The Pushmi-Pullyu Syndrom

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Do you remember that strange looking creature from the classic movie Doctor Dolittle, the pushmi-pullyu? Certainly, a wondrous creature which fit well in this fanciful world of make believe, but not an animal that would fair well in the real world if you were hoping for a ride somewhere. Just one look to even the most casual observer would lead to the inevitable conclusion that this is just not a plan for success. There are too many flaws in the design and it's painfully apparent that there is a serious issue with mutual exclusivity here. "In logic and probability theory, two propositions (or events) are mutually exclusive or disjoint if they cannot both be true (occur). A clear example is the set of outcomes of a single coin toss, which can result in either heads or tails, but not both." (Wikipedia)

Unfortunately, the issue of mutual exclusivity can rear its ugly double head in our professional applications far too often if aren't on the lookout for the beast! There are times when we seek to accomplish multiple goals but fail to consider if they are compatible. The problem professionally is this; when crafting goals, no matter how noble and well intentioned we are we end up confronting reality. Issues speaking to the costs associated with carrying out plans, considerations of time and effort, the sacrifices that must be made, personal and professional capacity to carry out the plan, and the impact on multiple communities and individuals always lurking. Too often when the voice of reason in the room brings up such questions, they are shouted down as negative, pessimistic, or the utterances of unbelievers. Questions of loyalty, and support may also arise leaving such individuals to either chose alienation or silence as their only recourse.

The reality is that unless issues of reasonableness, achieveability, mutual exclusivity, capacity, and cost are all addressed, failure is a very real possibility along with the associated consequences. To move forward responsibly several considerations must be engaged. First, relates to the finite nature of resources expended chasing achievable ends. Are the resources available, and is this how they should be expended? Secondly, the expenditure of personal and professional capital must be accounted for. People must be trained and aligned. Buy-in must be present as well as the will to see the plan through to the end? Next, are the social emotional costs associated with endeavors. Each effort, no matter how well conceived exacts a cost on community members and there is always the possibility for failure. While there is potentially for learning from any experience, such effort come with a cost relative to human psyche. Failure can beget failure, and ongoing losses take a toll on even the most ardent supporters. Finally, leaders must address the personal and professional self doubt which comes when flawed plans are rolled out. History does provide examples of those who were undeterred by ongoing failures; Thomas Edison, Abraham Lincoln, and Harry Truman come to mind. Such individuals certainly are good object lessons for grit and make for wonderful posters for classroom. The question really though how many unnamed souls have been lost in the mist of history as abject failures, never to be remembered again because of foolhardy, poorly considered goals that had absolutely no chance for success? We conveniently forget about "failures", who wants to fill the history books with those types of stories?

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The lesson isn't so much that chances shouldn't be taken, or that leaps of faith are out of the question, caution isn't always the best choice. But more times than not success in the classroom, and life in general is based on sound reasoning, effective planning, goal alignment, and the determination to see the plan through to the end. It's easy to embrace wonderful, positive, and popular goals which sound good upon initial consideration. But just like the parent/teacher who wants to be the "cool adult", giving the kids everything they want, then can't understand why their kids are out of control, it doesn't take rocket science to figure out how the plan went so wrong.  Next time before jumping on the nearest pushmi-pullyu it might just be a good idea to consider if you'll end up heading in the direction of your intended goals, or just going in circles.

Sticks and Stones

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Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me. I'm sure most of us have used that pithy comeback at some point in our lives as a rebuttal to the attack of some bully's aggression. I think we are all aware though of just how powerful words are. In fact, at times long after the bruises and bumps inflicted by physical aggression have healed we are often left with the emotional wounds that words can inflict upon us. Recently, I was reminded just how power words are in the hands of educators, and how they can alter the course of a lifetime. 

Not too many months ago, my wife and I meet a wonderful couple at church who are old enough to be our parents. Truth is though, when you reach a certain point in life a couple of decades in age mean a great deal less difference than in younger times, and we are at such a time. As we've come to spend more time with our new friends, and know each other better we are beginning to share many of the stories which have shaped our lives. One of the stories that has come out of our conversations is that of Millie (that's we will call he for the sake of this blog.) Millie is a bright, vivacious 80 something, full of life and still taking on new hobbies. One in particular she has shared is her love for painting. The other night she shared some of her latest creations with us and they were very good indeed. Millie specializes in landscapes, and her creations speak of her love of nature and an eye which sees the details which attest to the God she loves and worships.

