Peg With a Pen: A Quick Guide to Resisting from Within for Educators
It is
surreal. It is so strange to watch the world crumbling down around you with
such harshness and such coldness, while inside the walls of the school we
continue to carry on, care for the children and fight to give them what every
child deserves. As teachers, we fight to support one another - as
human beings and as professionals. We fight to keep it together as we watch the
corporate snakes slither in through the cracks and the crevices in our
building. We shudder and hold the children close to us when others
open the door wide and let the corporate snakes glide across the floor and make
our building their own.
Yet, we
must carry on because the children are always watching.
Have you
ever had a bad day – a day in which you wanted to cry, or scream, or throw
things; yet, you refrained from doing so because the children were watching.
That is how it is every day for teachers who know the big picture - within the
public schools. Every day we are protecting the children as best we can,
without sharing - through our actions, our words, our teaching, our emotions -
the horrors of the destruction making its way into our schools. Based on the
ages of the children, this looks different - as some things are appropriate to
share with older children. However, it can be like a dysfunctional
relationship of the worst kind – in which you must continually find ways to
resist and find ways to protect while keeping the snakes at bay – knowing that
they will continue to search for ways to manipulate you and the system – in
order to get what they want. And that is how it works – they often get what
they want because of the mandates in place in our public schools. And in the
process, you get harmed, the children get harmed, and much of it is never
discussed due to fear, due to retribution, due to fear of what could happen –
the unknown.
The unknown
keeps many from taking risks. Many believe they have no choices. And so, it
only gets worse as the snakes multiply. More children lose their
childhoods. More children view themselves as failures. More children will be
trained to obey and comply as they are groomed to be worker bees in a world
which is being reshaped to benefit only the .01%. More children head down the
school to prison pipeline.
Now that I
have attempted to describe it, I want to share how I resist it. I began to make
a list some time ago to document the many ways I work to resist the corporate
snakes who slither around my feet and try to strangle the love of learning out
of my school, leaving my children to starve in a world of tests, test prep and
coldness - corporate reform is cold, very cold. The following is simply a quick
guide to resisting from within. Because when you know what it feels like –
which is very different than just hearing about – you have two choices, give up
in some shape or form or find ways to resist. It’s very simple. You have to
make a choice.
Here’s my
list. Feel free to add to it. There is much more I am sure, and as
teachers we are moving so fast all day, we often don’t take stock, or give
ourselves credit, for all that we do to wake up the world and reclaim authentic
learning and teaching for our public schools and our children.
1. Look
at where you came from. What is your story? Recognize and use your
strengths.
I am a
small town girl from Missouri. My father was a political reporter. My mother
was a music teacher. My oldest sister has special needs. I grew up knowing what
it was like to be viewed as different. I grew up knowing what it was like to be
shunned. I also grew up knowing that the truth speaks. Missouri is, after all,
the Show Me State. I grew up watching my mother teach and stay before, after
school, for choir practice, performances and more. I watched her spend her own
money to become Orff certified. She is the best music teacher I have ever seen
and she received little respect for it. My father is a brilliant
writer and served as press secretaries for political candidates, wrote speeches
for senators, worked for newspapers, wire services, and more. He played the
game of politics which is addictive, full of gambles, full of ego and full of
the unknown. We experienced many hardships as a family, as jobs were lost due
to political candidates losing, due to one particular candidate dying in
a helicopter crash, due to cuts in UPI when the office was shut down in our
little Missouri town, and more. We lost many gambles. I grew up
knowing that stability was a gift and that you needed to look around you and
know the big picture and know yourself, because the view right in front of you
may change tomorrow and you must know where to turn within and outside yourself
when it does. I learned that listening and watching is key to knowing the big
picture.This is who I am. I learned that education was important. I learned
that writing could change the world. I learned that humanity can be kind and
also very cruel. I learned that I had a voice and I had to use it. These are my
strengths.
2. Open the
door.
I know the
teachers reading this have been told again and again to shut the door and do
what is right for children. I beg of you, begin to open the door. Open it and
let the light burst into the hallways. Let them hear your children laughing,
singing, learning and engaging in what is real and true. When the children are
not allowed to do so, open the door and let the world see this as well - let
them see what corporate education looks like. Invite the parents to come in and
help. Let them see the truths – good and bad – the parents will watch, listen
and many will act to ferociously protect the children from the dangers that
lurk in our buildings.
