Always use the "Nightline Tactic." Whenever someone has a good idea or makes a good point, always call on someone who will disagree with it. Set up committees this way to nullify their effectiveness.
Nightline used to have someone from both sides of every debate, regardless of how stupid one side was. The effect was to take an argument that was 99-1 and make it into a 50-50 argument. What should be obvious is suddenly questionable as people start to think "well, maybe that would work." It was quite ludicrous at times. Equal time, hence equal weight, was given to the reasoned and thoughtful columnist as to the paranoid schizophrenic nutjob.
A corollary is to "always listen to both sides of an argument" since "no one has all the answers." If someone says "Let's focus on practicing basic skills," make sure someone says "We can't drill and kill. We need to teach Critical Thinking."
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Monday, November 2, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Habits of Highly Ineffective Principals - committee
Form committees for everything.
Include new teachers fresh out of Silly School (Teacher College) to counter any experience on the committee. When choosing from the experienced teachers, choose two who disagree with each other so they will cancel each other out.
Always Chair the committee and stay out of the discussion, ostensibly so that you can "take the measure of the school," or something.
Nod whenever the Newbie speaks so the Newbie's ideas will sound intelligent. This will encourage him to speak and make him dependent on you.
When you take the minutes, use your word-smithing skills to change the tone of the meeting to reflect what you wanted the meeting to decide. Adjourn the meeting after the Silliest idea comes up, saying, "That's good. Let's all think on this and we'll re-convene next month." Do not allow decisions to be made unless the committee compromises on the silly idea.
Always meet after school so that the cynical and experienced teachers have something else to do and can't make it. Who will make it? The Newbie who wants to prove herself and is eager to agree with you and be non-confrontational. Who can't make it? The older teachers who have kids and a life (and teaching experience and after-school tutoring commitments). That's too bad, here are the minutes.
Include new teachers fresh out of Silly School (Teacher College) to counter any experience on the committee. When choosing from the experienced teachers, choose two who disagree with each other so they will cancel each other out.
Always Chair the committee and stay out of the discussion, ostensibly so that you can "take the measure of the school," or something.
Nod whenever the Newbie speaks so the Newbie's ideas will sound intelligent. This will encourage him to speak and make him dependent on you.
When you take the minutes, use your word-smithing skills to change the tone of the meeting to reflect what you wanted the meeting to decide. Adjourn the meeting after the Silliest idea comes up, saying, "That's good. Let's all think on this and we'll re-convene next month." Do not allow decisions to be made unless the committee compromises on the silly idea.
Always meet after school so that the cynical and experienced teachers have something else to do and can't make it. Who will make it? The Newbie who wants to prove herself and is eager to agree with you and be non-confrontational. Who can't make it? The older teachers who have kids and a life (and teaching experience and after-school tutoring commitments). That's too bad, here are the minutes.
Vick and Nike
ESPN:
Money talks.
Michael Vick is back with Nike more than two years after the company severed ties over the quarterback’s involvement in a dogfighting ring. The managing director of the agency that represents Vick announced the deal yesterday. Michael Principe of BEST referred questions to Vick’s agent, Joel Segal, who said: “Mike has a longstanding great relationship with Nike and he looks forward to continue in that relationship.”
Money talks.
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