Comments on: On Leaving Teaching to Become a Teacher http://beyond-school.org/2007/12/27/on-leaving-teaching-to-become-a-teacher/ More learning. Less schooliness. Sun, 07 Mar 2010 01:17:15 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: | Lehigh University and Me http://beyond-school.org/2007/12/27/on-leaving-teaching-to-become-a-teacher/comment-page-2/#comment-8373 | Lehigh University and Me Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:17:25 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/2007/12/27/on-leaving-teaching-to-become-a-teacher/#comment-8373 [...] Burell asks when a teacher can just teach: Is there a way to leave the daily farce of gradebooks, attendance [...] [...] Burell asks when a teacher can just teach: Is there a way to leave the daily farce of gradebooks, attendance [...]

]]> By: Prajana http://beyond-school.org/2007/12/27/on-leaving-teaching-to-become-a-teacher/comment-page-2/#comment-7897 Prajana Mon, 04 May 2009 15:27:10 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/2007/12/27/on-leaving-teaching-to-become-a-teacher/#comment-7897 Hello, Yes, close the schools - open the minds. Actually, we need to do less to get more. Not unlike the evangelicals and the fundamentalists, the urgency to do something is . . . contrived. Please email me if you would like to hear about the ideas that will save education, ourselves, and the world. Hello,

Yes, close the schools – open the minds. Actually, we need to do less to get more. Not unlike the evangelicals and the fundamentalists, the urgency to do something is . . . contrived. Please email me if you would like to hear about the ideas that will save education, ourselves, and the world.

]]> By: Bruce http://beyond-school.org/2007/12/27/on-leaving-teaching-to-become-a-teacher/comment-page-2/#comment-7488 Bruce Fri, 06 Feb 2009 15:13:43 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/2007/12/27/on-leaving-teaching-to-become-a-teacher/#comment-7488 Dean's post reminds me that, to borrow the name of this blog, Sudbury is precisely how I 'left teaching to become a teacher.' Instead of having a set curriculum, a rigid schedule, and an arbitrary power structure getting in the way, I can actually teach. Instead of forcing someone else's agenda down kids' throats, I can support them in discovering their own agendas. As a Sudbury staff member, most of my teaching occurs outside classrooms. It's about cultivating relationships and fostering empowerment and responsibility. Left behind are the pointless jumping through hoops and clinging to security blankets of grades and test scores. If you're looking for good Sudbury links, I'd recommend www.sudburyschooling.com, the website of the Center for Advancing Sudbury Education. Also, you should check out the original Sudbury school at www.sudval.org. Dean’s post reminds me that, to borrow the name of this blog, Sudbury is precisely how I ‘left teaching to become a teacher.’

Instead of having a set curriculum, a rigid schedule, and an arbitrary power structure getting in the way, I can actually teach. Instead of forcing someone else’s agenda down kids’ throats, I can support them in discovering their own agendas.

As a Sudbury staff member, most of my teaching occurs outside classrooms. It’s about cultivating relationships and fostering empowerment and responsibility. Left behind are the pointless jumping through hoops and clinging to security blankets of grades and test scores.

If you’re looking for good Sudbury links, I’d recommend http://www.sudburyschooling.com, the website of the Center for Advancing Sudbury Education. Also, you should check out the original Sudbury school at http://www.sudval.org.

]]> By: Dean A. Nash http://beyond-school.org/2007/12/27/on-leaving-teaching-to-become-a-teacher/comment-page-2/#comment-7472 Dean A. Nash Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:50:32 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/2007/12/27/on-leaving-teaching-to-become-a-teacher/#comment-7472 Clay, since you've changed planes (same destination) this isn't for you, but for other late-comers like me. For me, Sudbury is the answer. However, there certainly are other answers. The truth is, we need lots of variety (why not?). And there certainly are many available. The key is to jump. If you don't know Sudbury, Google it. (Don't waste your time following the link that the clown posted above - it is unrelated to Sudbury.) Clay, since you’ve changed planes (same destination) this isn’t for you, but for other late-comers like me.

For me, Sudbury is the answer. However, there certainly are other answers. The truth is, we need lots of variety (why not?). And there certainly are many available. The key is to jump.

