Comments on: Moral High Ground http://www.texasedspectator.com/2006/10/13/moral-high-ground/ Comments on the state of education in Texas Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:53:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Bartelby http://www.texasedspectator.com/2006/10/13/moral-high-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-259 Bartelby Wed, 18 Oct 2006 22:56:09 +0000 http://www.texasedspectator.com/2006/10/13/moral-high-ground/#comment-259 As mentioned in the previous section, "Bartleby" is one of the most complex stories ever written by Melville, and perhaps by any American writer of the period. There is little agreement among critics as to how it should be interpreted. It was extraordinarily ahead of its time, dealing with issues such as the rise of middle-class job dissatisfaction and depression, as well as realizing the future significance of Wall Street to American life. Yet it is also a deeply symbolic work; there are few, if any, real-life Bartlebys, telling their employers they would "prefer not" to do something, yet remaining at that place of business. Sound Familiar? The reason he was not fired immediately is.....? As mentioned in the previous section, “Bartleby” is one of the most complex stories ever written by Melville, and perhaps by any American writer of the period. There is little agreement among critics as to how it should be interpreted. It was extraordinarily ahead of its time, dealing with issues such as the rise of middle-class job dissatisfaction and depression, as well as realizing the future significance of Wall Street to American life. Yet it is also a deeply symbolic work; there are few, if any, real-life Bartlebys, telling their employers they would “prefer not” to do something, yet remaining at that place of business. Sound Familiar? The reason he was not fired immediately is…..?

]]> By: Parent Chaperone http://www.texasedspectator.com/2006/10/13/moral-high-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-258 Parent Chaperone Wed, 18 Oct 2006 22:51:33 +0000 http://www.texasedspectator.com/2006/10/13/moral-high-ground/#comment-258 Time will tell the story. Comments like Bartelby's are unnecessary and frankly disappointing. I hope for all concerned that this passes into yesterday soon. I will move on to other discussion boards where it is about the subject instead of the participants. Time will tell the story. Comments like Bartelby’s are unnecessary and frankly disappointing. I hope for all concerned that this passes into yesterday soon. I will move on to other discussion boards where it is about the subject instead of the participants.

]]> By: Bartelyby http://www.texasedspectator.com/2006/10/13/moral-high-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-257 Bartelyby Wed, 18 Oct 2006 22:31:14 +0000 http://www.texasedspectator.com/2006/10/13/moral-high-ground/#comment-257 "I prefer not to" either. Carry on, You are the best. “I prefer not to” either. Carry on, You are the best.

]]> By: Parent Chaperone http://www.texasedspectator.com/2006/10/13/moral-high-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-256 Parent Chaperone Wed, 18 Oct 2006 22:16:32 +0000 http://www.texasedspectator.com/2006/10/13/moral-high-ground/#comment-256 Concern Parent - I did not dish out anything. I have posed questions for discussion. I can tell you that I don't see it as a mirror image unless yours is a distorted view - like Picasso's. It may be a masterpiece, but not an exact replica. I prefer to not to pursue this discussion with you unless you would like to discuss on points rather than making it personal. Concern Parent – I did not dish out anything. I have posed questions for discussion. I can tell you that I don’t see it as a mirror image unless yours is a distorted view – like Picasso’s. It may be a masterpiece, but not an exact replica. I prefer to not to pursue this discussion with you unless you would like to discuss on points rather than making it personal.

]]> By: Concern parent http://www.texasedspectator.com/2006/10/13/moral-high-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-255 Concern parent Wed, 18 Oct 2006 22:04:11 +0000 http://www.texasedspectator.com/2006/10/13/moral-high-ground/#comment-255 I did not think I was taking the high road. I was not the one correcting spelling errors; it was art teacher who did that. I was only feeding back what you dish out. You know, it's like a mirror image of yourself, the way you see me. ...Something Picasso might have painted. I did not think I was taking the high road. I was not the one correcting spelling errors; it was art teacher who did that. I was only feeding back what you dish out. You know, it’s like a mirror image of yourself, the way you see me. …Something Picasso might have painted.

