I think the world would benefit from titles. I have a master’s degree, I think ‘master’ or ‘lord’ would be beneficial. Not just to humor myself, but to really help everyone understand the varying levels of education and experience we all have. I’m not suggesting a formal system wherein everything is impersonal, I prefer to be called Dave in most circumstances. But it’s something to think about, having an easy and accepted way to introduce ourselves.
Teachers often incur my wrath simply because I have so many negative experiences in education and partly because I choose to work with students who are going through exactly what I have. I sat in an IEP the other day and it drug up so many old issues for me to think about. But this thought also occurred to me as well, but it wasn’t really brought to a head until I started helping a student review for a final.
It’s not simple, but I do have to point out that at the University level not returning a test, or withholding previously graded work that will affect the final test is unacceptable in every class I’ve ever taken. And at University is where cheating really matters. These are the institutions that will stake their reputation behind your degree. So why are they able to cope with this apparently pervasive issue and High School teachers are not? Why is it High Schools that seem to take draconian measures to ensure test security and not the colleges?
My opinion is quite simple, I think that many teachers think much higher of themselves than they ought. I know I used to. Being called Mr. Arney be adults twenty or thirty years my senior setup too large a power differential. Especially when some of them were far better educated and filled with more experience than I could even imagine. I love Pauline epistles for the very reason they make great allusions. The Romans were warned of this problem, and Paul suggested that they ought to think of themselves as to have sound judgment.
So why titles? Well, I want one mostly, but also because then Mr. and Mrs. stop setting teachers apart. Plus I deserve to be respected for my area of expertise. I’ll always give deference to someone with more experience and education because it only makes sense. Unless they prove themselves incompetent, I am inclined to listen to them above my own opinions first. I’m not sure when it started, but this unsound image teachers seem to hold of themselves only leads to things I would consider ludicrous. I can’t imagine a college professor being coy about what will be covered on a final. The hardest classes always had very clear revision guidelines. It wasn’t even uncommon for the professor to provide a series of essay topic and then select only a few for the actual exam. And not receiving the results of quizzes and previous tests that were also to be included on the final exam never happened to me, both B.A. and M.A.
So yes, Master Arney or Lord Arney would make me smile, but it would also keep the constant contest I find myself in with some teachers from occurring. I almost try not to interact with teachers at this point because I’m tired of the pissing match that usually ensues. It’s funny because they use the Mr. and Mrs. so authoritatively at times, but then can feel so vulnerable at the same time. Basically, I want everyone to be honest about what their expertise is and not try to be more than they are. Teachers should be proud of the fact that they convey basic information in the general studies in such a manner that teenagers become competent. They shouldn’t have to be experts in learning styles, or visionaries in modifications. That’s what I’m good at, and I like doing it.
Why should we be fighting, pissing, or whatever else ends up happening? You’re Mr. and I’m Master, and we can each do what we do. It shouldn’t be this hard. And you shouldn’t worry so much. Cheating is going to happen no matter what. It doesn’t hurt you, and it always comes back to bite the student’s ass in the end. Chill and just concentrate on being excellent. Then let those of us who find it exciting to diagnose and modify do our thing. I gave up the classroom because it wasn’t my passion. Let me have my passion and my title, dammit!
