Bird Droppings October 12, 2012

Can simple words contain wisdom?

 

I am sitting here at least thinking about our new smart initiative in our county. That is we are going the route of iPads versus books next year for students.

 

“It is amazing to me how in all the hoopla and debate these days about the decline of education in the US we ignore the most fundamental of its causes. Our students have changed radically. Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach. Today’s students have not just changed incrementally from those of the past, nor simply changed their slang, clothes, body adornments, or styles, as has happened between generations previously. A really big discontinuity has taken place. One might even call it a “singularity” – an event which changes things so fundamentally that there is absolutely no going back. This so-called “singularity” is the arrival and rapid dissemination of digital technology in the last decades of the 20th century.” Marc Prensky, From On the Horizon (NCB University Press, Vol. 9 No. 5, October 2001) © 2001 Marc Prensky

 

Dr. Dwayne Embry started our discussion this morning with bits and pieces from this paragraph. As I sit and look and ponder how interesting we have been failing students and I should say some students because we are approaching them wrong. Is that even possible? Coming from the educational and graduate school programs I have been involved in and a staunch follower of John Dewey I would say definitely yes we have been wrong.  Dr. Embry has been instrumental in getting this concept to fly in our county and as he led discussion he added.

 

“I dream in Ipad” Dr. Dwayne Embry

 

So I am late getting started today after a night of staying up forever taking y twice a year steroid regiment for allergies and not reading side effects carefully enough, small print may cause sleeplessness. It did and about two this morning I finally crashed only to have my wife wake me thinking I would be late for school I had forgotten to tell her we were starting late today. Anyhow I just commented on a Facebook post about learning languages and how I know enough in several languages to survive and order chicken and rice. Within the past several weeks I have watched comments from politicians made and the rebutted by same person which I find most interesting. Native Americans lived this trend back in the day as treaties were made and broken all in a few years only to be told well sorry we got the wording wrong or you misunderstood what we were saying. When we said we wanted to kill off the buffalo there we meant all buffalo not just those slowing the train down.

 

“He believes profoundly in silence – the sign of a perfect equilibrium. Silence is the absolute poise or balance of body, mind, and spirit.”Ohiyesa, Dr. Charles Alexander Eastman, Santee Sioux

 

Trained as a physician Dr. Eastman was also a profound and eloquent speaker for the Sioux nation. So often when we speak it is only words spilling out of a bucket filled to over flowing with political correct jargon.  A barrage of often meaningless dribble that just is there waiting to explode. Watching the vice presidential debate last night I am reminded. Such plain and nice platitudes as hello how are you, how’s the family the job and numerous other familiar little blips we tend to throw at people we meet.

 

“Silence is the mother of truth, for the silent man was ever to be trusted, while the man ever ready with speech was never taken seriously.” Chief Luther Standing Bear, Teton Sioux

 

“In my opinion it was chiefly owing to their deep contemplation in their silent retreats in the days of youth that the old Indian orators acquired the habit of carefully arranging their thoughts.” Blackbird, Ottawa

 

So often in our haste we blurt out words that become meaningless simply because we feel we should be talking. As I look at the words of these great Native American orators often it was in their silence and reflection that wisdom shown through. Sadly we will never see the silence. There was not a hasty response that was spontaneous and not thought through each word was carefully chosen so as to impact and bring the point to the listener. For many words were sacred and a privilege to use and to speak. I was thinking wouldn’t that be great if every ADHD child thought before they spoke. We would not need medications, in school suspensions, and behavior modification anymore. There would be fewer bars of soap sold as parents would not have to wash any mouths out, thinking back to my wife’s favorite movie “the Christmas Story” as Ralphie gets his mouth washed out.

 

“You must speak straight so that your words may go as sunlight into our hearts” Cochise, Chiricahaua Apache

 

Known as a great warrior as well as spokesman for the Apache, Cochise was feared and revered by many. So often listening to the fabrications of teenagers as a teacher you do enjoy silence and or truth. So many times exaggerations flow like water each telling of a story embellishes on the next and so forth till somewhere perhaps reality really did occur.

 

“Good words do not last long unless they amount to something.” Chief Joseph, Nez Perce

 

Growing up I recall stories of Chief Joseph and how his people avoided the army and won numerous skirmishes in their attempted flight to freedom in Canada.  After being rejected by the Canadian Government they had no alternative but to surrender and Joseph’s speech has been quoted by many ever since.

 

“I am tired of talk that comes to nothing. It makes my heart sick when I remember all the good words and all the broken promises. There has been too much talking by men who had no right to talk.” Chief Joseph

 

I watch our politicians talk out one side of the mouth and down the other it is like going to a used car lot and watching used car sales folks at work. What do you believe? Watching news today is not really watching news it is ok what do I believe and what is fantasy. Papers on the rack at grocery stores alter photos so we see what the story implies. Investigators are trying to blame someone with the misinformation on Iraq that lead to the war. We now know most of what we were told were lies yet we are told the people lying were only misinformed. It becomes confusing as I am sure years ago when soldiers would explain peace treaties with numerous lines of fine print. One famous line read, “As long as the buffalo roam” to a plains tribe who lived off the vast herds of migratory buffalo numbering over fifty million on one count that would be was forever. However a new Sharps rifle accurate to over a thousand yards and a healthy trade in buffalo hides quickly reduced the herds to a handful and we said as long as the buffalo roam and they are gone. We do this today in politics, in schools and in life getting commitment based on something we already know.

 

“I would have been better pleased if you had never made promises, than that you should have made them and not performed them.”  Shinguaconse

 

We so often tell little stories to a point it becomes habit and soon we are caught up in our stories with no return.

 

“Always tell the truth – it’s the easiest to remember.” David Mamet

 

Thinking as I go about that simple statement by Mamet, if we only took our own advice and just tell the truth, you do not need to have anything to remember. Please keep all in harm’s way on your mind and in your hearts and please always give thanks namaste.

 

Wa de (Skee)

bird