Knowing What You Don't Know - Ed Thoughts
It's another one of those first-meetings I have a lot recently. I'm sitting in a bar/grill/café/I-don't-know-what-but-don't-care-as-long-as-they-serve-beer-place, across from someone who "works in education," but not really. Everybody "works in education" now, but few people want to actually work in education anymore, and I understand. Teaching is freakin' crazy these days.
The establishment is a local joint with odd, schizophrenic décor. The old 'bones' of the structure--the building itself, and the built-in furnishings--are sloppily updated, and they mix uncomfortably with new things...that are supposed to look older and more established than they are. I try to ignore this as I exchange pleasantries with my charming new friend, who wanted to meet in order to "bridge our differences" regarding ed reform.
I enjoy meetings like this, but I dread them a little, too. I'm no stranger to different points of view, moving in and out of different social worlds as frequently as I do. I enjoy debate, too. But this one has such serious consequences. It's hard, sometimes, dealing with people who approach this so theoretically, when you still dream about your students' faces... and only recently stopped vomiting when forced to deal with the so-called
