When I discussed my book with members of the North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement, their first question was, “Who is the audience?” I said the book is for professional educators, but it might also be a good read for parents and grandparents. They responded, “No – this book is too academic. Normal people are not interested in all the technical stuff about how education is governed. Besides, we can’t keep track of all the abbreviations.”
Some of the retirees said chapters 1 and 2 were too academic. They suggested that these be curtailed or eliminated. Another disagreed, saying, “You can’t take out the first two chapters. They are the foundation for the whole book.”
Others said there were too many citations. According to them lay readers are not interested in references to other education writers. Another disagreed. She said, “I like the citations. They showed how these ideas are tied with others. They give the book credibility.”
Who is the audience for a treatise on education that is philosophical? The last paragraph of the Introduction says the book’s ideas are important considerations for parents and grandparents, and for those associated with independent, parochial, or charter schools. This is a broad audience, but it is not the main audience. TSVOTEP describes the status and direction of public education because public educators are its main audience. A recent experience helped me see, however, that the audience is not all public educators.
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Can the alternative approach work if only teachers are on-board with change? What is the principal of the school wants to continue with following the mandates that are given to them from the district and state? I am excited to finish the remaining chapters of TSVOTEP in order to make necessary changes in education, and where I can make a change, in my classroom.
Laurie,
As you read the book you will come across the idea that, “In all situations, it depends on the situation.” So, I am not going to try to tell you how you should deal with your situation. You are the one who has to address that — in your present school and in any other situations you may encounter.
I am sure there are many schools in which a principal can get in the way of a teacher adopting the alternative model in his/her classroom. The reason I wrote the book is to provide a kind of “shorthand” for teachers. For those who want to pursue deep, meaningful purposes in their classrooms, my book provides a short-hand for those purposes — the six virtues.
I believe teachers can join forces with parents and students by using the six-virtue definition of what it means to be educated. Which of the six virtues do parents NOT want their children to develop? I just think this would be a rich conversation to have with parents. PTAs could get involved, and that might force principals to take a different look at things. (Maybe a principal would even read the book. It is only 170 pages long.)
Casey
Laurie,
Thanks for this comment. I hope things are going well for you as you start a new school year. You might be interested in a few of my recent blogs.
Check them out if you get a chance.
Casey
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