3. Be
humble.
It is never
good to allow ego to lead the way. Activism can have an ego. Avoid
it; it will get you no where and it may lead you down the wrong path. Enough
said.
4. Choose
your words carefully.
This one is
essential – absolutely essential. We must not use words that confirm or give
credit to the corporate education movement. Remember what you know. Look up the
words and question what you hear. Words such as rigor, compliant, defiant,
punitive have no place in a public school. When you hear others say
these words, gently rephrase them when you respond – this will give you great
pleasure as you will begin to see a cultural shift. If you continue
to do this, over time reality will change as language does indeed shape our
world. Choose your words carefully in writing as well; make sure
these corporate words do not become the language used inside your students’
homes.
5. Read.
We must
read and educate ourselves. Always. And we must read from sources that are
credible, sources who are in the trenches - sources who are not profiting off
of public education and our children. There are many books and blogs to read –
a few to start with include,www.dianeravitch.net, www.publicschoolshakedown.org , www.atthechalkface.com, theBATS and of
course our own site www.unitedoptout.com .
Form a book club if you like. Get the Reign of Error by Diane Ravitch immediately.
6. Align
yourself with like-minded folks.
They can be
hard to find. However, if you begin to get involved online via Twitter,
Facebook and the various sites I listed above, you will begin to find them.
Perhaps these friends will not be next door; but this will not matter, you will
find that friends far away can offer you support and love even when they are
not there.
7. If
you have children, refuse the test for them. If possible, share opt out/refusal
information with other parents.
As
teachers, we must not allow our children to take these tests. We must be a
model for others around us. I am happy to help anyone with this
strategy. Do not allow your own children to labor for the corporations. Share
opt out/refusal information with other parents if you can; there are ways to do
this without your name being attached to it - find a parent to help you.
8. Look
at your day and the Conditions for Learning.
Are you
meeting the conditions - for you? For your children? I use it as my barometer.
I ask myself daily as I work with children...Will this engage them and further
the purpose their lives?
9. Create
portfolio assessments for your students whether or not it is required.
Children
deserve to SEE their growth as it actually occurs over time. Parents deserve to
know the strengths, attempts and next steps of their children by viewing
authentic student work. Teachers have the right to assess their students in a
way that is authentic and supportive in planning for instruction. Do not allow
mainstream media to continue to create mass amnesia! I am continually asked,
“Without the tests, how will we know if students have learned?” TEACHERS KNOW
HOW TO ASSESS. Don’t let them forget (while banging a pan upside their head).
Here is a letter for parents who might wish to advocate for
portfolio assessment - unbeknownst to you of course - in your school.
10. Advocate
for yourself.
I learned
this long ago. If you do not advocate for yourself expect to be trampled on.
There is always someone available to trample on you, take advantage of you, and
bully you. Learn how to advocate for yourself. I know this can be hard, which
is why I love the quote, “Speak the truth even if your voice shakes.” Reach
out to other activists to support you in this process.
11. Respect
colleagues and do not gossip.
Teachers
are already bashed enough without us adding to it. Respect them.
Support them and listen to them. Collaborate and have patience. We each have
our strengths and we each have our burdens to bear – these are not easy times.
Together we are stronger.
12. Get
involved in your union and join if you haven’t.
We must
occupy our unions. We are the union. We must reclaim our union and we must not
stand by when we see them taking actions which harm our schools, our children
and our profession. Find a way to get involved. Read The Future of Our Schools by Lois Weiner.
13. Analyze
actions, not heart.
We cannot
get inside the heads of those who are currently hell bent on enforcing mandates
and creating avenues to profit off of our children while destroying the public
schools and ultimately our democracy. I, myself, find it difficult to do this
one. As a teacher, I spend many a day getting to know students so that I can
best determine how to support them – it is my nature – I want to see their
heart…their passions. However, this is different, I cannot get inside the head
of Obama, or Duncan, or Weingarten, or Roekel or Gates. I can simply analyze
their actions and determine my next step based on what I see. Do not waste time
trying to see what is in their hearts – spend your time analyzing their actions
so that you can see patterns and red flags that will allow us to strategize and
win this fight.
