I just finished reading So Sad to Fall in Battle, which was the basis for the film Letters from Iwo Jima. I recommend both book and film. They are very touching stories about individuals experiencing a horrific event told from a perspective we don't often see.
In Japan during World War II, the high command developed the grand strategic plan and general tactics to be used. The soldiers in the field had to figure out how to implement the plan which did not take into consideration the actual conditions they faced. And neither group could talk to each other because of the rigid class structure in Japan at that time. ...
Lieutenant General Kuribayashi Tadamichi, the commander of the defense of Iwo Jima was able to look beyond the way things had always been done. He analyzed how Japanese island defenses had fared and wanted to do better. Using reason and his knowledge of other cultures, he defied the norms and mounted a defense that is etched forever in American military history.
How about us? It's easy to say that the WEA should be doing such and such, just as it is easy to say that the Japanese army and the American marines did certain things. But the real story is that it is individuals who do things. If you read the book, you will see that Kuribayashi did not just do what he was supposed to do. As an individual, he did his best to do what he believed was the right thing to do. What about you? Do you blame the system and wait for "someone" to do something. The real story is about the individuals. It is about each one of us. Doing the best we can. And joining with others, each doing their best, for the power that comes from uniting.
Right now, we in public education are in a struggle for a simple majority for levy elections. There is no organized opposition, only our own inertia. All of us, as educators, need to vote. We also need to encourage other pro-education voters to vote. This is a grassroots campaign using phone banks to get out the vote. As with any struggle, even the battle of Iwo Jima, it is the story of individuals. Individuals are making the calls, and individuals are voting. I sent in my ballot and I joined a phone bank in calling. Now, I am asking you to do the same, for public education, for the students.
Tuesday
Welcome to my Blog!
I have never written for a blog so I hope you enjoy starting this adventure with me. Some of you may have read articles I wrote for newsletters or other periodicals and know that I like to tell stories.
Life is a story and I find it easier to make a point that people can relate to if I tell it as a story. However, life plays by its own rules, so while I will often tell stories, my writing will express how I feel at that moment, story or not.
A while back, I read a short essay which compared two types of people in a community: those who see themselves as taxpayers, and those who see themselves as citizens.
A taxpayer has a narrow focus on himself. "They" are stealing his money (taxes) and wasting it. "They" are always passing laws that take away his rights, and there is nothing "we" can do about it. He withdraws from any involvement in his community. Instead he joins with like-minded to share resentment, paranoia, and despair. In his world, there is no hope and the future will always be worse.
Citizens utilize a different perspective. They have a sense of ownership. This is 'our" country. A citizen works for the common good and contributes resources (taxes) to build a better community and country. She participates in government by voting and contacting elected representatives. She also joins with other community members to share and learn from their diverse ideas. For a citizen there is always hope and the future will always be better. Helping others less fortunate is the right thing to do and will result in a better life for all of us.
This comparison struck me as very similar to the contrast I see between members and dues-payers. When I became a teacher and signed my membership form, I decided to become a member. It takes more work than just paying dues, but it is also more rewarding because I am working to build a better association. Just as when I left engineering to become an educator. It takes more work, but instead of building a power plant, I am building a better world for the next generation through public education.
I hope it is clear that I feel strongly about joining together for the common good. When we work together, the result is greater than the sum of the parts.
Life is a story and I find it easier to make a point that people can relate to if I tell it as a story. However, life plays by its own rules, so while I will often tell stories, my writing will express how I feel at that moment, story or not.
A while back, I read a short essay which compared two types of people in a community: those who see themselves as taxpayers, and those who see themselves as citizens.
A taxpayer has a narrow focus on himself. "They" are stealing his money (taxes) and wasting it. "They" are always passing laws that take away his rights, and there is nothing "we" can do about it. He withdraws from any involvement in his community. Instead he joins with like-minded to share resentment, paranoia, and despair. In his world, there is no hope and the future will always be worse.
Citizens utilize a different perspective. They have a sense of ownership. This is 'our" country. A citizen works for the common good and contributes resources (taxes) to build a better community and country. She participates in government by voting and contacting elected representatives. She also joins with other community members to share and learn from their diverse ideas. For a citizen there is always hope and the future will always be better. Helping others less fortunate is the right thing to do and will result in a better life for all of us.
This comparison struck me as very similar to the contrast I see between members and dues-payers. When I became a teacher and signed my membership form, I decided to become a member. It takes more work than just paying dues, but it is also more rewarding because I am working to build a better association. Just as when I left engineering to become an educator. It takes more work, but instead of building a power plant, I am building a better world for the next generation through public education.
I hope it is clear that I feel strongly about joining together for the common good. When we work together, the result is greater than the sum of the parts.
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