Olio

That's a good word for today's post.  Look up it's definition.  It's also the name of the Amherst College yearbook.  Well, it used to be.  Who knows what it is now or if it remains the name when it will be changed?

I say that because "It's Official!"  That's what my e-mail from the college reads.  "Lord Jeffs" was dropped by the doo-gooders (and I mean "doo") because of some perceived slights Lord Jeffery Amherst propagated against the Indians in the French and Indian War.  That there is no direct proof that he did any such thing, that there is only a vague reference in a single letter, that other commanders on both sides (including Indians) were doing worse, etc., well, that doesn't matter when facts get in the way of an agenda.  Regardless, the new mascot (well, not one I will use) is "Mammoths."  Just "Mammoths."  Not of the Wooly kind.  (At least then a new haberdashery could open in town with an ad that reads, "For your winter coat go see Wooly Mammoth or Harry Bison......")  Oh, there's a lengthy rationale, which reads as silly as the name "Mammoth."

Michael had the Tigers' opening day game on when I walked in, well, it was the introduction.  What a circus!  All the home team White Sox were brought in, individually, by convertibles, the cars coming from CF to the dugout.  It sure looked like the White Sox players were embarrassed by all that.  Not me.  I just turned off the boob tube.

Is Michigan a great place!?!?!?  Last Tue or Wed, it was 70+ degrees, sunny at least at times, both days.  I got in on my bike again--it was great!  Sat and Sun, with temps flirting with 60 degrees, I threw BP to Michael and the Codester, without an L-screen, taking my life in my hands.  Whew!  It's rained off and on all day today and rain is forecast for all of tomorrow.  Wed is back to sunny and in the upper 50s or lower 60s.  The last I saw, Thur is called for snow--80-90% all day.  Neither of my weather sites discloses accumulations, but......  And I don't mind any of it.  Besides, the rain and snow will give my rag of an arm time to recuperate.

I'm sure it was quite coincidental, but I had two conversations last week followed by an op-ed in Sun's newspaper regarding the current state of education.  The three instances weren't all the same and even took somewhat different tacks.  But several things were obvious.  Why, did these non-teachers want to know, are teachers always blamed for the poor state of education?  Why aren't administrators and school boards, outside of the big cities, that is?  And as one astute person noted, when administration and governing of the cities' schools have been taken over by the state of Michigan, things have worsened!  In fact, trace the so-called decline of public schools in Michigan.  Go back, go back, go back.  Yep, you found it.  It began when the state began to stick its nose in local control.  Now this is confounding and conflicting for me, because I see how ineffective the state has been over the years, making things far worse.  Yet at the same time, I also see, particularly right now, how poorly our locals are running the schools here.

The op-ed suggested steps for improvement.  Most of them focused on teachers.  A couple did make sense.  But why, again, is the focus always on teachers?  Why not their bosses?  I know I know......I'm beating a dead horse.  Nobody listens, not even former teachers who now sit on the local board.

The op-ed author is a member of the governor's commission to improve education.  I, for one, don't think much of the governor and, in particular, his approach to schools.  I think he has no clue what teaching and learning are all about.  But still I wonder what this op-ed/education commissioner would say to my suggestion that his call for more and improved "student teaching" is hogwash?  First, I think most student teaching is a waste of time.  I know not many will agree with me.  Some teachers will, though.  Second, the colleges of education and the universities themselves in Michigan have created their own windfall, pushing through a full year of student teaching, not merely a semester.  Wow!  Talk about padding one's pocket book.  So, most students coming out of college are already heavily in debt.  Now the colleges are adding another year's worth of bills.  But remember, "It's all about the kids."  Here's my plan, one I've floated before, but usually it receives nothing but raised eyebrows.  (Note, "One Man's Lonely Opinions.")

Get rid of student teaching--gone!  Oh, one or two courses can be required--to teach about classroom management, test and essay creation, laws, etc., generally the administrivia.  Then, instead of student teaching, require a full year, at least, of substitute teaching.  (BTW, get rid of that ridiculous "guest teacher that is now being used.)  There are all sorts of benefits to that.  Hey, I see advertisements all over Southeast Michigan for substitute teachers.  Here you go!  Having some Bozo who's read all the books, but has never actually been in a classroom or, if he has, it was a long time ago, will never be as effective as learning to control a classroom as a substitute.  (C'mon, tell me you don't remember, when you were a student, your eyes lighting up when word got out you were having as sub.)  Make the sub cover all sorts of subjects and grade levels, his/her own area, but others, too, even music, art, business, as well as the required courses.  And don't forget, require substituting in elementary, junior high (I still refuse to say "middle school."), and high schools.  Plus, now instead of fattening the purses of the colleges, students will be earning money--as well as reducing their tuition/loans.  Who says I don't like change??????

Here are some personal anecdotes.  When I did my student teaching, I discovered I had more classroom experience than my college supervisor and some of the college teachers!  Yep.  I had already substituted for a full year, with my own fourth grade class for a semester.  Oh, they knew the book stuff, but in the seminars they ran.....it was obvious they had little or no clue.  I don't know how many times they said stuff that the other student teachers started to gobble up.  I most often kept quiet but sometimes spoke up.  "You know, that's not really how it is."  I had a very good student teaching experience--I enjoyed my classes, had nice students, and was able to engage in school activities, football and basketball.  My supervising teacher let me alone--really left me alone--knowing I had taught before.  But it was very aggravating that now I, in effect, had to pay to teach after I had already been paid to teach.

I wonder if this op-ed guy would respond to my suggestions, positively or negatively?  BTW, I really slopped a lot of this down.  The Codester wants to play catch again and I'm in a hurry to get out there with him before the next sprinkles.  The grand kids come first.  Forgive any and all typos and incoherence.  Maybe I'll edit tomorrow.