]]> By: Parent Chaperone http://www.texasedspectator.com/2006/10/13/moral-high-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-254 Parent Chaperone Wed, 18 Oct 2006 18:47:58 +0000 http://www.texasedspectator.com/2006/10/13/moral-high-ground/#comment-254 Just a note - I apologize for any typos like the one in the first line. I can spell teacher. I just don't want the responses to be a continuation of the negative behavior. Just a note – I apologize for any typos like the one in the first line. I can spell teacher. I just don’t want the responses to be a continuation of the negative behavior.

]]> By: Parent Chaperone http://www.texasedspectator.com/2006/10/13/moral-high-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-253 Parent Chaperone Wed, 18 Oct 2006 13:50:28 +0000 http://www.texasedspectator.com/2006/10/13/moral-high-ground/#comment-253 Concern Parent, Why must you belittle me and Art Teacheer? It was turnabout I agree to correct the misspelled word, but could you not take the high road? After all - you began the insulting behavior. I believe that Art Teacher clearly described how to approach teaching the unit in advance of the outing. In my opinion only, a broad understanding of the different periods and the differences might have helped. Perhaps it would have been better to narrow the focus. We were broken up into different groups and no two groups saw the same thing either in pieces or periods. Given this lack of structure, I can see how it would have been difficult to teach but why I ask was it so broad? I saw another post that said that hopefully the mere exposure to such great works of art might inspire kids. I think it can too. However, in order to reach most kids today, you do need to make it applicable. Afterall, our kids today don't understand what it was like to live without digital cameras, computers, etc. All I am saying is that we need to try harder if at all possible. That has been the basis of the discussion regarding performance. I don't know if you will react the same way to my post, but please consider your response prior to posting. I don't wish to continue the negativity. Lastly, you asked about hiring a teacher without a degree in the area in which they teach? It is my understanding that elementary teachers must be skilled in teaching various subject matters. Specialization becomes inherently more focused in the higher grade levels. I don't think that Frisco is unique to this as my aunt is a teacher in elementary in the Fort Worth District and she indicated that this is the case. Concern Parent,
Why must you belittle me and Art Teacheer? It was turnabout I agree to correct the misspelled word, but could you not take the high road? After all – you began the insulting behavior. I believe that Art Teacher clearly described how to approach teaching the unit in advance of the outing. In my opinion only, a broad understanding of the different periods and the differences might have helped. Perhaps it would have been better to narrow the focus. We were broken up into different groups and no two groups saw the same thing either in pieces or periods. Given this lack of structure, I can see how it would have been difficult to teach but why I ask was it so broad?

I saw another post that said that hopefully the mere exposure to such great works of art might inspire kids. I think it can too. However, in order to reach most kids today, you do need to make it applicable. Afterall, our kids today don’t understand what it was like to live without digital cameras, computers, etc. All I am saying is that we need to try harder if at all possible. That has been the basis of the discussion regarding performance. I don’t know if you will react the same way to my post, but please consider your response prior to posting. I don’t wish to continue the negativity.

Lastly, you asked about hiring a teacher without a degree in the area in which they teach? It is my understanding that elementary teachers must be skilled in teaching various subject matters. Specialization becomes inherently more focused in the higher grade levels. I don’t think that Frisco is unique to this as my aunt is a teacher in elementary in the Fort Worth District and she indicated that this is the case.

]]> By: Concern parent http://www.texasedspectator.com/2006/10/13/moral-high-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-267 Concern parent Tue, 17 Oct 2006 23:14:45 +0000 http://www.texasedspectator.com/2006/10/13/moral-high-ground/#comment-267 Wait, Frisco would never hire a teacher without a degree in the area in which they teach? Would they? That has to be wrong. Wait, Frisco would never hire a teacher without a degree in the area in which they teach? Would they? That has to be wrong.

]]> By: Concern parent http://www.texasedspectator.com/2006/10/13/moral-high-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-252 Concern parent Tue, 17 Oct 2006 22:44:10 +0000 http://www.texasedspectator.com/2006/10/13/moral-high-ground/#comment-252 Well, I guess you told me! It does sound good on paper. I would just love to see it in action. Oh, by the way, numbers as low as five should be spelled out, and there should be a comma after "period of time with nothing to do" because it separates two independent clauses;otherwise, it is a run-on which is a more serious error than a misspelled word. Aren't some people ridiculous???? Now we are correcting spelling. You have your work cut out for you. Well, I guess you told me! It does sound good on paper. I would just love to see it in action. Oh, by the way, numbers as low as five should be spelled out, and there should be a comma after “period of time with nothing to do” because it separates two independent clauses;otherwise, it is a run-on which is a more serious error than a misspelled word. Aren’t some people ridiculous???? Now we are correcting spelling. You have your work cut out for you.

