Yes, We Can - I Admit Defeat

In an aftermath of New Year's Resolutions and an "argument" about can we change, wouldn't it be great if we could make a concession speech like this one? After coming in second in the New Hampshire primaries, does Obama demonstrate how we should admit defeat in the arena of technology in educational practice?

The Wait May Soon Be Over!

I tweeted John Mayer's song, "Waiting on the World to Change" recently in a 140 character conversation about "where are the poets today." Well, John and his friends may not have to wait much longer...and hopefully we in education won't either.

TED released their 2008 topics of conversation. Interesting lineup for the humanist and fundamentalist in all of us.

• Who are we?
• What is our place in the universe?
  
• What is life?
• Is beauty truth?
• Will evil prevail?
• How can we change the world?
• How do we create?
• What's out there?
• What will tomorrow bring?
• What stirs us?
• How dare we be optimistic?
• And the point?
  

Perhaps we can figure out a way to create a way to change education by adapting the information gleaned from the great minds of our world.

@Miguel & Pete - If anyone mentions Diet Leadership here's the plan: Miguel you hit 'em low, Pete can hit 'em in the middle, and I hit 'em high. :-)

Writers Intend: Readers Interpret - Apology Offered

When we write, most of us write with a purpose. Writers intend to say something, but at times can struggle with finding the correct words. [To me, this is one of the restrictions of blogging, and why I prefer face-to-face encounters on important topics.]

For my January 1st blog, I submitted my entry on all the conversations that occur around the beginning of each year. Resolutions are a tradition, I believe, that can have value, but often are left by the wayside when "life happens."

My intent for the entry - With so many people either writing or commenting in edublogosphere about the changes that need to occur, I wanted to make sure that we understand the cost we must bear in when we seek a change. {I am checking my words carefully here} It is easy to say we want change, that we want to be a part of the change, perhaps even be the faces of change, but research supports that over 90% of people hate change. How much do we hate change? So much that Alan Deutschman says it this way in referring to the choice of changing or dying:

What if you were given that choice? [CHANGE OR DIE] For real. What if it weren't just the hyperbolic rhetoric that conflates corporate performance with life and death? Not the overblown exhortations of a rabid boss, or a slick motivational speaker, or a self-dramatizing CEO. We're talking actual life or death now. Your own life or death. What if a well-informed, trusted authority figure said you had to make difficult and enduring changes in the way you think and act? If you didn't, your time would end soon -- a lot sooner than it had to. Could you change when change really mattered? When it mattered most?

Yes, you say?

Try again.

Yes?

You're probably deluding yourself.

You wouldn't change.

Don't believe it? You want odds? Here are the odds, the scientifically studied odds: nine to one. That's nine to one against you. How do you like those odds?

Interpretations - Two people I respect greatly, though I have never met them in person (important point to be built upon later), commented on my post.

Miguel Guhlin commented, "...because I'm overweight, that means that I can't stick to change?"

Mrs. Durff commented, "change is costly to be sure - what else do you want - i have already given my life..."

Again, let me be forthright...these are two of six people from whom I have learned more in the past year than anyone. I have a great amount of respect for their thoughts, practice, and commitment. My intent was not about weight loss, nor is there meant to be an implication that if one cannot lose weight, one is unfit for educational change. That is an erroneous conclusion of the analogy.

The analogy was intended to mean that educational change is much more difficult than any personal resolution, because it systemic, not individual. Be it weight loss, stop smoking, get fit, stay in touch with old friends, read 12 books a year, or any of the 42 Things one might list, individual resolve is easier to accomplish than systemic change because, the only one stopping you in an individual change is you (unless there is a medical, chemical, physical limitation beyond your control). Systemic change can be stopped at an number of points in the change continuum, thus making it more difficult and therefore demands a much higher level of commitment.

My intent was to say educational change is going to require more than most imagine. Who other than Kozol are willing to go on a fast for educational change? Who among us is really willing to die for the cause of American public education?

It won't take that level of commitment, you say. Consider that American public education is associated with the following entities: government, politics, billion-dollar industries, testing agencies, and families. Education concerns itself with: opportunities, economics, equality, career advancement, and other societal issues. Education is big; it is more than the classrooms where most educators find themselves each day.

We might say it won't take the level of commitment mentioned two paragraphs ago, but tell that to the likes of Ghandi or Martin Luther King, Jr. These non-violent protesters both saw their violent days. The final paragraph of Dr. King's final sermon serve as a reminder of the type of commitment we likely need. Dr. King delivered this speech in support of the striking sanitation workers at Mason Temple in Memphis, TN on April 3, 1968 — the day before he was assassinated. Granted, Dr. King was concerned about more than sanitation workers, but they were as important a segment as any other in the movement.

Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

Then, " Early morning, April 4; Shot rings out in the Memphis sky; Free at last, they took your life; They could not take your pride" [U2 - Free at Last]

Using Dr. King's words and relating it to public education change in the US and things I have read recently on other blogs,

Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead.
(True for us wanting educational change)

But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind.
(Hmmm. Is that true for enough of us? Will recently said he is not sure if change will take place in his lifetime - he's my age - I happen to agree. I'm not sure we have been in this long enough, deep enough, grassroots enough, and influential enough to say anyone has reached the mountaintop where there was a clear picture of the change we seek - The statement is not one of despair, it's certainty of change)

Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now.
(When you are willing to die for a cause, then you begin knowing how to live each day.)

I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land.
(Misinterpretation of Separation of Church and State restricts me from commenting on God's providence and guidance in our lives as we seek change. :-) Suffice it to say that the allusion of Moses and Aaron leading the Israelites from Egypt is not lost on me. Can we say with certainty that educational change, the kind we want to see, is coming?)

