tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19457872.post5282562920529138695..comments2024-03-26T23:57:42.268-04:00Comments on SpeEdChange: Mythic America v. What Our Students Needirasocolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01412837280249622430noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19457872.post-37708592498491708062009-12-04T14:27:45.206-05:002009-12-04T14:27:45.206-05:00Hack! Hack away at the idols of mythic individuali...Hack! Hack away at the idols of mythic individualism! :-)<br /><br />From a disability standpoint, people (including myself) tell me I don't try hard enough. As if I could just *try harder.*<br /><br />And that's the paradox it grows out of: You're not worthy of belonging because you're not enough of an individual.HomerTheBravehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18261248973011130957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19457872.post-86434680369443882752009-12-03T21:35:10.367-05:002009-12-03T21:35:10.367-05:00@ Ira
I learn so much from your posts.@ Ira<br />I learn so much from your posts.Charlie Royhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09335346223868916197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19457872.post-16542632903292052212009-12-02T21:51:03.343-05:002009-12-02T21:51:03.343-05:00As I said earlier, I really liked this post.
I...As I said earlier, I really liked this post.<br /><br />I'm currently teaching the Iliad to my students in ancient history class, and my students are definitely struggling. But I loaded the text of the epic into a wiki, and they're leaving comments on the discussion pages.Andrew B. Watthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08648607752310525039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19457872.post-36409377934982119182009-12-02T09:22:05.055-05:002009-12-02T09:22:05.055-05:00Ira, I learn so much from you! Thanksgiving Day ha...Ira, I learn so much from you! Thanksgiving Day has past, but please accept my thanks today for your continual efforts to educate and challenge your readers.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04678296407435168114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19457872.post-14244229289906238122009-12-02T05:55:35.047-05:002009-12-02T05:55:35.047-05:00This is lovely and compelling... I hope to respond...This is lovely and compelling... I hope to respond more, later, but I have school to prep for today. :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19457872.post-6635370657369575842009-12-02T00:35:48.916-05:002009-12-02T00:35:48.916-05:00Students will work together if one allows them to....Students will work together if one allows them to. Students will find ways to share and enrich each others' lives if allowed. Like participants supported by a crowd at a rock concert, we all succeed when everyone works together. Somehow, we have forgotten that.Carlhttp://weemooseus.edublogs.org/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19457872.post-16680578659847178082009-12-02T00:00:17.829-05:002009-12-02T00:00:17.829-05:00Going for a drive has always been one of my favori...Going for a drive has always been one of my favorite ways to think; high prairies are especially good.<br /><br />The myth of the NCLB is one of the most un-American of notions that has ever been floated. I don't think it would have been possible without 9/11. There just wasn't enough courage around in the first part of this decade to look at the myth seriously. It has never made sense from any perspective except as a way to dismantle public education.<br />When I heard today that my practicum students were actually debating the issue in their intro to ed class I was shocked, but I guess it's a way to get the undergrads to actually read the stupid thing. NCLB is like the Reconstruction of the South. I suppose you could say it's paybacks by the South to the Northern Union (as in teacher unions)cities.Dan McGuirehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17165245665212961209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19457872.post-68234474302103080122009-12-01T23:55:01.924-05:002009-12-01T23:55:01.924-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Dan McGuirehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17165245665212961209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19457872.post-63687635919564935682009-12-01T23:54:13.534-05:002009-12-01T23:54:13.534-05:00Nice post--First post I have read and I look forwa...Nice post--First post I have read and I look forward to more. I, too, wonder about the ingrained habit of self. Like you, I think some of these idea-relics are borne at the very heart of American history. I am not sure we can completely counter the culture that is so ingrained (and easy to fall back upon in the classroom).Bonitadeenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19457872.post-47784968977838949772009-12-01T23:06:01.803-05:002009-12-01T23:06:01.803-05:00Thank you for composing this thoughtful and compel...Thank you for composing this thoughtful and compelling post.<br /><br />I would also argue that American individualism in its worst form has led us down the path of deep economic trouble in which we now find ourselves. There are many culprits in the collapse of the housing market and the subsequent near collapse and collapse of US financial institutions. But I don't think any of us could argue against the idea that greed was at work. And in my mind, greed is a function of individualism run amok, a lack of a sense of a collective good. It's so interesting to me that in the aftermath of what feels like the greedy acts of individuals, it is the collective - our federal government, our tax dollars - that is asked to conduct the rescue. In fact, is the only actor that has the wherewithal to undertake the effort.Paul Ohhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02054696271735912420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19457872.post-2352380097035602602009-12-01T22:45:01.947-05:002009-12-01T22:45:01.947-05:00Bill,
I so struggle with this. It seems so basic ...Bill,<br /><br />I so struggle with this. It seems so basic to humanity that it should be very hard indeed to "train out," yet, like you, I see the same thing - an inability to flex or respond to adversity, even difficulty, even surprise. <br /><br />And we think our K-12 schools aren't effective...<br /><br />Ira<br /><br />Please readers, any answers out there?irasocolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01412837280249622430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19457872.post-80684825356754850852009-12-01T22:33:06.182-05:002009-12-01T22:33:06.182-05:00Aren't the qualities you describe such as adap...Aren't the qualities you describe such as adaptability and flexibility natural human qualities? Isn't this what has made our species what it is today?<br /><br />How much damage are schools really doing when they don't recognize, cultivate and honor these qualities? I ask this because I sometimes encounter young adults in my college courses who seem unable to cope with adversity- to them, any speed bump in the road can seem insurmountable. I have to wonder, even with all of the poor preparation they have had until this point in their lives, won't that human spirit eventually kick in once the reality of life stares them in the face? Or will they travel through life perpetually handicapped and helpless?Bill Genereuxhttp://billgx.edublogs.orgnoreply@blogger.com