My Interview in Guernica Magazine

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1. Yvonne Siu-Runyan says:

   February 1, 2015 at 12:23 pm

   Great interview, Diane.

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2. Laura H. Chapman says:

   February 1, 2015 at 12:32 pm

   Agree. It is clear that you have the facts at hand and well-honed points that make the job of the interviewer easy.

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3. MathVale says:

   February 1, 2015 at 3:09 pm

   The phrase I have heard more than once is “Respect is earned, not given”. The last time I heard it was from an angry sixth grader who followed it up with threats to punch me in the mouth and some four lettered adjectives. I would say teachers have a valid retort of “Ok, America, exactly what have I done to deserve your disrespect?”.

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   • 2old2teach says:

     February 1, 2015 at 9:00 pm

     I had that discussion about respect on numerous occasions with my high school students. Since I was white and most of my students were Latino or black, I could understand when they asserted that respect had to be earned. Many of them were part of the gang culture where respect had a different context than that with which I was raised. My students were on the whole respectful, but once they trusted me the atmosphere in the classroom was totally different. For me respect is something I can lose through my actions, but everyone deserves it until they prove otherwise. What really makes the difference is trustworthiness.

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     • MathVale says:

       February 2, 2015 at 1:57 pm

       I agree with trustworthiness. America no longer trusts teachers. We have to be monitored, tested, and infantalized. I see more respect from my incarcerated and paroled students than the typical voter. And more that one immigrant from countries valuing education has used the title “sir” when addressing me in the teacher role.

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4. David says:

   February 1, 2015 at 3:38 pm

   Great interview! I think the one thing I wished they would have covered with you is the influx of ed tech into the process and the shocking amounts of taxpayer money that the tech companies, consultants and software developers plan on making from public schools.

   In 2014 ed tech venture capital investments hit $2 billion (http://www.geekwire.com/2015/can-count-2-billion-education-technology-investment-hits-new-record/).

   Testing and assessment products re the biggest ed tech sales category, with sales hitting $2.5 billion in school year 2012-2013 (http://thejournal.com/articles/2014/12/01/report-assessment-now-the-biggest-category-of-ed-tech-sales.aspx).

   With so much money to be made, it is not conspiracy mongering to believe that these companies are pushing the reformers to “disrupt” education so that they can make big bucks from schools (and taxpayers) often without any data to support what they are doing (see the flipped classroom or blended learning).

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5. momofonedifferentlearner says:

   February 1, 2015 at 8:07 pm

   Excellent article & interview!

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6. Donna says:

   February 1, 2015 at 9:59 pm

   Keep telling the truth Diane, and everyone else. Maybe people will eventually hear it. That is my hope. Sometimes, I just throw my hands up in the air, but I know I have to keep talking to anyone who will listen. And I’m a nobody in this, but I care.

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