As we viewed her paintings she shared with us that this hobby is actually one she dabbled in many years ago. As a young girl she loved to paint in school. In fact, the loved it so much that she considered taking art as a major in college, and making this passion a part of her adult professional life. It was then that she shared a painful wound that was inflicted by an unthinking and insensitive substitute art teacher. One day while creating another painting in class, this individual walked by her canvas and told Millie that it was terrible, and that she should reconsider any plans that she might have to pursue this passion any longer. Millie was crushed, and for many years only occasionally picked up a brush and pallet to engage her once loved passion.

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Finally, not to many years ago, in her mid 70's, Millie decided to put aside the hurtful words of long ago, and begin again to take art classes, and create on canvas once again the beauty that she sees all around her. As I noted, her painting are beautiful, and her passion and joy absolutely burst forth from both her person and the canvas she creates her master pieces on. As a friend of Millie, I am so happy for her that she has once again begun to use her gifts and talents, and engage in a pastime that means so very much to her. As an educator I am at once appalled that someone who calls themselves a teacher would be so insensitive with their words when they are in a position to impact students so greatly. At the same time, I wonder and worry that I too might have carelessly used my words at some point, inflicting a lifelong hurt the kind that Millie has carried with her for more than 5 decades. 

My take away from Millie's story, as a teacher, is to always remember the Millie's that walk into my classroom each and every day. My position and the words I use are so very powerful in the lives of the students I have the privilege to work with. I just hope that 5 decades down the line my students look back at their time with me as the time their passions and loves were ignited, not that point in time when sticks and stones crushed them, extinguishing an internal flame that once was a driving force in their lives.

Question the Answers

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In the interest of full disclosure let me state categorically that I am a recovering Rule Follower! There I said it, and that feels great! One of the evidences of Rule Following is the propensity to embrace the concept that the answer book/key has all the "right" answers, and if anyone provides an answer that is not validated by inclusion in the answer book, then it must be WRONG!!!!

The world of education is often driven by standardized testing which is driven by a variety of factors including ease of use and grading. There are connections to paradigms speaking to a simplistic right/wrong, pass/fail mentality popular in many non-education circles. In short, multiple choice, true/false and other such test are hazardous to a significant portion of our student population, and may be doing significant harm to our culture!

For years, I followed the dictates of standardized testing gleefully grading tests with my little red pen, driven by the answers that were before me in the answer key. One day, I decided to change my practice for some unknown reason and instead I handed the tests back to the students and asked that they grade their own tests for themselves as I read the answers off to them. My purpose was two fold, first immediacy of impact on their testing without public embarrassment. I wanted them to know in the moment how they had done rather than getting the test back days later in their end of week folders. (btw, I let everyone know that I was going to pick the tests up to verify accuracy of grading as soon as we were done.) Secondly, I wanted to open a discussion as to why they got questions right and wrong. I was looking to determine for myself, and for them, how they missed the mark on the questions that they failed to match the answer key.

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What took place next was amazing. As we discussed what went right, and what went wrong on the test some amazing truths revealed themselves. There were lots of mistakes due to miscalculations, misreading or misunderstanding the questions or possible answers. There were also numerous procedural errors where students marked the wrong answer, etc. What I also got was A LOT of feedback and questions from the students about why their answers were wrong when they thought they might just be right. As we sat and discussed point by point the issues at hand, I found out that the questions and answers might be interpreted in ways far different than the test intended. Students also came up with alternative methodologies to answers questions which while not matching what the book defined as "correct" were just as valid. Finally, I learned that experiences and perspectives matter greatly. What I (and the answer key) saw as the only possible answer might not be the only way to look at solving/answering the problem.

Suddenly, I was confronted with the reality that the answers in the answer key aren't always the only "right" answers, and that the best thing that I could do for my students was to ask and listen to their reasoning behind their answers before I applied my little red slash across their "wrong" answer. In doing this I opened up great dialogues with my students. I learned of alternative viewpoints and methodologies in my students that were just as valid and at times brilliant as the right answers set before me. And finally, I found out that I had a problem myself. Perhaps as a closet rule follower I needed to stop and ask questions where I had never considered asking them before. Not only was it the right thing for me (as a closet, and now recovering rule follower), it definitely was the right thing for my students.