XplanaZine

One of the things I love about air travel is the mystery that surrounds it. Now, I know that there is something going on behind those sacred cockpit doors. Rumors and TV shows tell me that the pilots actually guide the plane through the air and, with advanced knowledge and instrumentation, get us from one place to another.

But, in reality, I don’t know that. Not being part of the pilot guild, I don’t get to sit in the cockpit while a plane is flying. For all I know, once those doors are closed, the pilots do a mind meld with the plane’s central computer and engineer the whole trip with thought waves. Like I said, I don’t know. I’m not in the guild.

I’m not part of that secret society because I didn’t learn all the things you have to know to get in it. I’ve never had any training, I have no practical experience, and I don’t speak the language. Put me down with a bunch of pilots and they’ll spot me as a ringer in about five seconds.

There are actually a lot of guilds I’m not in. I don’t get to go anywhere I want in a hospital because I’m not in the medical guild. I have no shortcuts regarding traffic tickets or security as I am not in the police guild. And, I have to seek out expert counsel on contracts and other court-related matters because I am not in the legal guild. I don’t have the clothes and I don’t know the handshake.

On the other hand, there are at least two important guilds I do belong to (not counting the secret club Chuck Bedsole and I established back in 1970). I belong to that illustrious secret society of parents and I am a teacher.

I was acutely aware of both of these guild memberships last night as I was talking to our oldest son about a paper he had written for a university class. He had submitted what he thought was an excellent (read “A”) paper only to have it returned with a grade of “83.” I read the paper over dinner and told him the paper was indeed terrific.

Next, using my special guild knowledge, I was able to explain why the TA grading the paper had assigned the lower grade. My explanation went something like this. “The TA was in a hurry and missed your thesis sentence because it was not in the precise position he was expecting. Your comprehensive treatment of the subject was more extended than the other papers submitted and required much closer reading that the TA had time to give (hence the lack of any comments after the second page). Finally, you wrote the paper well but in a manner that was more complex and extended than the TA requested or expected. Lesson? Always listen carefully to your client.”

After explaining the likely scenario for the grade, I was able, next, to explain how he should approach the TA about his grade. We talked about respecting the hierarchy of authority and asking for guidance and help rather than demanding explanations. It was all rather matter-of-fact on my part. I’ve been in the guild for more than twenty-five years and graded similar papers as both a TA and a professor. I understood all the pieces that went into the situation and had a good idea regarding the best solution. It was easy for me because I am in the guild. I am an expert. I am a teacher.

I guess I’ve been exercising my guild privileges since our kids started school. At every parent-teacher conference and PTA meeting, I always let people know, subtly, that I was part of the guild. It opened deeper conversations and positive possibilities. I’ve never used my membership to “fix” things but have used it often to ensure that my kids got the best education possible.

I say all of this both because I am proud to be in the teaching guild and because it feels good to be a “pilot” of a different sort — one who helps kids get where they are going. I hope my fellow guild members feel this way too.

Teachers may be overworked and underpaid, but they are nonetheless experts. They may be beset by NCLB, committees, concerned parents, and politics, but they are the experts and they are our front line of defense against societal decay.

So, if you’re a teacher, the next time you run into a group of people at a conference and start giving the secret handshake and telling war stories, remember that your community is special and that your guild supports you.

By the way, can someone e-mail me with the secret club password. I accidentally deleted the message from my inbox.

Broadcast Information

podcast feed
i-podder