]]> By: Art Teacher http://www.texasedspectator.com/2006/10/13/moral-high-ground/comment-page-1/#comment-251 Art Teacher Mon, 16 Oct 2006 04:03:37 +0000 http://www.texasedspectator.com/2006/10/13/moral-high-ground/#comment-251 Dear Concerned Parent, This is in regard to your comment, "Can you specifically tell me how you prepare students in one unit for a one or two hour trip to the art museum which contains artwork that represents artists’ self-expression since the beginning of time? Are you really qualified to evaluate her performance and infer that she is just mediochre? What do you know about art anyway? I bet that art museum is full of artists who might feel you are mediochre." Parent Chaperone may not be an art educator, but I am, and I can give you some information about how to prepare students for a museum trip. A unit usually includes several days of lessons, and it is fairly uncomplicated to write one that addresses student preparation for a museum field trip. It takes some hard work by the teacher, but lesson planning and development is highly stressed during our college years and most of us are pretty good at it by now (or at least we should be). After the teacher researches what artworks will be viewed, etc., he or she can introduce some of those works by showing the students various reproductions of the works and involve them in a class discussion. In fact, this is preferred because we strive to provide students with that "wow factor" when they see art in real life--in addition to reproductions. They should recognize various artworks and be able to talk about them from an aesthetic/critical viewpoint. Another lesson could include museum etiquette, and perhaps another could include a cooperative learning assignment in which students pretend to be curators on a mission to select 5 pieces for a special exhibition. You get the picture. A museum trip should be structured in order for the students to fully benefit. Students will not be exposed to every piece of artwork in the museum obviously because of time constraints, but also due to their developmentally short attention spans. A veteran teacher should be aware of the necessity to plan for delays and other common mishaps. From what I understand, her students sat on a bus for an extended period of time with nothing to do and they got severely restless. This, of course, led to the trip losing its effectiveness almost immediately. I do not believe Ms. McGee has an art degree, and she was not properly trained to teach art. Of course, I could absolutely be wrong. Oh, and, by the way, it's "mediocre," not "mediochre." It doesn't have an "h." Dear Concerned Parent,

This is in regard to your comment, “Can you specifically tell me how you prepare students in one unit for a one or two hour trip to the art museum which contains artwork that represents artists’ self-expression since the beginning of time? Are you really qualified to evaluate her performance and infer that she is just mediochre? What do you know about art anyway? I bet that art museum is full of artists who might feel you are mediochre.”

Parent Chaperone may not be an art educator, but I am, and I can give you some information about how to prepare students for a museum trip.

A unit usually includes several days of lessons, and it is fairly uncomplicated to write one that addresses student preparation for a museum field trip. It takes some hard work by the teacher, but lesson planning and development is highly stressed during our college years and most of us are pretty good at it by now (or at least we should be).

After the teacher researches what artworks will be viewed, etc., he or she can introduce some of those works by showing the students various reproductions of the works and involve them in a class discussion. In fact, this is preferred because we strive to provide students with that “wow factor” when they see art in real life–in addition to reproductions. They should recognize various artworks and be able to talk about them from an aesthetic/critical viewpoint.

Another lesson could include museum etiquette, and perhaps another could include a cooperative learning assignment in which students pretend to be curators on a mission to select 5 pieces for a special exhibition. You get the picture. A museum trip should be structured in order for the students to fully benefit. Students will not be exposed to every piece of artwork in the museum obviously because of time constraints, but also due to their developmentally short attention spans.

A veteran teacher should be aware of the necessity to plan for delays and other common mishaps. From what I understand, her students sat on a bus for an extended period of time with nothing to do and they got severely restless. This, of course, led to the trip losing its effectiveness almost immediately. I do not believe Ms. McGee has an art degree, and she was not properly trained to teach art. Of course, I could absolutely be wrong.

Oh, and, by the way, it’s “mediocre,” not “mediochre.” It doesn’t have an “h.”

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