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The author wrote, "I do believe that teachers have the best intentions for their students, and in many cases love them. [...] They truly cared about me, I could

The author wrote, "I do believe that teachers have the best intentions for their students, and in many cases love them. [...] They truly cared about me, I could tell. I feel that this is a cultural phenomenon of seeing children as less than human, as incapable of making good choices for themselves." Please consider citing where he was "assuming his teachers were stupid or mean" — with surrounding context. Perhaps you're latching onto the least charitable interpretation, as commonly happens when people fundamentally critique our work? I teach and manage, and solicit critique in both jobs. (The author seems to point out that both teaching and management devolve into the same thing in our society...) As for being "stupid or mean", I'm quite capable of both, which is a concern when I have institutional power. The most stupid/mean people seem to be least capable of admitting it.

meragrin 12y ago
How does one disrespect another without being stupid, ignorant, or mean?
adam-a 12y ago
The theme of the article is the author believes his teachers did not respect him. I said he therefore must believe them to be stupid or mean, since we all believe he deserved their respect. To sustain the accusation though: > ... the teachers’ own internalized oppression as working class. Teachers are not paid well, which makes them feel bound and powerless, which is communicated to the students ... Here he is implying that teachers are unhappy and take it out on their students. This is a mean trait. > The truth is that at this level of “real world”, math beyond basic arithmetic and estimation is not really useful, so any attempt to make it seem so will be disingenuous. And here he believes his teachers were "disingenuous", which is also a mean trait. He then goes on to say > I believe kids are smart; they will not be fooled so easily. which shows he believes he is more intelligent than his teachers, since they didn't think kids were smart but he knows better. He also includes asides like > they never asked what I did with my time instead of doing homework. (I wonder what they thought?) suggesting he attributes to them a lack of thoughtfulness or critical thinking. I am open to more charitable interpretations, however I think the author is overly critical and not in a very helpful way since his argument is so distanced from the practicalities of teaching. I will admit that I find the article personally a bit sharp, since I have been discovering how difficult teaching is. And of course I have been guilty of being stupid and mean in the past, as everyone has. However I don't think my response was disproportionately hostile.

meragrin 12y ago

How does one disrespect another without being stupid, ignorant, or mean?

adam-a 12y ago

The theme of the article is the author believes his teachers did not respect him. I said he therefore must believe them to be stupid or mean, since we all believe he deserved their respect. To sustain the accusation though: > ... the teachers’ own internalized oppression as working class. Teachers are not paid well, which makes them feel bound and powerless, which is communicated to the students ... Here he is implying that teachers are unhappy and take it out on their students. This is a mean trait. > The truth is that at this level of “real world”, math beyond basic arithmetic and estimation is not really useful, so any attempt to make it seem so will be disingenuous. And here he believes his teachers were "disingenuous", which is also a mean trait. He then goes on to say > I believe kids are smart; they will not be fooled so easily. which shows he believes he is more intelligent than his teachers, since they didn't think kids were smart but he knows better. He also includes asides like > they never asked what I did with my time instead of doing homework. (I wonder what they thought?) suggesting he attributes to them a lack of thoughtfulness or critical thinking. I am open to more charitable interpretations, however I think the author is overly critical and not in a very helpful way since his argument is so distanced from the practicalities of teaching. I will admit that I find the article personally a bit sharp, since I have been discovering how difficult teaching is. And of course I have been guilty of being stupid and mean in the past, as everyone has. However I don't think my response was disproportionately hostile.