Big difference?

Just how different are schools from the industrial or corporate world? Unfortunately, there is a big difference. Basically, schools are there to prepare the individual for the real world. And yet, schools oftentimes are not microcosms of what the world truly is. In schools, we see an ideal world or how we perceive what the world ought to be. We have rules and regulations that are bound to be followed, no matter how mundane these are. We impose them on our young on the premise that if we train the students hard enough, the same will be imbibed on their young minds. How naive can one get?

Another difference is the promotion of employees to administrative positions. First, there aren't as many administrative posts in schools than in some of its corporate counterparts. Basically, you have the EVP, Principal, vice-principal, Directors in various offices and the lesser ones like the coordinators which is not actually an administrative post in the true sense of the word. At most, it is a primus inter pares or first among equals, kind of thing. Hence, you have a hundred or so individuals aspiring for very few slots.

It is but natural that the best worker be the one to be promoted to an administrative post. Hence, the best lathesman is given the supervisor slot. This is not accurately true in education. A good teacher may not necessarily be a good administrator. If a good teacher is promoted on the basis of his/her capabilities as a teacher, and proved to be inefficient, what happens is the school loses a good teacher and gains a bad administrator. Instead of a win-win situation, we have a lose-lose situation; and that doesn't sound good in english, much more in tagalog.

Comes now the question of what should be the bases for promotion in a school setting? While it is disheartening, it seems like promotions in schools should not be based on how well a teacher teaches but on capabilities of handling the job. Problem is, if you're weak as a teacher, chances are, the subordinates will think they're better than you are, hence it would be very hard to gain their respect. Ang gulo no? What do you think?

ENTRY BY: Tito Rolly http://titorolly.blogspot.com

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