14. Be
okay with disequilibrium and take risks.
If you grew
in a world of disequilibrium, this will not be hard to do. This is one of those
examples of utilizing your strengths – this may be a strength for you. If you
did not get raised in such an environment, disequilibrium can be difficult.
When you feel it, recognize that feeling and look around and see what is
happening – are you still alive? Are you breathing ? Of course you are :). Own
that feeling and know that disequilibrium is often accompanied by the ability
to take risks. Some risks will be successful, others will not – and
being okay with that is essential to moving forward. We must be okay with the
unknown at times and trust that the risks we take will allow us to grow and
learn from the experiences we have. Love your routines, but also love stepping
outside of them to ask …what if?
15. Reflect
and ask questions.
Do not
assume anything is the truth unless you have had it verified via research or
via someone you would trust your life with – I cannot stress this one enough.
Perhaps it sounds harsh, but my radar is always on and I do not blindly trust –
ever. We have already lost too much by trusting.
16. Use
your own creativity to support your work as you resist from within.
I watch
some activists share their truth via statistics. Others share the truth via
words. Others sing, rap, dance, write poetry, and make jokes. Some paint.
Others create comics. Use your own creative strengths to resist from within.
Sometimes I just watch and smile at all these amazing activists whose passions
are felt and seen so clearly in the way they express themselves. Remember, we
do have heart, and people can see it and feel it – and THIS spurs action.
17. Use
your teacher knowledge to deconstruct the madness of corporate education
reform.
For
example, here I use the Conditions for Learning to let Obama know
how ridiculous and harmful RTTT is. What do you know? How can you use it to
debunk the corporate ed. reformers who know nothing about teaching and
learning?
18. Ignore
the mandates around you however you can.
This is
different for everyone so I cannot advise. I know what works for me. Find out
what works for you – there are ways to ignore and refuse to participate in
common core, test prep and more. I simply ask myself, at the end of day, did I
listen to my students? Did I help engage learners and did they see how their
learning will further the purpose of their lives? If I didn’t do that,
something has to change. Make changes however you can and do not berate
yourself because it wasn’t good enough – or you think you should have done more
– you will always wish you could do more. Try again tomorrow. Nothing is
forever. Change is always possible.
19. Use
social media.
It’s a
must. It’s how we have organized thus far. It allows us to reach each other no
matter the distance, no matter the schedules of each individual. Tweet it.
Facebook it Email it. Youtube it. Vine it. Blog it. Vlog it. Pick
the tool that works for you and do it. Get the information out there.
20. Listen
to the children.
Your
students must be heard. The corporate reformers do not listen to them. The
mandates ignore their needs. They must be heard. Get to know them. Listen to
them and you will find many many ways to resist from within by listening to
their passions, their fears, their strengths, their desires and their
knowledge. Observe. Listen. And use this knowledge to empower them as learners
and as citizens of our democracy.
21. Be
kind to yourself.
I know
there are many out there who tell you that you should quit and leave the
profession rather than stay and be a part of a system that harms children.
However, I say, be kind to yourself, and know that your resistance from within
protects children and gives them more authentic learning experiences than any
teacher as technician ever could. Your resistance from within helps
adults see the need for urgent change – your resistance from within may well
indeed be the catalyst to create an uprising to reclaim what is rightfully
ours. Just know that no one is going to do it for us. Just know,
that if you do leave they/corp. ed. reformers will applaud you as you walk out
the door and will replace you with a teacher as technician who knows nothing
about how to support the beautiful children in your building – children who
deserve everything the children of the .01% are getting. So, be kind to
yourself, stay if at all possible, and know that you are creating change. Know
that others, such as myself, are always there in spirit holding your hand.
22. Share.
Share your
knowledge as an activist and as a teacher. Do not keep your best kept projects
a secret. Do not compete with your colleagues – share. Share this document. Add
your own tips for resisting. Collaborate. Together we are stronger.
Solidarity,
Peg
