What's going on here?

An obstinate personality – not an agile thinker - but stuck in the self made steel loop of infallibility.

New ideas don’t move him.

Out to protect his position – even if it’s a dead end.

Won’t converge his thinking with ideas of others

Blinded & Self absorbed. Can’t see that it’s going nowhere – can’t see its impact on others - on himself.

Misinterprets the impact of his reasoning on others. Out to impress, but doesn’t because of the intractability, the predicability of the loop.

Confuses position on the food chain with being right.

Stubbornness is not a virtue

Where are prudence, self restraint, courage, justice,

humility, kindness, self-restraint, patience, charity, thoroughness

faith, hope, charity, courage, justice, temperance, prudence, love?

Invest in Potential

Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry Ice cream fame has put out a video sponsored by TRUE MAJORITY.org It spotlights the Common Sense Budget Act HR1702 "to reallocate funds toward sensible priorities such as improving children's education, increased children's access to health care, expanded job training, and increased energy efficiency and conservation through the reduction of wasteful defense spending..." It argues that in the 2008 Fed budget, education amounts to only 8% of what the Feds spend on defense--and that defense spending is so overdone, so mismanaged, so out of touch to the present day needs that it is like throwing money to the wind. Meanwhile, the American social infrastructure is falling apart, children are coming to school less ready, and people are struggling to keep their heads above water.

What could possibly have more impact on America's short and long term future than a strong, national education policy? Why do we invest our time and treasure in fear mongers who claim we have to have nuclear & defense capacity many, many times higher than any single other country, friend or foe? Why do the politicians have us believing that we can justify 400 billion or more for every little defense initiative, but not even 40 billion for federal education programs? How can we justify the paranoid spending on weapons - despite the fact that the more we have, the more likely evil-doers will get them. All the king's horses and all the king's men will not stop one lunatic with a dirty bomb in his backpack. How have we reached the point where the comparatively minimal cost for healthy infrastructure necessary for the future of our children is too much? And how can we justify the maniacal pursuit of more foreign & domestic oil when we know that it is just delaying what must part of our future.: energy independence and self reliance.

Global challenges like poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, disease, disaster are not going to be minimized by weapons programs like "StarWars" or wars for "Iraqi Freedom". Education directed at eliminating these blights is the solution. It's expensive, but not as expensive as ignorance and fear.

There's a disconnect between believing that solutions to these problems are possible and the willingness to pay for them. It is the policy of hope to concentrate our massive and diverse resources on the potential of American children - of all children- and to stare down the fear mongers. It's an illusion to think that we're ever going to be safer by believing in the merchants of death and destruction.

If education is so powerful, why do educators feel so powerless? If the solution is a matter of analyzing the big picture, why do we take one small piece of the puzzle --like test results -and respond with threats, insults, more demands and even less money. Do people not have patience for a systemic analysis of the problem and a solution that includes serious study and adequate funding. We're talking about the future of our children after all.

There are problems in education. Problem solving involves serious study by a cross section of the informed citizens to develop policies & procedures that can overcome the flaws in the system. The only problem solving evident these days is reactionary, self-defeating, and political - more and more budget cuts that results in the elimination of the very policies and procedures that help us rise above the problems we have in education.

If we chip away at the cornerstones of good educational practices, how can we keep building?

Dee

I've been thinking about who I admire -and why. I hope that I don't admire people because I perceive them as having my own best qualities. That amounts to looking for reasons to be more pleased with yourself. If I'm going to spend time on self analysis, I'd rather it be about improving who I am.

Sometimes, I catch myself wasting time on bitter and angry daydreaming - baggage that I'm obviously carrying to my detriment. In the movie "Casa Blanca" when that slimy character played by Peter Lorre asks Bogart's character Rick "You despise me don't you?" Rick replies "I suppose I would if I gave it any thought." That comeback is great, not only because it succinctly gives the other person an insulting perspective of how he fits into Rick's life--but also because the Lorre character is not worth the energy it would take for Rick to hate him. I waste energy on hate, revenge, nursing hurt feelings, and mentally replaying and reconstructing different scenarios after the event. What a dead end!

I heard an interview on NPR about how recent Lincoln biographers who -through data mining - are reshaping his legacy so that Lincoln takes on their own qualities. For instance, a gay author posits that Lincoln was gay because of all the traveling and sleeping he did with other men. Another author with a history of depression, found extensive evidence which he believes proves that Lincoln was seriously depressed. It makes for interesting reading, but I can't help but think that these authors are content to compare themselves to greatness rather than objectively analyze the qualities that define greatness.

An author who I think did an excellent study of Lincoln is Doris Kearns Goodwin and her book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. What compliment of components makes a person great? How much of that is a consequence of events (good and bad) that happen in a lifetime? Does a moral or emotional foundation have to be in place before any greatness is possible? What's nature and what's nurture? Can we model great people and become great ourselves? I think chance determines the components that we end up with in life - like balls falling into the slots because of the spinning of a roulette wheel. What we do to make those components compliment each other is where we have some control.

A great person can be anyone --but not anyone can be great.

Dee works the land and sells the fruits of her labor at a road side stand- berries, vegetables, bake goods, jams. She's a round, little woman - dirt encrusted hands. She's efficient- moves quickly and purposefully to restock and wait on customers. She's interested in people. I find myself smiling at her as she waits on people and wondering where she gets all the stuff she sells in her garage. Dee is hard working, unpretentious and proud of who she is and what she sells. The surroundings indicate that there is not a lot of money in the family, but she appears to be happy with her life. So I wonder. What admirable qualities do I see in her that are a part of me --and which are not a part of me. Also....did I start admiring her after I knew that she was pleased and proud that Steve - my husband and her attorney - was coming on a regular basis to buy fruits and vegetables from her. Does her obvious admiration of him taint my impression of her qualities?