If you don’t know Sudbury, Google it. (Don’t waste your time following the link that the clown posted above – it is unrelated to Sudbury.)

]]> By: Education - Change.org: Sunday Rant: On the Evils of "Schooliness" http://beyond-school.org/2007/12/27/on-leaving-teaching-to-become-a-teacher/comment-page-2/#comment-7452 Education - Change.org: Sunday Rant: On the Evils of "Schooliness" Sun, 25 Jan 2009 23:05:22 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/2007/12/27/on-leaving-teaching-to-become-a-teacher/#comment-7452 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] is my motto. It’s one of the reasons I wrote (in a post, “On Leaving Teaching to Become a Teacher,” on my other blog, with around 90 great comments now), I’m not sure how much longer I want to [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%--> [...] is my motto. It’s one of the reasons I wrote (in a post, “On Leaving Teaching to Become a Teacher,” on my other blog, with around 90 great comments now), I’m not sure how much longer I want to [...]

]]> By: Patricia http://beyond-school.org/2007/12/27/on-leaving-teaching-to-become-a-teacher/comment-page-2/#comment-6592 Patricia Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:32:10 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/2007/12/27/on-leaving-teaching-to-become-a-teacher/#comment-6592 This is my fifth year of teaching at the public school level. I have been a teacher for my own children and others since I was able to talk about subjects. I entered college at age 33 (try the symbolism on for size on this one). I am currently starting a Ph.D. in education. I completely agree that our current educational system is simply not working. We are teaching children how not to learn. It is terribly sad. Frankly, this is why I am a teacher. I became so frustrated at what we as a society are not teaching our youth. It is difficult, and yes I go through the whole worry about the calls, but this is one of the reasons that I became a teacher. I welcome the crazy parents and religious groups that decide to give me a hard time. Given enough publicity in any of their non-sense making will only give me more support from the non-crazies. The school where I teach is going to begin a "credit recovery" program next semester. It is totally rediculous, but it will give students a chance to graduate, albeit still ignorant and lacking in critical thinking, but what is that compared to the piece of paper that gives them lisence to work in menial labor jobs (sarcasm intended). My intension is to help create change from inside the apparatus. I have already influenced my department head and the crankiest of our English department. It isn't easy. However, I feel that I have no choice, as of my students do not have an intelligent parent at home. This is my fifth year of teaching at the public school level. I have been a teacher for my own children and others since I was able to talk about subjects. I entered college at age 33 (try the symbolism on for size on this one). I am currently starting a Ph.D. in education. I completely agree that our current educational system is simply not working. We are teaching children how not to learn. It is terribly sad. Frankly, this is why I am a teacher. I became so frustrated at what we as a society are not teaching our youth. It is difficult, and yes I go through the whole worry about the calls, but this is one of the reasons that I became a teacher. I welcome the crazy parents and religious groups that decide to give me a hard time. Given enough publicity in any of their non-sense making will only give me more support from the non-crazies. The school where I teach is going to begin a “credit recovery” program next semester. It is totally rediculous, but it will give students a chance to graduate, albeit still ignorant and lacking in critical thinking, but what is that compared to the piece of paper that gives them lisence to work in menial labor jobs (sarcasm intended). My intension is to help create change from inside the apparatus. I have already influenced my department head and the crankiest of our English department. It isn’t easy. However, I feel that I have no choice, as of my students do not have an intelligent parent at home.

]]> By: Science teacher: July 2008 http://beyond-school.org/2007/12/27/on-leaving-teaching-to-become-a-teacher/comment-page-2/#comment-5853 Science teacher: July 2008 Sun, 05 Oct 2008 14:24:59 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/2007/12/27/on-leaving-teaching-to-become-a-teacher/#comment-5853 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] Yoda inside the scrambled eggs (perhaps yet another pop icon I fail to grasp). Where'd it go? In "On Leaving Teaching to Become a Teacher" Mr. Burrell presents writes a very short post; it elicits a wonderfully cogent discussion, well [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%--> [...] Yoda inside the scrambled eggs (perhaps yet another pop icon I fail to grasp). Where’d it go? In “On Leaving Teaching to Become a Teacher” Mr. Burrell presents writes a very short post; it elicits a wonderfully cogent discussion, well [...]

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