Evaluating

I haven't written here in a while. Guess haven't had much to say... Which says a lot about my everyday life, i suppose. I'm finding it harder and harder to do this job well. I used to believe that, in spite of all the imperfections of the system, the "education" we give these kids was largely positive, but now that conviction is crumbling, bit by bit. That in itself can't be good for the students: a teacher who doesn't believe in what he's doing can't be a good teacher.

I've had my misgivings about the academic side of the program (the international baccalaureate) for a while now. Even though it does attempt to instill critical thinking, it does so in a formulaic, limiting fashion; it presents certain modes and structures of expression as more adequate than others, and i believe that is precisely one of the problems with human relations: we are taught to think that someone's ideas are better than those of others because of their wrapper. And people who can't provide the right wrapper are seen as less valuable -at best- or outright inferior.

But now i've been losing faith about the validity of the rest of the program we provide. Us adults here cannot deal constructively with each other. Most everyone is entrenched in their own little position, and we judge and attack each other. We are not a good example for our students. There's no harmony.

I'm probably being too negative right now. I don't know, and i don't have the energy to lift myself from that at this moment. It's US who have to change. Or leave, as the case may be.