Experiment: Synthesize a few different pieces of literature In current systems of accountability and appraisal, teachers are usually the focus. We ensure that standards are clear for teachers, that curriculum is aligned, and that expectations are high. These accountability measures come from state agencies or legislation which assume a sort of “inputs” and “outputs” model.…
Experiment: Analyzing the elephant in the room (This picture is one half of my family. I’ve realized that in my family, of 8 people trained to be teachers, all but 2 are female. My great grandmother and my grandmother were teachers, they were groundbreaking! . . . but why so few men?) Discussion of the…
Experiment: Integrating the messages of a collection of literature. Analyzing the work of teachers is incredibly fascinating work. As a former teacher, I am still intrigued at every story and every quote. I would describe every piece of research about teachers as a “page turner”. What did they say?! What happened next?! I constantly yell…
Eh, it can’t all be technical. Here are my personal thoughts of what I want school to be. I want to work in a school where teachers . . . are the guides for learning, facilitators, and leaders of the community, supported by administration are valued for their specific skills and interests work collaboratively (not…
Experiment: Explaining the part that I do understand. The term “neoliberalism” is very confusing for an American. We tend to use “liberal” as a nickname for those who are socially liberal. In the broader scheme of politics, “neoliberal” is used for the new wave of capitalistic thinking that calls for a liberalized economy with less…
Experiment: Writing about something I don’t believe. . . oh, this is too hard! The case for the privatization of schools is an incredibly complex topic. I’ll summarize these main points: The purpose of government and the protection of freedom Education should be local, truly democratic and imposed by federal government The purpose of education…
Last weekend I attended the conference “A Voice for Education” in Nottingham. This was part of the ESRC Festival of Social Sciences and none of those titles prepared me at all for what to expect! This was the first question of the day, and I did not have a very good answer. The question is,”What…
Experiment: Writing an analysis of a philosophical concept. Even if you are already familiar with the story, you will still enjoy this version: Plato’s Allegory of the Cave is one of those philosophical ideas that seems to apply to everything. There are endless avenues that an analysis of The Cave could go down. For my own…
Experiment: Integrate feminist economics and education Teaching is a highly visible position. As a former teacher, I was a “minor celebrity”. I would be recognized in random shopping malls by people I had never met. Every time I left the house I would see at least one student. The job itself involves presenting to a group…
Emily Winchip 