Back to work

I've had July off from work - and since it's the end of July, I'll be going back soon. It's a good job by almost every standard. I like the people I work for and with. My office is nice, pay is good, I feel valued, I'm pretty high on the food chain, and I'm in a position to direct my my day so that it's interesting and fun. So why is my resume ready. Well there's overload - too much in too little time - there's weariness with State mandates from politicians who are clueless about the realities of education - there's convoluted attitudes, beliefs & assumptions about what education can and can not accomplish - and worst of all, there's can't wait to go home and there's wondering what else is out there.

I've worked in Education all my life. My job has certainly has changed over the past 25 years - and so have the students we serve. But Education hasn't really changed - still the old agrarian model with summers off, still the sacred cows (don't mess with the sports schedule, don't mess with "neighborhood schools") ; still the "educators are paid too much" moaning, still the philosophy of do more with less, still the dumping ground where all social problems must be solved. So, the computers are ancient, the roofs are leaking and the class sizes are going up, and good teachers (young and old) are leaving the profession in droves. At the same time, the expectations are out of sight. Without a partnership model, schools are responsible for translating content benchmarks into life lessons for all students, no matter the social, economic or biological baggage he or she may bring to the school. - a sows ear into a silk purse - no exceptions so get busy. And of course, if those scores on the ever changing tests don't rise, the politicians need only point fingers toward the smucks at the local level.

Alfie Kohn is one of my favorite writers. (http://www.alfiekohn.org/index.html) He once wrote me that if your tired of dancing to their tune, start making some music of your own. I don't know how to do that without getting smacked down with the attitudes, beliefs, & assumptions part.

So, I'll keep going to work - and doing my best, but my resume is out there. I can contribute A LOT- but I don't think I can do it in education. I'm not worn out, just spinning my wheels. There's got to be more.

Education & systems thinking

Been reading Obama's book The Audacity of Hope. Quite impressive philosophy on education, considering that he's not worked in education. He writes that it doesn't much matter how much money we put into education if the kids don't come to school willing to work hard and delay gratification. That means that someone at home has to influence the kids about why education, or lack thereof, can seriously impact quality of life. They do that by show & tell - and most of all follow-thru.

Schools can do better. But even if everything about the schools is outstanding, there still has to be a compliment of components in place to affect a child's future in a positive way. Her natural ability, the teachers, the parents, the resources, the attitudes, beliefs & assumptions about public education. Think of the possibilities if all of these components were in place!! Think of the constant battle necessary to get there and stay there.

I am interested in the change process. It's been my observation that people don't change and that most change we see is only a veneer. The real change comes when we dig out those attitudes, beliefs and assumptions - those unconscious mental models formed long ago of how the world works - bring them to the forefront of consciousness, see how self defeating they are, and then challenge them. When the damage they cause and the legacy they leave are exposed to the light of day, we may see real change.

Unexpected image

I'm the photographer and also can be seen in this photo 3 times - I'm the stick figure taking the photo on the rear center and a little higher on the left and right. Anyone want to guess what this is?? Never mind. It's the famous bean in Chicago Millennium Park- "Cloud Gate" designed by Anish Kapoor, and created by the City of Chicago Millennium Park Project team.

Both my kids live in Chicago. I like to visit - especially now that I have a sweet granddaughter to hold. But the kids can only take so much of me, so there's time to roam around downtown, take pictures and watch people.

People watching is one of my favorite pastimes-- goes with photography. I like to sit at an outdoor cafe with my coffee and flit from face to face until I find someone I want to light upon. There are alot of beggars in downtown Chicago. Inevitably, they greet me as I walk by their corner or stoop. Just a "good morning" with a shake of the cup. I always turned away, uncomfortable because I fear that they would gain an advantage if I looked at them --if I let my guard down. But that's not true. By not looking at them, I'm denying their humanity - and I'm not going to do that anymore.

Glenn stands in front of a Starbucks on MI avenue with his quiet smile. He hails all who pass by with a greeting. There's an outdoor seating area in front of his Starbucks, so it's easy to sit, sip coffee, and observe those who must pass him by. Some mumble something to his greeting but look down, maybe give him a few coins. Most people just pretend that he's not there. Somehow, he maintains his dignity. Just goes to show it's not someone else who gives you your dignity.

Every one of us seems to have an innate ability to sense an advantage when it comes her way. Hell, my cat can do that. That doesn't mean that her motives are sinister. It's about survival.

Somebody said that we'll be judged on how we treat the least fortunate among us.
I think we're in trouble.

Victoria Island

I was on Victoria Island a few years back. It's a beautiful walkers' paradise. Everywhere I walked, there were benches placed in scenic spots just calling to you to sit a spell and take in the glorious view. They were pretty comfortable -made of some recyclable materials, had back rests, arm rests, long enough to lie down, but not stretch out. Each bench had a dedication in the form of a little plaque in the top/center of the back rest. I wondered then how I could get a bench dedicated to me and if I'd be able to choose where that bench would be placed. Maybe high on the bluff, overlooking the ocean, so when someone sat down they could think of me dedicating this bench so they could sit down and watch the seals play in the ocean below.

There's probably a waiting list for bench dedications. I'm sure it's not free. You probably have to be important - or know somebody who is important. I bet you have to be Canadian. You might even have to be dead. And after going through all of that hassle to get a bench, who decides where your bench goes? I don't really want a bench on a highway next to the trash bin or in a rest stop near the bathroom door. But, Canadians are pretty thoughtful. There are probably standards for bench placement. Even so, I wouldn't want that thankless job.