Re: RE: RE: coining phrases

Phillip Allen White (pwhite who-is-at carbon.cudenver.edu)
Wed, 13 May 1998 17:46:39 -0600 (MDT)

On Wed, 13 May 1998, Bill Barowy wrote:

> Phillip,
>
> My take on 'why the tears' doesn't require anything sophisticated. Many of
> us are in education because we care. Like many other professionals with
> great demands, the myth Kathie related shows us our weaker sides, how we
> can falter under the circumstances, despite our best intentions. That is
> worthy of tears.

I have read too Kathie's response where she notes to competitive
connection between mothers and teachers over responsibility for children -
and immediately thought about a conference I attended this morning in
which a mother requested specific educations plans for her child next
school year, because she didn't think that this year's teacher had done a
good enough job. The teacher, also at the meeting, viewed the mother as
not doing a good enough parenting job. They both had different stories to
tell. And after the meeting the teacher had tears - and perhaps the
mother did, but I didn't see.

Yes, Bill, I have certainly faltered. It's painful and worthy of
much tears. Too, how to build a community of support in education to
honor our falterings?

> And of course there are those who would not stay to hear the whole myth,
> who would not waste their time thinking twice about it. That is also
> worthy of tears. Yet I only feel anger and resolution which, I suppose, is
> my conditioned response as a man.

My lack of tears at the myth was because while on the face of it
the story was about a teacher, it was actually a story about a person who
wouldn't recognize a child's need for support until a deficit was
apparent. I have always had difficulty with deficit theory as a driving
force in education and how children are perceived.

A complicated myth.

And I appreciate your refocusing.

phillip