Feb. 23rd's class reflection

I was struggling with how models dehumanized people involved, but I understand completely. In fact, it reminds me of my first year in Mexico and the dehumanization that I experienced. My administrator thought that all teaching staff should be able to plan their weeks to the point that if she walked into a classroom at any given time, she should know what was going on. She made all of us write lesson plans for the whole week. This meant 40 lesson plans to her on Monday morning. Being in Mexico,the last thing I wanted to do on the weekend was write 40 lesson plans. Secondly, half the time, or more than half the time, when she walked into my class with her clipboard, I wasn't doing what it said because things had shifted off course by the end of the week. The funny part is that one of my colleagues caught on to the fact that this was just a hoop jump for us and nobody was reading them. Part of this exercise was to share with our colleages the lesson plans for various subjects and levels. The teaching staff wasnt' reading anybody elses lesson plans but either were the administrators. My colleague wrote nursery rhymes, poems and one line jokes on 40 pages and handed them in for about 3 months. Not a single person said anything to her. She finally went to the administrator and told them that the exercise of writing 40 lesson plans was ridiculuous and a waste of trees. The exercise was soon dropped. Now I understand what you meant by dehumanizing because I think that is what I experienced. However, at this moment, if an administrator saw my day book, it would probably look like I was very disorganized, but in my head it is crystal clear.

Secondly, I think that you can still work around a model and use the affective domain. Within the context of a model there is still some degree of personal style and freedom. I think teachers can adjust their lessons accordingly. Many of us can think on our feet.

In regard to art, I have already made my comments on this. I think it is very difficult to assess subjects like art, phys.ed, music, etc. because they are very skill based and if you don't have the aptitude, it doesn't mean you didn't get anything out of the class. Also, like I said in class, in terms of appreciation, is it better for students to know the messages and meanings behind pieces of art, music, etc. or should it be a self-inquiry thing for them? I get a very different take on pieces of art than my husband, but it doesn't mean I don't like it or appreciate it.