Ghetto Schools Are Different

Once upon a time, a man and a woman met in Special Methods II—a compulsory course required for certification in secondary education. Naïve, inexperienced, yet dedicated to the propositions that all children will listen to their teachers, and all teachers in turn should listen to their administrators (who always know best), and administrators in turn will follow without question the dictates of the Board of Education—that repository of all knowledge and the fount from which all blessings flow. . . .

Invaluable material was presented to the eager twosome. They learned and were tested on threading the film projector and switching on the phonograph—they were told how to maintain class interest in the event that the exciter lamp failed or the sprocket wheels jammed. With docility and determination they studied the overhead slide and opaque projectors; the speed reading machine; the stop watch; the tape recorder etc. Little did they know that on the teaching battleground all hardware is kept out of sight and reach of the enemy (students) who will either destroy or render useless this equipment of the troops. Nor did they know how many ceremonial unlockings of the AV (audio-visual) rooms and viewings of unused, untouched equipment they would attend; for as the leaves fell, this autumnal rite was strictly observed throughout their teaching years.

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B. E. Patrick

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Once upon a time, a man and a woman met in Special Methods II—a compulsory course required for certification in secondary education. Naïve, inexperienced, yet dedicated to the propositions that all children will listen to their teachers, and all teachers in turn should listen to their administrators (who always know best), and administrators in turn will follow without question the dictates of the Board of Education—that repository of all knowledge and the fount from which all blessings flow. . . .

Invaluable material was presented to the eager twosome. They learned and were tested on threading the film projector and switching on the phonograph—they were told how to maintain class interest in the event that the exciter lamp failed or the sprocket wheels jammed. With docility and determination they studied the overhead slide and opaque projectors; the speed reading machine; the stop watch; the tape recorder etc. Little did they know that on the teaching battleground all hardware is kept out of sight and reach of the enemy (students) who will either destroy or render useless this equipment of the troops. Nor did they know how many ceremonial unlockings of the AV (audio-visual) rooms and viewings of unused, untouched equipment they would attend; for as the leaves fell, this autumnal rite was strictly observed throughout their teaching years.