Woman's History in Teaching, martyrs, brands and roles....

On Martyrdom and teaching and Women's History Month....

Hmmm……I hear branding of late...was called a martyr teacher recently for efforts I have written about here in teaching stories in an email. It seemed/felt less than positive...

Better go wiki…

See below

A martyr is a person who is put to death or endures suffering because of a belief, principle or cause. The death of a martyr or the value attributed to it is called martyrdom. In different belief systems, the criteria for being considered a martyr is different. In the Christian context, a martyr is an innocent person who, without seeking death, is murdered or put to death for his or her religious faith or convictions. An example is the persecution of early Christians in the Roman Empire. Christian martyrs sometimes decline to defend themselves at all, in what they see as an imitation of Jesus' willing sacrifice.

Islam accepts a much broader view of what constitutes a martyr, including anyone who dies in the struggle between those lands under Muslim government and those areas outside Muslim rule. Generally, some seek to include suicide bombers as a "martyr" of Islam, however, this is widely disputed in the Muslim community.

In a secular context, too, the term is sometimes applied to those who use violence, such as those who die for a nation's glory during wartime (usually known under other names such as "fallen warriors"). Outside of an academic or religious context, the word "martyr" is used ironically in casual conversation to refer to someone who seeks attention or sympathy by exaggerating the impact upon themselves of some deprivation or work.

Better Webster for the antiwikis…

Main Entry: ¹mar·tyr
Pronunciation: 'mär-t&r
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English, from Late Latin, from Greek martyr-, martys witness
1 : a person who voluntarily suffers death as the penalty of witnessing to and refusing to renounce a religion
2 : a person who sacrifices something of great value and especially life itself for the sake of principle
3 : VICTIM; especially : a great or constant sufferer martyr to asthma all his life –

Wait.. better uncyclopedia…

The Only Good Martyr is a Dead Martyr, Oh, wait. That's the only kind of martyr.”

~ Oscar Wilde on Martyr

A person whose only achievement in life is dying a pointless and futile death.

Also recently, I would say that the word scapegoat comes to mind as some have attempted to commandeer the heroic, principle based, social justice oriented, poorly paid, heroic single woman brand of teacher that emerged in America and elsewhere in the early 1900’s.

And I see repeatedly in my reading....martyr used to label teaching and teaching lives often when a person/teacher/speaker/writer/commentator might disagree with and /or talk about the role of teaching from their particular perspective. As a tool used to discuss and frame thoughts. Thinking today lead me to the body of this article on our word meanings and how they frame dialogs. Specifically this engaged me as I was looking:

....A more accurate description is that the speaker attempts to code ideas, feelings, and images with words. Those words are transmitted to the listener who then matches them with his/her own experiences. There is no universal codebook, so what A thinks of as "success" will not necessarily match person B's definition. Words correspond to different ideas and feelings for different people, and it can take multiple attempts before an idea has been understood satisfactorily. The more cultural differences there are between speakers, the more frequently they will have to stop and work out differences of meaning.

The "conduit metaphor" highlights two important aspects of language: metaphor and semantics. Semantics refers to the specific meanings of words, as well as the value they carry beyond their definition. For example, one could call a woman, "lady," "girl," "ma'am," "miss" or any of dozens of synonymous terms. The difference between these terms, and the reason the addressee will prefer some of them and be offended by others, is based on the value she places on each definition.

A clear understanding of semantics is crucial to preventing misunderstandings. Arguments frequently occur when two people think they are talking about the same thing, but really are just using the same word for two different ideas or things

Those that commandeered the brand..deconstructed it and told us who teachers really are,

not as Daniel Lortie spelling out roles and ways of viewing the job,

nor as Maxine Greene as sited here,

She argues that teachers must learn how to "do philosophy. " To do philosophy is to become highly conscious of the many facets of the world as it presents itself to consciousness, to be "wide awake" to new possibilities. To do philosophy is to develop a fundamental project, moving beyond reality as given to construct new conceptions of reality. "To do educational philosophy is to become critically conscious of what is involved in the complex business of teaching and learning" in all its particularities (Greene, 1973, pp.6 & 7).

Greene contends that teachers must be self-conscious about their role in the sense-making process; they must clarify for themselves the meanings of education. They must take an authentic stance, choose to be personally responsible, think about their own commitments and actions, no matter how terrifying it might be to do so. "If he [the teacher] can learn to do philosophy, he may liberate himself for understanding and for choosing. He may liberate himself for reflective action as someone who knows who he is as a historical being, acting on his freedom, trying each day just to be" (Greene, 1973, p. 7)

.

but others who sought benefit in the re branding process.

For calling the martry label, as a teacher frames their life work, surely is now to disparage and imply lack of intellect, sophistication, teaching quality. It's a tool to an end in a rhetorical banter. But it just lessens all parties. In response to the lack of good pay, and or other social and political contexts of teaching in the society, some folks may feel they sacrifice things for being a teacher. Easily it is not a road to riches. I feel this. Though I am no martyr.It is reflected in the writing of the job.

Others may feel oppressed by bureaucracy or hierarchy or hegemony. Still, a fight for justice and freedom and equality and level playing field for children, a fight for respect, and tolerance, and talent found in children, a fight for what’s right in the mind of the teacher, community, situation, is less politically correct these days for those who teach.. or for anyone in this society.That power is being removed from the two hands and the thinking of the teacher... If we sacrifice, as a society, this old brand for the new brand… we will create more than martyrs.. at least in my eyes...we will create a lot of unhappy, tuned off, and shut little people….who will grow into larger people for better or worse.Which is why I started to blog and tell the stories of the children. It was necessary for me. Not a right or a wrong. As shared story. Just from one point in time and one perspective.

Clearly there are no rewards waiting for the retired teacher…but some of the greatest teachers in our culture have died or been imprisoned or ostracized for their activities and their principles…women and men worthy of our honoring. And many given lives to good works to make our country stronger for their efforts in teaching lives.

If you complain or try to shed light on injustice and injury, on a loss of power or increase in oppression, this does not make you a martyr.. perhaps one can find more eloquent words to battle against the rebranding forces at work, but let us not go down without a fight, rhetorical or otherwise.

Words like martyr, particularly in the current global military environment are packed with overwhelming and ugly stuff.

There are some folks left speaking for children…thinking...risking. Mothers first, fathers, then teachers..and some mother teachers, they need to speak up. Risk the martyr label or whatever….it may be a response to some imperfectly omitted bile letting, but nevertheless, there is no dishonor in attempting to see in teaching ways to make a difference. Speak your truths. It is not an either/or though I suspect the branding wants to push this there...this is not done at the expense of good instruction and quality. I can process views unlike my own.We need to speak not just to our answers but to our realities. Especially when told from a day in the life of the classroom. It's a function of operation within context, it helps to build understandings, meanings.. I think it very powerful to talk about daily teaching.

And NOW the Article I want to copy and post here.
THIS INITIATES MY........ WOMAN's History Month Celebration......

PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE ON WOMEN AND TEACHING.

It's an awesome bit of work.
And Here is Another from PBS. Learn More about teaching...