Comments on: It’s Only November http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2007/11/its-only-november/ Challenge The Status Quo Fri, 09 Jan 2009 01:34:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Matt Hall http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2007/11/its-only-november/comment-page-1/#comment-20803 Matt Hall Tue, 15 Apr 2008 03:18:40 +0000 http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2007/11/its-only-november/#comment-20803 Triage baby! You are a finite human being with finite time, energy, and resources at your disposal. Good luck to the lad, and don't waste another second worrying about/trying to teach him. Of course, my comment should not surprise you... Triage baby! You are a finite human being with finite time, energy, and resources at your disposal. Good luck to the lad, and don’t waste another second worrying about/trying to teach him. Of course, my comment should not surprise you…

]]> By: Todd http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2007/11/its-only-november/comment-page-1/#comment-17539 Todd Sat, 10 Nov 2007 20:21:10 +0000 http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2007/11/its-only-november/#comment-17539 Turning it into lemonade, sure, but it's still a bunch of sour lemons to start with. I get what you're saying, but I buck against the idea that it's up to me to make a faulty system work for students it never had in mind. I can try to make the whole thing easier on them, but bottom line is that it is not for everyone. The doors out of the system need to be made more visible and available (GED, proficiency exam, trade school, vocation, etc.). This student is an odd one because he bounces between disrespect and civility. He's more civil this year than I've seen him over the previous 3 years, but his moments of disrespect are pretty terrible. I've got an "in" with him, I know, but that interaction was rough. Turning it into lemonade, sure, but it’s still a bunch of sour lemons to start with. I get what you’re saying, but I buck against the idea that it’s up to me to make a faulty system work for students it never had in mind. I can try to make the whole thing easier on them, but bottom line is that it is not for everyone. The doors out of the system need to be made more visible and available (GED, proficiency exam, trade school, vocation, etc.).

This student is an odd one because he bounces between disrespect and civility. He’s more civil this year than I’ve seen him over the previous 3 years, but his moments of disrespect are pretty terrible. I’ve got an “in” with him, I know, but that interaction was rough.

]]> By: Ben Chun http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2007/11/its-only-november/comment-page-1/#comment-17537 Ben Chun Sat, 10 Nov 2007 17:20:54 +0000 http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2007/11/its-only-november/#comment-17537 Interesting that he's willing to have the conversation at all -- I think that means there's hope. Some kind of personal connection. Something. You can trade on that. My question to the student is this: Is it the teachers job to make you learn? In fact, is it possible for anyone to MAKE anyone else learn anything? If not, then he has to accept some responsibility. Just that small step would mean a lot. Then you would be able to get back to the job of presenting curriculum in a way that either feels relevant, or fun, or both... reminding him when necessary that you can't force him to learn anything, that it's his decision, but that you think he's capable, that he has something to contribute, that you want him there. I don't really know. You asked a deeper question about how the system works, and I think it's on us to make it work for students by helping them see that while it might not be perfect, it's the opportunity that's in front of them, and a decision to blow off an opportunity is a decision against a good life. Interesting that he’s willing to have the conversation at all — I think that means there’s hope. Some kind of personal connection. Something. You can trade on that. My question to the student is this: Is it the teachers job to make you learn? In fact, is it possible for anyone to MAKE anyone else learn anything? If not, then he has to accept some responsibility. Just that small step would mean a lot. Then you would be able to get back to the job of presenting curriculum in a way that either feels relevant, or fun, or both… reminding him when necessary that you can’t force him to learn anything, that it’s his decision, but that you think he’s capable, that he has something to contribute, that you want him there. I don’t really know.

You asked a deeper question about how the system works, and I think it’s on us to make it work for students by helping them see that while it might not be perfect, it’s the opportunity that’s in front of them, and a decision to blow off an opportunity is a decision against a good life.

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