Task Zero: Review
Rocking the Boat: How to Effect Change Without Making Trouble, by Debra E. Meyerson, is a book about who tempered radicals are and what they do. They constantly negotiate the path between desire to succeed within the system and their commitment to challenge and change it; furthermore, they navigate the tension between desire to fit it and commitment to act on personal values that set them apart. "In all cases they struggle between their desire to act on their 'different' selves and the need to fit into the dominant culture. Tempered Radicals at once uphold their aspiration to be accepted insiders and their commitment to change the very system that often casts them as outsiders.”
The book provides a range of responses, a spectrum of strategies, guiding models, such as "tempered radicals face two primary sets of challenges: those related to the preservation of their 'selves' and those that involve advancing an agenda for change from within." In conclusion, "tempered radicals exist in all levels in all kinds of organizations. Not only do they exist, but they persist and, to varying extents, succeed. Even if they don't feel 'radical' or have an explicit agenda for change, countless people act as tempered radicals, at least over some portions of their careers and under certain circumstances. They know that the challenges they pose may bring some risk to their careers, yet many feel that going along in silence can bring even greater costs to their souls."
Task One: How am I Different?
In Chapter 2, Different Ways of Being “Different”, Meyerson “identified three ways people experience “difference” from the majority:
- Those who have different social identities from the majority and see those differences as setting them apart and excluding them from the mainstream.
- Those who have different social identities and see those differences as merely cultural and not a basis for exclusion.
- Those who have not cultural but philosophical differences, which conflict with the prevailing values, beliefs, and agendas operating in their organizations.”
I'm not sure where I fall into these categories because I believe in us educators doing our very best, always striving to improve instruction, and simply rolling with the punches. I've always felt that my colleagues are hardworking and dedicated professionals. I've been blessed that I have established my "roots" in a wonderful community with fantastic administrators and colleagues. I strive to remain positive even in our current times that seem to be out of our control. I feel that I don't want to complain and whine if I don't have a solution. I like the Positive Organizational Scholarship as "the study of that which is positive, flourishing, and life-giving in organizations." I like to steer away from individuals that are complaining and wanting change, but don't have any ideas and/or solutions.
Task Two: Becoming a Tempered Radical
In terms of becoming a tempered radical, I see myself right now as “resisting quietly and staying true to one’s “self””. I am, at this point in my life, finally able to stay after school if needed. My children are older now, but I have a granddaughter that I dedicate a lot of time to. There are only specific days that I am able to stay after school; therefore, I am quick to state the days of my availability and I am always accommodated and grateful for this flexibility of my school team/community. Presently, I have the opportunity to "rock the boat" and speak up in establishing our new integrated science curricula for 5th-8th grade. I definitely want our new middle school to have a STEAM focus and a curricula that will meet Next Generation Science Standards. We're currently looking into Foss, SEPUP, and STC. Our new middle school needs to integrate, and STC would be the curricula that would be new to both feeder schools.
Task Three: Facing Challenges
In Chapter 8, Facing the Difficulties (and Conditions that Ease the Difficulties), Meyerson identifies four challenges:
- The difficulties of ambivalence (psychological challenge-anxiety, guilt, loneliness, accusations of hypocrisy)
- The incremental lures of co-optation (psychological challenge-fear of exclusion) - “reasonable compromises”: waiting for a “better time”, using “insider” language, developing a professional image, providing loyalty, complying with gender roles.
- Potential damage to their reputation (result when acting on their differences)
- Frustration and burnout (result when acting on their differences)
Unfortunately, there are times when I feel a sense of frustration and/or burnout due to my students not achieving at the level I aim for them to be. I have students that will sit in class and simply not complete an assignment. I have in 3 out of my 5 classrooms 14 students receiving F's as their cumulative grade as of today. I am grateful to say that I have the support of my colleagues, but I hate the fact that I'm failing these students. I really need to make more calls to parents, but then I get discouraged because even after speaking with parents, there is no change in their child's behavior and no improvement in their school work. This is my hardest challenge of my profession. I've been teaching for 20 years and I'm still facing the same problem of unmotivated students. Every year at the beginning of the school year, my goal is for all my 8th grade students to pass Science with at least a C. I guess this is where ambivalence sets in with a love/hate relationship for my students where I love them, especially my superstars with A's, B's and a wonderful attitude and respect, and want the best for them to succeed, but then I really hate the students' poor attitudes towards school and having no pride in their school work.
What I take away from this book is to keep up the courage and commitment to hang in there, stay true to yourself and to your values, and that leaders cannot do it alone.
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