Freud compared civilized lives and savage lives in his 1929 treatise “Civilization and its Discontents.” He illuminated the conflict that exists between the driven individual and the context that demands uniformity.
“Civilization, therefore, obtains mastery over the individual’s dangerous desire for aggression by weakening and disarming it and by setting up an agency within him to watch over it, like a garrison in a conquered city.”
The implication that conformity is a primary function of civilization may seem less than alarming. Philosophers may soften it by framing it as some sort of social contract. We conform out of deference to the whole and to each other. We have been convince that, in doing so, we recognize ourselves as thoughtful individuals.
We are safe. We do not even need to talk. We can nod. Should we find ourselves in a situation where someone steps outside of compliance, we look to each other for reassurance–This is crazy, right?
Some time ago, it was decided that regulation of behavior would be embedded, if you will.
A scheme.
Value.
A mechanism.
Socially.
Developmentally.
Expectation and pressure.
Words like garrisons have been used in discussing the idea of ‘self-regulating’ mechanisms that have been implanted into individuals to maintain compliance to the norms and standards of civilization. Garrisons are set up in conquered cities to quell small uprisings. What Freud refers to as the aggressive mind, we would call the progressive mind.
If this is true, we have to consider that we have been programmed to submit to societal conventions. IF this is true we have to consider that we are perpetuating these ideas in our homes, our families, and our classrooms. IF this is true, we have to consider that resistance may be futile which means that this resistance can no longer be tolerated.
HAL 9000: Dave, although you took very thorough precautions in the pod against my hearing you, I could see your lips move.
When Olivier Messiaen was imprisoned in a German concentration camp during World War II, he found among his number three other musicians. Olivier had at hand a clarinet, violin, and cello, along with himself at the piano. With this awkward quatuor, he wrote what may not be his most beautiful piece, but arguably his most significant. The piece was titled, “Quatuor pour le fin du temps.”
The Quartet for the End of Time
Quatuor Pour le Fin du Temps
Thinking that he may not survive this internment, he chose to write this piece with a purpose. Within the measures of the music are the compositional devices that he developed in his lifetime; all the tricks of his trade. Another composer could pick up this score, analyze it, and learn everything that Messiaen had to offer as a composer and teacher.
As it turned out, Messiaen did survive that camp and went on to compose several other works. I cannot listen to this piece without thinking of the desperation in the pages. Or is it hope? His preface quoted the book of Revelation and looked to the vindication of the people of God. Imagine the focus, the longing, the desire to pass on the brilliance of living to the next practitioner. It is not arrogance. It is a sober inventory of your existence that produces a result: you have something that the world needs.
And that is why we write.
And that is why we teach.
Have you written your quartet?
Could someone look at your life’s work-to-date and discover why and how and what you do and believe? What are you waiting for? These thoughts and approaches are not your own. There are two ways to view arrogance, both of which center on the self. One is explained in overt assertion of one’s abilities an strengths, the other is explained in an unwillingness to give of oneself due to personal reasons. In both cases, it is the individual who is passing judgment and making decisions that benefit the self instead of others.
We need to get past that. Make mistakes. Stop protecting yourself.
I should probably spend more time being positive. Surely, that is what Tom Whitby thinks. I would say that I am more serious than negative. My goal in this post, aside from contributing to the REBEL post-o-rama-thon, is to be helpful. Comments are always welcome. If you like it, maybe I will write a part two/three/four.
“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” Albert Camus
I only have a few thoughts about the educational revolution and it is all about the world between the walls. From bell to bell. Ding. Ding.
Never change, baby.
re-evolution
re-educational
de-evolution
re-de-evolution
redevo?
devo?
oh.
my.
If you want to cause a rebellion, treat everyone the same. If you want to lead a REBELlion, treat everyone as the exception to rules that do not matter. The single most important thing that a teacher can do is to teach children with a discrete awareness and appreciation of their individual differences. Change and reform will not succeed as a top-down process. Change happens on the ground, as I like to say in my classes; where the teaching takes place.
My ideas are simple. None of them are revolutionary–with apologies. These are simple pieces of advice from my experience as a classroom teacher and a teacher educator. They are focused on needs of our students and ourselves. I believe
1. Stop being cutting edge (I totally stole this from Peter Sellars). We have already done cutting edge. We are cut. We are bleeding. It hurts. Please stop. We need change that heals and we know how to do that.
