While observing the irrational attacks on teachers, and the attempts at revoking of teachers' bargaining and employment protections in several states I have found myself giving some input to our state senator. It has been like talking to the proverbial brick wall. And even though the overwhelming onslaught of public opinion and testimony at hearings has been against the laws which have passed our senate, our legislative conservatives just march on and ignore all the public input--except that of the corporations which financed their past election campaigns.
It is evidence to me that teachers' unions never did have any power. I once joined a statewide protest to budget cuts. Thousands of us assembled at the state capitol building. The governor and legislature just ignored us and did their cuts anyway.
All of this has reinforced an important principle of life to me. We cannot ever control another person's actions. We can control our own actions. We can never control the consequences.
Regardless of whether our society or culture believes we can control another person's behaviors (e.g. a teacher controlling how well a student chooses to do on a high stakes test) one must finally face the shear fact that people are people and they will choose their own actions. We may be able to motivate a child to achieve in school, or we may not be able to motivate that child.
This is the whole purpose of teaching--to provide as much motivation and effective instruction as possible to help a student succeed. But after all a teacher does, only the student can do the succeeding.
A parent can seek to motivate their child, but only the child can make the right choices.
A child may think that they are totally in control of their actions, and they are! However, they cannot control the consequences of their choices. One can choose to walk over the edge of a cliff, but after one has made that choice, the consequence of succumbing to gravity generally cannot be avoided, regardless of whether the choice was a wise one or not.
This is how life progresses--always choices, consequences, and surprises to deal with. Choices can be freely made. Consequences, whether good or bad, come with the choices we make. We control our choices. Consequences are generally forced upon us as a result of our choices.
I wonder when we will be able to accept that and go on?!
Posts
