The Long Haul

Who I am: Chris Lehmann

What I do: Principal of the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia, PA (Opening 9/06).

What I did: Technology Coordinator / English Teacher / Girls Basketball Coach / Ultimate Coach at the Beacon School, a fantastic progressive public high school in Manhattan.

Email: chris [at] practicaltheory [dot] org.

Comments

Matt Skurnick about Sustaining the Teaching Life
Mon, 25.03.2013 14:05
Jon Goldman was both my
English Teacher in 9th
grade and Advisory Mentor
for my four years at
[...]

Karen Greenberg about Saving Lives v. Changing Lives
Tue, 14.08.2012 11:13
Perhaps a more apt term
would be "altering
trajectories". Think
physics - two objects in
motion [...]

Amethyst about Saving Lives v. Changing Lives
Mon, 13.08.2012 22:51
I really appreciate this
blog entry. Our roles as
teachers require, at our
best, a deep [...]

Mark Ahlness about The Long Haul
Mon, 13.08.2012 22:33
Chris, thanks. Pete is my
hero, and has been for a
while, but now that I'm
retired, after 31 years
[...]

Gary Stager about Saving Lives v. Changing Lives
Mon, 13.08.2012 22:15
Chris,

No need to worry about
semantic arguments.
Others all around us are
debasing our [...]

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< Deep Knowing and Knowing About | Saving Lives v. Changing Lives >

Monday, August 13. 2012

It's been a tough road lately.

Each day seems to bring more acrimony as the dust-up around the Campbell Brown Wall Street Journal editorial demonstrated. And I think as teachers, we feel that struggle deeply, at least I know I and many of the teachers and educators I speak to do. I've been thinking a lot lately about teacher identity, and it's interesting how teachers really do identify who we are with what we do. We do that in ways that many people don't with their jobs. Most people if you asked them to describe themselves, they won't lead with. "I'm a " But teachers do. So when teachers are part of what is becoming a more and more nasty fight, it takes its toll. Combine that with budget cuts and uncertainty around the very future of our profession, and it's a tough time. I know many teachers all over the country, young and old, are questioning how much longer they can stay in the profession... stay in the fight.

And then you watch a 93 year old Pete Seeger singing songs of hope on Colbert Report and realize that he lived through blacklisting and never gave up hope... never stopped singing... never stopped growing and learning... and you rise to fight another day. So with that, as many of us are preparing for a new school year, let us all remember that the fight is long and the fight is hard, but we have persevered through worse, we have more work to do, and we can always keep singing.

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Pete Seeger - "Quite Early Morning"

www.colbertnation.com

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Posted by Chris Lehmann in General Ed at 20:47 | Comments (2) | Trackbacks (0)

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Indeed,

If you haven't read "The Long Haul" by Myles Horton and Herb Kohl, I strongly urge you to do so. Perhaps your students can read it too.

Here is a link: http://amzn.to/MVUQBU

Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on

#1 Gary Stager (Link) on 2012-08-13 21:31 (Reply)

Chris, thanks. Pete is my hero, and has been for a while, but now that I'm retired, after 31 years as a teacher, he's even more out there for me, 'cause I'm playing the banjo

Tell you one thing Pete would not be happy about - the "Teachers Rock" concert. My goodness, what a bad joke, with unwitting musical and film superstars pimping "Won't Back Down".

Gonna go play my banjo and observe the master for guidance. He'll make it ok. Hang in there - Mark

#2 Mark Ahlness (Link) on 2012-08-13 22:33 (Reply)

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