3 Comments

1. 

   James F. Mothersbaugh, Jr. on March 9, 2011 at 7:08 pm

   I appreciate so much of what you say and who you are. I MUST read your book! Unlike the music teacher in your book, who hadn’t had her piano tuned in 25 years, I, an orchestra teacher, just finished an hour30 of practicing Unaccompanied Bach on my violin. I have ALWAYS kept my own outside musical interests alive, and I have encouraged the student teachers that I have supervised to do the same. Proof positive is your weaving the school as family into your book: if you had not been plying your craft, writing, would you have learned this, realized this, and experienced this growth? I so appreciate your feminist insights, speaking not only as a teacher but as a feminist woman as well. Lastly, I need to mention that someone in the Wyoming legislature recognizes the importance of teachers like your Mr. Webb (I think was his name); in speaking against the bill to revoke all teacher tenure, he said that some of the best teachers he had and that he liked the best were those who were a thorn in the side of the administration for one reason or another. The bill failed; continuing contract status survives in Wyoming. Best wishes.

   Reply
2. 

   Jo Scott-Coe on March 9, 2011 at 8:11 pm

   Thank you so much for listening, connecting with the site, and sharing your insights. What a gift to hear that you have fed and preserved the music in your soul–no doubt the students can tell when you work with them. Shouting out support to all teacher workers in your home state!

   Reply
3. 

   Jeff Rice on March 10, 2011 at 2:14 am

   Teacher: “If I’m really good at what I do, don’t you want me to
   do it?”
   Administrator: “Well, yes, but does it ‘reach’ every one in the
   classroom?”
   Teacher: (Hunh?) ” I have 36 students in each class. I doubt I
   can “reach ‘ each and every one every minute of the
   period.”
   Administrator: “Try the stratagies in the planning guide and
   check the ideas in the text; those stratagies work.”
   Teacher: “I’ll get right to that.” (Ass! But if that is what you’ll
   judge me on, so be it.)
   And we wonder what’s driving “reform.” Sad.

   Reply