2. Think. Have you considered the short/mid/long-term results from change that you are proposing? I mean, look at the schools that produced REBELS like us? VERY unlike anything that we are proposing. We have to consider the outcomes of our “progressive” ideas.
3. Share in the name of selfishness. Giving away your knowledge, techniques, and ideas makes you better. Really.
4. If you focus on results, you will all treat all of your students the same. That is not fair, that is stupid. You had better be ready to look to yourself for the cause of problems. There are ways to teach and assess that recognize individuals.
5. The answers are already in the room (I totally stole this from Sir Thomas Beecham). The collective knowledge in a given room is probably all that you need to get your points across. Bruner called it scaffolding. Do that.
6. You are not the first person who thought that.
7. If you are thinking about being famous for something, please stop teaching and follow your dream. Nothing worse than a bitter failure in a room full of kids because he/she is using the backup plan.
8. Be consistent with things that matter. Is it worth it? Yes. Do not give me the Emerson quote about consistency being the hobgoblin of the small mind. The qualifying adjective in that quote is “A foolish consistency…” I am not suggesting that you maintain foolish consistency but that you maintain consistency in the things that matter.
9. Treat others as you would like to be treated. Treat students as you would like others to treat your own children. I remember the last time I said something that I would consider “unacceptable” to a student. I did not yell or say something foul or rude. But I did say something to a student that I regretted. As soon as it left my mouth, I remember thinking–what if I walked in when someone said that exact thing to my child? I could have cried right there. We have to be honest with ourselves and allow that type of thinking to occur.
10. Consider needs before anything else and then advocate appropriately. Someone once asked me how I would change schooling. The answer was nothing revolutionary. I said that I would find a way to make sure that the kids got a good night’s sleep, a healthy breakfast, and clothes that made them feel secure. Beyond that, I would help to make sure that teachers were able to do their jobs to the best of their ability.
11. Find people who can help, reaffirm, critique, and develop YOU. They do not need to be all different people or all the same person, but be clear about what you need in a given conversation. Do not make assumptions about others and do not expect them to read your mind. If you need reassurance, begin your conversation by letting that person know.
12. Being the best at something is a decision. Pick one thing. Then pick another. Maybe your decision is based on a need. Or interest. Or innovation. Either way, it will be worth it.
13. You have a lot to say. You have a lot to give. You have a lot to offer. You are not like me and you can help me with something even if I do not know what it is yet. Me too.
Easy targets. Trite complaints. Broken records. They are powerful because they resonate. I now have your attention and your (at least) leaning towards being on my side.
Step right up! You need, I have!
You may have heard salesmen use the Feel, Felt, Found method of developing affinity with current/future clients. They understand how you feel and they have felt that way too. But you know what? They have found the cure for everything that ails you!
As a teacher, I feel the same pressures that you feel. I have felt the sting of pointed words and critiques because my students do not perform the way that non-educators think that they should. “If you are such a great teacher” they say, “why aren’t your test scores higher???” I have found that the answer to this is to do away with standardized testing.
You see what I did there? I created a scenario that resonates. It is a common experience that we have had or one that has been explained to us. The frustration. The insult. The pain. We are professionals, are we not? We do not need this kind of treatment. They do not know what we do every day.
In Waiting for Godot, the character Estragon suffers from terrible pain and is constantly futzing with his shoes. Frustrated, Vladimir comments,
“There’s man all over for you, blaming on his boots the faults of his feet.”
I use the example of standardized testing because it is one to which many of us can relate. Test results are misused. Surprise. Does that mean that assessment of this type should be tossed out completely? Please. Teachers misuse test results every day. Good teachers. Maybe even you.
There are more items on the docket for the snake-oil salesman. They make grandiose statements that seem to have credibility. That credibility is strengthened when they make statements and use terminology that gets your Irish up. Grades. Detention. Rewards. Punishment. Bells. Classes. Uniforms. Tests. Paper. Technology. Who ever said that we need school anyway?! It is just a conspiracy to prepare us to be mindless cattle for corporate America!!
Relax.
Breathe.
This week I joked with a friend on Twitter and told him that he was a crackpot. His response was one of gratitude because “after all it’s usually “crackpots” that change the world.” Seem innocent enough. If you say that enough, you will believe it.
I rail against those who abuse nomenclature and also fight the colloquial research that we pass on over and again. Myths that we propagate. Do not fall for it, folks. Simply ask questions and expect answers. We need to stop taking peoples’ word for it and get back to real experience and real research that suggests best practices.
