to play with their friends. They bike ride or skate or whatever.
This kid not so much. I think the suburbs lead to isolation.
I am not making fun of home schoolers. I think what you do is great. I certainly would not want to send my kids to a private school. Luckily there are still a few Catholic schools around where they can beat some sense into these kids.
The kid is 12 right on the border of when the trouble is gonna start.
In a couple of years he has to go to high school and I am worried about how that is going to work out.
I've seen lots of traditionally schooled kids who were isolated like that because of videogames. Maybe the dad is in a rut with the game thing, but it sounds like he'd better branch out. What if they started hitting up a local arcade to play and never played at home? Or limit the time. Something. Resolve to go out and do at least one thing everyday.
Cooking is a cool interest. Maybe he could get a part time job at a restaurant when he's old enough. That's nice that you and your wife share things with him.
Trooper, I agree. My dad, by the by, is also quite conservative, as are a number of teachers, even though the Teacher's Union in California keeps the liberal show going here. Oddly enough, the union at the state level is run by administrators--which is odd as it is management who is in charge of the union rather than the workers. Someone has to be the management to oppose, and so it's the state and the people.
I don't think one typically meets the homeschoolers who are like that at activities because if they were at activities, they wouldn't be like that. I knew a kid like this through someone I worked with once.
Deborah, this year I pulled from a lot of things. This year I'll probably use independent K12 plus extensive enrichment. I had to send my plans to the state just yesterday. I could email you my little list. I also use a couple tutors and private lessons.
Oops, last year I pulled from a lot of things. I confused myself because we're in between at the moment.
Since the Dad knows the problem, but is playing non-stop video games (at least he's connecting), maybe you should go Dutch uncle on the dad.
But you're definitely on the right track with distracting his attention to cooking, etc. That's cool.
By the way, if he plays group games online, where he joins in with other people to participate, maybe the dad could sift one out that lives in the city, and they could make contact in meatspace.
I think that is exactly right Freeman. The ex-wife is anti-social
so I know that she does not participate with other home schoolers. But that is a great suggestion. I will suggest that he get the kid into a group without home schooled kids.
The thing about the video games is that it is the one place they can relate without fighting so I don't think he feels he can give that up.
The kid listens better to the wife and me because we were on television which is some sick shit. The kid's life revolves around TV and he is overly impressed with that shit.
Oh well maybe I can knock some sense into him the next time I see him.
I was thinking of taking him to the track.
Gee I don't know Deb. Meatspace sounds kinda gay, Just sayn'
We're seriously considering homeschooling our kid(s), mostly because of the education focus. I respect teachers, but they have to pour so much energy into so much busywork or other students, the smart ones get bored. I went to public school all the way through high school, but I would guess only about 10% of my learning actually happened there, and getting that 10% undermined my focus in learning on my own. People didn't homeschool much when I was growing up.
I'm also, oddly, concerned about the socialization issues, but in public schools. Lots of good socialization but there's lots of bad socialization too, all sorts of characters there that can cause lasting effects.
Most of the homeschoolers I've known have been very socially adept and very advanced academically. Probably because the parents were good about getting the kids out of the house and involved in stuff. Starting early is probably the most important thing, getting into AYSO or other youth sports and such.
Trooper, it sounds to me like your friend is trying to be his kid's friend, looking for bonding time as buddies. I agree that the key really is his role. Doesn't have to be sports. Build something, work on a car. Video games are addictive because they are distracting and use thinking skills with just enough dexterity to feel busy. Replace that with something that not only involves those same skills but gets 'em out of the house.
Which is pretty much what Freeman said...
I agree Paddy. That is why I try to connect to the kid with stuff I know. Cooking. Gambling. Smoking cigars. Soon enough drinking beer. You know the stuff he is not learning from his friends in school.
Trooper, maybe get him in into training to try out for some reality show, give him some goal to work for.
There was a high school version of Chopped a week or so ago, for instance.
Or find an acting class. If he's that into TV, make him realize what it takes to get there.
I'd appreciate seeing your list.
