As I also said, “I’d offer to re-hire you in a second.”

Why? Because I see you as one of the strongest teaching voices available today. Period.

Two quick points of clarification (for what it’s worth):

1. The “fire you” concept was the same exact point a past mentor and administrator said to me in my first few years of teaching when I was wrestling with a similar proposition as you. She knew I had to search out the question via non-teaching experiences before I’d realize I was a ‘teacher’ through and through. I’ve never been able to thank her enough for expressing it as such. She pulled no punches. She knew where I’d ultimately end up (back in the classroom), but she knew I had to go elsewhere to see that for myself. And that it wasn’t going to be about the ‘school’ or the ‘system’ when all was sorted through. What is clearly the case, however, is I have no right to presume anything on the personal level of a mentor…and I stand wisely corrected. A handful of emails and comments notwithstanding.

2. The “stop bitching” comment speaks to the unmatched power of your voice when you are demonstrating real innovation in spite of the limits around you. The system will change in direct proportion to YOU being the INNOVATOR, not the critic of the system. You’ve built a fascinating blog audience who truly responds to all of the innovation you bring to the table, Dan. While critics are plentiful, guys like you that can create, can solve, can build, can see gestalt opportunities are few and far between. This is where you stand to have the most impact now and over time. Again, I’m not your mentor and once again stand wisely corrected.

I’d completely understand if you opt to ignore the ultimate meaning of what I intended to write last time. Most likely that will be the case…and I can’t say I blame you. The earned compliments and recognition are offered either way.

If leaving teaching at some point to pursue other passions — design, et al — is part of the larger professional arc for you, I can’t imagine it would do anything but continue to deepen your instincts and voice as an educator (if you ever chose to return). And your kids (and clients) would only be the better for it.

If you remain as a full-time teacher, however, I think you’d find a wide array of ‘learning environments’ (i.e. schools) inside and outside the setting that you currently call home that would more quickly embrace what you’re doing as a classroom teacher and as a larger voice for innovation. Or perhaps it happens ‘right there’ where you already are when all is said and done.

Both are fair options that a young educator of your instinct, talent, and passion should consider equally. And undoubtedly, you’ll excel without limit in either direction.

C

P.S. The beginning of your second paragraph is where it all shakes down, I think. I gladly accept the reaction (again, fairly expressed by you after I re-read my previous comment although it was actually intended with a much different tone, had it been spoken face to face), but my gut tells me that ultimately its worth it to read that “too happy teaching to go elsewhere” line end up unapologetically on the table.

I’m not really the point. Nor my previous comment. Your statement about not wanting to leave, however, is. And for all the right reasons, I suspect.

P.P.S. Feel free to delete this comment. It may ultimately be a better choice to let your response stand as the end of the conversation. If so, however, the compliments and recognition still stand. As does my head-nod on the “too happy teaching to go elsewhere” line.

At the moment I’m too happy teaching to go elsewhere but only in the binary world you constructed inside your last comment does that mean I can’t agitate for its improvement. Dennis Miller stuck with his dry, verbal style hosting Monday Night Football and lost his job after two seasons. If any readers can’t deal with an enthusiastic teacher-blogger who traffics in shades of gray on a sometimes basis, if they’re looking for a cheerleader who never equivocates, then, peace. It’s a big blogosphere. I’m sure they’ll find one.

Long before it became a state-of-public-education conflict for young educators burning out in this day and age, Ayn Rand long ago toyed with the should-I-stay-or-should-I go question via her own Objectivist lens by ficticiously leading the innovators out of the ‘system’, person by person. The underlying question came long before either one of us began teaching (or even needing our diapers changed).

Without being cheeky, figure out who (and what) “John Galt” is for you, Dan. Forget trying to save or preserve or argue the merits of any system that doesn’t work for you. And forget about bitching about the “when will they figure out they could lose yet another young gun teacher?” conflict. Instead, define tangible terms — not just uttering the “innovative environment” routine over and over — that would allow you to continue teaching in a way that matches your career objectives. Or, shy of that, get out of the game and go work at Google (or whatever design firm rocks your world). I hear the benefits, dry cleaning services, and free salad bars are kinda groovy.

As Chris says above, there are many schools out there that do and would match what you are screaming for…just not in the typical public school system you’re most familiar with today. Seek them — tangible attribute by tangible attribute — out if you truly want to keep working with ‘kids’ in the classroom. Or admit that it’s really not about the teaching after all, and simply ditch the teacher/student relationship altogether in pursuit of something in more dynamic professional waters. The world and the ‘system’ will continue spinning either way. And you’ll be a far happier MoFo in the process.

You’re just saddled — said with a respectful tone — with a bit of myopia right now (not your fault, BTW) that shadows the range of legit solutions coming to mind. Until you consider the full range of ‘schools’ that can allow you to evolve and work at the level you believe possible, there seems to be little reason to ‘stay’ in teaching or working with kids in a traditional school setting. Get out.

If I were your principal, I’d fire you today: “Bingo-bango, You’re fired, kid!”

It’d be better for the kids, your colleagues, and you. A true trifecta. I’d fire you so that you could pursue the question rather than just tread water nearby it, simultaneously railing against the system while seeking blog-comment ego confirmation for doing so. I’d walk you to the door and wish you all the best.

Oh, and in a few years, if you ever came back and knocked on my Principal door, I’d offer to re-hire you in a second…hoping you’d say, “No, thanks, I figured it out and have a different plan…” instead. Better yet, then I’d invite you out for coffee so we could brainstorm with you as to how you could ‘make an impact’ on my students as a visitor/mentor, rather than as a day-to-day classroom teacher.

Quit teaching. Stop bitching about the ‘system’. OR both.

In the meantime, use the power of your blogging voice, Dennis-Miller-esque conversational connections, and often-unmatched design savvy to spark the imaginations of anyone who sees something kinda dynamic going on here.

Cheers,
C

P.S. BTW, who is John Galt?

It’s like you’re inside my head.

You want a job that differentiates good and lousy workers. Then get a job in the private sector. Don’t like everything you see there? Then start your own job in the private sector.

If you want to innovate, go somewhere that people value innovation. This isn’t the devil talking. It’s sanity. You’ve been living in the unreality for too long to know the difference.

Help make a difference–stop supporting mediocre schools. Walk away. All you are doing by staying is sending the message that what they do IS good enough after all.

To Team Philly, sounds like fun but this isn’t my year.

I hope to have a couch by then, too.

We’re hiring. ;)

Better yet… come spend a few days. See if your principal will send you to EduCon 2.0. (Hey, I’ll even open up a presentation space for you!) You can crash on the couch at Chez Lehmann-Stein… spend a couple days on either end of the conference.

There are schools that are about what you are looking for.