I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight.
(Can we say this, and mean it? Is anyone of us content with the potential for change in education? We may not be alive when the change happens, can we accept that, and still give our lives to the cause?)

I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man.
(It's an election year. Educators are notorious for blaming elected officials, politicians, and the political process for our ills. Is anyone afraid of who might get elected this year, and what that could mean for public education? Is anyone worried about what could occur in an attempt to restructure or replace NCLB? As a Vietnam Vet friend of mine says, "Things are not so bad that they can't get worse.")

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.
(Again, Separation of Church & State issues prevent me comment :-))

An apology to two people I would like to one day meet and share time with.
First, Miguel - I am 6'2" and 230 lbs. I am out of shape, overweight, and committed to the kids I work with so I can help them prepare to be the best people they can become. I read and follow you because I see this in you. I did not know your concern about your weight, and would never write something here, or anywhere else, that would intentionally hurt you or anyone else. If that occurred, I am sorry.

Second, Mrs. Durff - You are an inspiration to me. I know you have given you life to education. If I offended you in any way, I apologize to you as well.

Will We Really "Do What It Takes?"

This post is motivated by the numerous year-end -- new-year posts about making 2008 a good year. A couple of posts from Will created a good conversations that were related. A portion of my comment to Will's New Year post follows:

I’ve been reading several people lately, reflecting, genuflecting, and peering into the future. “Be The Change” is becoming a common theme. I like it, but I wonder how strong we will stay if being the change truly costs us something…I think I’ll make that my New Year’s post. It’s easy to say we will “do what it takes” before we understand what it’s going to take to get the job done.

People say they want change. Oh, how many times I have heard in meetings, "We have to do what it takes to get the job done." Or, "The only thing that is consistent is change." On a personal level, I accepted a job where I knew no one, left things that were familiar, and moved hours away from my family and my wife's family, based on the answer a group of people gave to the question, "Are you willing to do what it takes to make this work?" They answered, "yes" and 5 months later they dissolved the organization because the clientele was not who they had hoped to "serve."

I learned a valuable lesson that terrible, horrible, rotten, no-good year.

PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY WANT...THEY ONLY KNOW WHAT THEY DO NOT WANT.

I could go on and discuss the role of leadership, but I will concisely say the difference between a leader and everyone else, is they know what they want as well as what they don't want. Further, they know how to get what they want.

There are, as I see it (and I am more than willing to hear the thoughts of others), a few things people who are quick to discuss the need for change do not consider:

1. Change requires sacrifice. Not that people will die, but some people may have to lose their jobs. That may mean principals, superintendents, board members, politicians, and teachers. Some need to lose their jobs. Some may lose jobs without wanting to, others may lose them voluntarily - as a lamb led to slaughter, so to speak.
2. Change requires an acceptance of a certain amount of injury due to "friendly fire." What do I mean? Simply that some of the friends we currently have, who are unwilling to change for whatever reason, can no longer be considered our allies. You know...the teacher who helped you get your job, but still wears out the copy machine with daily handouts of math problems...they will probably not help much in the revolution.
3. Change requires communication/reporting in the traditional mediums. We can blog, wiki, and tweet amongst ourselves, but this will not create the change we blog, tweet, and wiki about. This can create an "underground" resource for those who seek to cause change, but it is not the place that will lead the change. To create change, people will have to adopt the "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore." Unfortunate, most people don't even know they should be mad (see number 6).
   
4. The change needed is revolutionary, not evolutionary. Evolution, for those who have faith in this theory, takes millions of years to see the change. Revolution, for those who accept the coup theory, is rather cataclysmic. Without someone ready to take over after the change, the situation is more unstable than before. How many teachers are really ready for that responsibility? Not just a reader of this and other blogs, but look down your hallways and answer that question. Who will remain? Who will be ready to forge ahead?
5. Change will require a true game-plan. Is there really an organizational plan for a 21st century classroom, school, or system? There are pieces, but politicians will not give up control of the Education System unless they see organization that will allow them some level of authority. They yield too much POWER to give it up. Most politicians are not in politics for the money, they want the power. It is the textbook publishers, testing agencies, and curriculum suppliers who make money (and I'm not naive to think that politicians don't get some kind of "kickback").
6. Change will require the "parents in the middle" to care about their child's future opportunities. Parents of children with special needs have IDEA and other laws to make sure their kids have individualized attention. Parents with children who are considered gifted usually have the time, resources, and clout to make sure their children are given the best opportunities. The parents of the remaining +/- 80% are the ones who have to join the conversation. How will we reach them? Probably not through blogs or school newsletters.
   

It's great that people want to "Be The Change" (ala Ghandi), but they need to truly count the cost of their resolution. With so many people unwilling to be the change in their simple "lose weight" scenario, it is hard for me to believe anyone is really willing to be the change for something as big as national education system.

That does not mean one cannot be the change in their own classroom. It likely has to be done covertly. One of the reasons, a very strong reason, I turned to blogging and networking (such as I do) with the 172 RSS feeds I follow is for the support I needed emotionally to think it is worth my time to try. The mistake I have made over the past three years is to think that those teachers and leaders I cared about, and thought would care enough about students and teaching to move into the 21st century with their practices, were not willing to give up their personal traditions and devotion to the status quo. A mistake I won't soon repeat.

So, to those who seek to "Be The Change" I will be your cheerleader. You will remain on my hero list. If you choose to be the covert, insider who seeks to assist the coup from the inside, I will be your compatriot. What I have learned from the past few years, is that we all have our own battles. When the straight-forward advance does not work, you may try to flank left or right. When that doesn't work, you try something else. What will you try in 2008?

Photo: http://eskar.dk/andreas/wanting_change.JPG