Comments on: Work To Rule ‘06 http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2006/01/work-to-rule-06/ Challenge The Status Quo Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:02:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Debbie http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2006/01/work-to-rule-06/comment-page-1/#comment-55 Debbie Thu, 12 Jan 2006 02:11:00 +0000 http://www.toddseal.com/teaching/?p=46#comment-55 Yup, yup, yup. Here's my issue: I've already made agreements to do things after our semester break during those times. And I don't feel comfortable backing out of them because it's unprofessional, and aren't we trying to make a point that we are professional enough to be paid and taken care of well?<br /> <br /> Plus, much of what I'm trying to accomplish, via the <a href="http://www.ed.gov/programs/slcp/strategies.html">SLCs</a>, has been done - not during my resource period - during my lunch period. It sucks, but it's true. Grrr.<br /> <br /> I went to the PTSA meeting last night and it was hard to look those few parents in the face and explain what the union decided and why. The comments of our APED came to mind - the idea that education is a business and our students and their parents are our clients. I extended it in my brain, though. When I worked in retail in college, I didn't walk out on my customers WHILE THEY WERE IN LINE because it occured to me I wasn't getting paid what I was worth. I'm not sure we should do the same with the kids.<br /> <br /> Plus, "work to rule" doesn't have the same meaning in my head. Before someone explained to me what it meant - working to the letter of the contract, to the "rules," as it were - I thought of it as "work to rule," as in rule over someone else with our all-mighty needs and desires. Sadly, that initial connotation of "rule" has not escaped me since I learned the real and intended meaning. Yup, yup, yup. Here’s my issue: I’ve already made agreements to do things after our semester break during those times. And I don’t feel comfortable backing out of them because it’s unprofessional, and aren’t we trying to make a point that we are professional enough to be paid and taken care of well?

Plus, much of what I’m trying to accomplish, via the SLCs, has been done - not during my resource period - during my lunch period. It sucks, but it’s true. Grrr.

I went to the PTSA meeting last night and it was hard to look those few parents in the face and explain what the union decided and why. The comments of our APED came to mind - the idea that education is a business and our students and their parents are our clients. I extended it in my brain, though. When I worked in retail in college, I didn’t walk out on my customers WHILE THEY WERE IN LINE because it occured to me I wasn’t getting paid what I was worth. I’m not sure we should do the same with the kids.

Plus, “work to rule” doesn’t have the same meaning in my head. Before someone explained to me what it meant - working to the letter of the contract, to the “rules,” as it were - I thought of it as “work to rule,” as in rule over someone else with our all-mighty needs and desires. Sadly, that initial connotation of “rule” has not escaped me since I learned the real and intended meaning.

]]> By: Laurie http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2006/01/work-to-rule-06/comment-page-1/#comment-46 Laurie Mon, 09 Jan 2006 09:56:00 +0000 http://www.toddseal.com/teaching/?p=46#comment-46 What sticks with me is the comment about hurting students in the "short run" in order to help them in the "long run." How can we explain that to the students who need our help now? <br /> This will be better for you in the long run...well, no because it won't. By the time the long run is here, they will have missed out on the help they needed for that class, for that paper or project, for that time in their education. <br /> <br /> Whose rules are we working to anyway?<br /> What sticks with me is the comment about hurting students in the “short run” in order to help them in the “long run.” How can we explain that to the students who need our help now?
This will be better for you in the long run…well, no because it won’t. By the time the long run is here, they will have missed out on the help they needed for that class, for that paper or project, for that time in their education.

Whose rules are we working to anyway?

]]>