Comments on: I said, they said

By: pete reilly

pete reilly — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000

Scott,
Thank you for taking a stand for our children’s futures. You’re a great example of what it will take to create the changes we need in education.

More students need to refuse to accept a sub-standard educational experience – whether that come in the form of a teacher, curriculum, or facilities.

More teachers need to refuse to accept stifling, non-empowering, educational environments – whether they come in the form of incompetent administrators, colleagues, an out of date curriculum, or sub-standard facilities.

More administrators need to refuse to accept the push to perfect a 20th Century approach to education in this, the 21st Century.They need to take a stand – whether it be the Board of Education or State Education Department.

More parents need to refuse to accept educational institutions that are closed to meaningful parent involvement.

Speaking up and taking a stand is each individual’s responsibility. No one can wait for the other to go first. We know we can do better.

Speaking up has consequences. It requires courage. It can create dramatic changes in our lives, (not always pleasant) as it has in yours, Scott.

I’m thankful for your commitment.

pete

By: Louise Maine

Louise Maine — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000

Thanks for sharing your conversation. Discussion in k12 and classroom teaching runs the same lines. Good for you as it needs to change where you are at too and there is so much wrong at all levels. I am glad that you are valued where you are at!

By: Beth Still

Beth Still — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000

Scott,
It is blog posts such as this that remind me that it is OK to be on the leading edge pushing for change. I find myself taking heat once in a while for being so outspoken, but the results have been worth it. Thanks you for this post. I am going to bookmark it so it is easy to find each time I need a reminder that it is not easy to be on the front lines. Happy Thanksgiving!

By: Scott Elias

Scott Elias — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000

Great timing on your part, Scott. I have lately been going through this, “Remind me why I’m busting my butt for a Ph.D., again?” phase. Your post today was what I needed to read.

By: Phil

Phil — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000

Scott,

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. Your writings and tweets have enabled me to share and build knowledge among my teachers and fellow administrators. Knowledge I would never have had access to without this medium. Only in education do we try to make omelets without breaking the eggs.

By: Charlie A. Roy

Charlie A. Roy — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000

@Scott
You’re definitely one of the people Seth Godin describes in “Tribes”. You’ve got to be willing to take the risks.

You are definitely influential. I’ve been a school administrator going on four years now. I’m 31 years old and virtually all of the meaninful development I’ve taken part in has come from online affiliations and reading of edublogs. I attend the annual conferense every year but blah blah blah…. most of it isn’t practival.

As I read your post I thouhgt I’ve been a prnicipal for four years and i haven’t a clue what peer-reviewed journals I should even be reading. The only one I look at comes from ISTE. If I wanted to be more scholarly what should I even read? Do tell I might look them up.

By: Jon Becker

Jon Becker — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000

And, in perhaps the greatest irony, we’re expected to “publish” in places with the highest “impact factor.” What a joke. Thanks, as always, for blazing the path for me and surely more to come.

Best to you and your family.

By: Glenn E. Malone

Glenn E. Malone — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000

Nice post Scott!

I love the program I’m in at WSU because they focus on the practice.

By: Jeff Utecht

Jeff Utecht — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000

I have had similar conversations with the few univ. that have approached me about doing a PhD. When they start describing the program I feel like I’m going backwards. If I’m gonna pay the big $ for a PhD I better be getting something out of it.

I’m still looking for that univ. that understands that they don’t know what they don’t know and allow someone to come in and do some research and thinking around what they don’t know. My favorite quote:

If I wanted to solely publish in journals that – let’s be honest here – are never read by the people that we’re supposedly trying to reach, I would have done so and stayed at my current university.

And that’s it!

By: Miguel Guhlin

Miguel Guhlin — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000

Scott, I’ve read or heard this conversation before from you. I agree with the others who write how important it was for you to share it. . .it is a source of inspiration.

And, yet, I’m curious. What are the conversations you’re having now at your current location? Do you find yourself still pushing the envelope the way you did where/when you encountered resistance or have you settled into a routine?

I’m wondering…

1) Does resistance spur your efforts to achieve more?
2) What does “routine” look like in a supporting environment like the one you enjoy currently?
3) With present support and lack of resistance, how do you see yourself pushing ahead?

Warm regards,
Miguel Guhlin
Around the Corner-MGuhlin.org
http://mguhlin.org