Comments on: Exploring Issues of Power in Schools http://connellbiggs.edublogs.org/2008/07/25/exploring-issues-of-power-in-schools/ "A word after a word after a word is power." Margaret Atwood Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:07:15 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Lee http://connellbiggs.edublogs.org/2008/07/25/exploring-issues-of-power-in-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-53 Lee Sat, 30 Aug 2008 22:30:06 +0000 http://connellbiggs.edublogs.org/?p=54#comment-53 I really like your blog! Keep up the good work. Check this out: http://theinfluentialteacher.com I really like your blog! Keep up the good work.

Check this out:

http://theinfluentialteacher.com

]]> By: dogtrax http://connellbiggs.edublogs.org/2008/07/25/exploring-issues-of-power-in-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-49 dogtrax Sat, 26 Jul 2008 11:20:42 +0000 http://connellbiggs.edublogs.org/?p=54#comment-49 First of all -- cool that you were a guest blogger. Way to go, Susan. Power and equity of decision-making are important issues and I was thinking of my school when I read your post. Our principal really works hard to shift decision-making into our hands, as much as possible, and he has been using the PLC term quite a bit. I think he really does believe that change happens at the classroom/networked level, and not from the top-down. And yet, he has things imposed on him which he must impose on us, and that is the reality he is working with. At our elementary school, we do notice that when change comes to our district, the elementary schools get hit with it first and the middle/high schools get a reprieve (new math initiative is a good example, as is the push for a standards-based report card). There "appears" to be more power in the upper grade levels of our administrative structure, but that could just be a perception and not reality. Your section on music education hit home with me, as it is often the art, music, PE and library that get hit hard when it comes to the budget, when officials must lay out a pyramid of importance. It's hard to argue that class size isn't at the top of the list but it's just as difficult to stomach the loss of the arts, as we all know how important that is not just to learning, but to life. Thanks for another thought-provoking post. Kevin First of all — cool that you were a guest blogger. Way to go, Susan.
Power and equity of decision-making are important issues and I was thinking of my school when I read your post.
Our principal really works hard to shift decision-making into our hands, as much as possible, and he has been using the PLC term quite a bit. I think he really does believe that change happens at the classroom/networked level, and not from the top-down. And yet, he has things imposed on him which he must impose on us, and that is the reality he is working with.
At our elementary school, we do notice that when change comes to our district, the elementary schools get hit with it first and the middle/high schools get a reprieve (new math initiative is a good example, as is the push for a standards-based report card). There “appears” to be more power in the upper grade levels of our administrative structure, but that could just be a perception and not reality.
Your section on music education hit home with me, as it is often the art, music, PE and library that get hit hard when it comes to the budget, when officials must lay out a pyramid of importance. It’s hard to argue that class size isn’t at the top of the list but it’s just as difficult to stomach the loss of the arts, as we all know how important that is not just to learning, but to life.
Thanks for another thought-provoking post.
Kevin

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