It's funny you should mention tutors, because my next question was what's the deal with tutors? If I wanted to get into the homeschool tutor biz, how would I go about it?
Troop, Freem's idea about arcades sounds great. Would socialize and expand hand-eye coordination. I can just see you talking trash to him at one of those basketball thingamajigs.
That is a great idea Paddy but I think he is already in training for "I Can't Believe I Got Away With That."
Trooper, you're like a latter day Father Flanagan.
If you know anything about Spencer Tracy I am a lot like him.
Without the affairs and the gay stuff.
And I don't like skinny women either. Just sayn'
Troop, I thought of the ramifications of meatspace just before I published, but I'm cool that way, you perv.
Troop, the Fatherhood Project at Mass General Hospital has found that sons have the best outcome when their fathers relate to them in the "authoritative" mode, that is, "with high levels of both supervision and affection", "using discipline that was specifically firm but kindly". This was true regardless of the father's educational level, whether he lived with the son, or what the mother-son relationship was like.
It doesn't sound like your friend has ever been in this mode, rather that his son has been allowed to call all the shots. I hate to say it, but at age 12, it might be too late to change that.
Deborah, I think the easiest way to get into the homeschool tutor business would be to join all of the local homeschool listservs and send out an email before each traditional semester to let everyone know what you offer and what your qualifications are. I think there are also some websites for finding tutors that tutors can join.
Our tutors were not local, we met through Facetime, GoToMeeting, and Blackboard Collaborate. They specialized in certain things, and I found them through referrals.
Hey you do what you can Basta. I am more in the Grandfather mode. The dad is in his thirties and he didn't grow up like I did. So are ideas of handling kids are radically different. He is more of a computer nerdy type guy. There is only so much you can do with other peoples kids.
If I can make bad behavior seem like fun maybe he will drop the video games and go have a few beers and chase some girls.
You, on the other hand, seem to be relating to him in the authoritative mode, and as you can see, the kid responds to that.
I think the track is a great idea. Horses or dogs?
Horses. I think if I teach him to handicap and read the racing form he has something cool to do when he is in high school. The other kids won't think he is a pussy if he can explain to them how to wheel and exacta.
That is wheel an exacta.
Plus if he knows which cigars are the best the other kids might give him some respect when they are firing up a blunt. Just sayn'
Deborah, I meant to add that I always thought Calvert looked great. I'm going to use their Child's History of the World book this year. It is not a good fit for us right now because we're doing different subjects at a wide variety of levels, but I have it bookmarked to look at again the future.
Trooper, your friends are using the kid for whatever issues they have. Your friends money would be better spent on tuition to a Catholic HS.
Mrs Haz retired in June after 43 years of teaching in the same HS. Film, Theater, English, Lit, etc on all grade levels. She has many letters of recognition from her School Board, from past students, etc. some of her students are the children and grand children of past students, their parents having sought her out and enrolled their kids in her classes.
Masters degree plus thirty credits. National Endowment of the Arts Grants. Lots and lost of accolades.
She (and we) would not put our kids in any public school if we had school age kids now. The PC nonsense is horrible. Administrators are fools who read some article, then introduce it school wide without any idea of what the outcome will be. She counted 105 "initiatives" she is supposed to follow. There is no time for teaching.
I asked her "How did you manage to do what you did?" Her answer "I ignored administration as much as possible, stayed in my room, and did the opposite of what others in my department were doing."
We didn't socialize with her colleagues because as she puts it "The dumbest people on the planet come from schools of education."
Anyhow homeschoolers, you're doing the right thing. Bless you for it.
And if you are a teacher, I didn't mean to offend you. My wife was referring to her colleagues, not to you.
Freeman, thanks for the list and the tutor tips :)
That list makes us seem more busy than we are. That's for the whole year, and we go year round, so we're not using all those things at the same time.
Thanks for the tips guys. I want to help them out but you can only do so much when they are not your kids.
It is easy to see the problems from the outside but when you are in the middle of it then it gets a lot harder to get the big picture.
I understand, Freeman, a lot to draw from. What fun!
y/w Troop...I'd love to hear a report back if you decide to try the arcade idea.
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