the Artfulinsomniac’s blog

Bill Moyers Journal presents an interesting documentary about what it means to go broke because you cannot afford good insurance.  For anyone that thinks this is the greatest health care system in the world.

Here is an interested article on a interesting film.
Film Comment: Jim Jarmusch

Like most Americans resolutions have no hold on me. The usual resolution is to do less bad stuff, more good stuff and have fun in the process.  This year may be different since I feel I am at an impasse.   I teach in an affluent school, where I am given a long tether, but at other times I feel that is just what it is, a tether.  My days are typical 11 hour days since I am obligated to stay after school and tutor students, the job is rewarding, exhausting, and frustrating all in the same minute of every hour of every day I am there. The job works for me on some levels:  I am good at what I do, my co-workers like me, but it works against me on so many levels, such as the kids have no respect for me or for anything really, their parents have taught them to do want is necessary to get the numerical grade necessary to move them along to where they need to be, and learning be damned.  That is the frustrating part, that many of the parents either consciously or subconsciously subvert my authority, making me into an obstacle rather than a guidepost.  Do not get me wrong there are families at this school that make my heart melt, but for every interaction I have with them I have 2 interactions with the obstacle makers.  So that brings me to my decision, do I abandon my stable job in these economically dubious times, or do I make a stand and get a little grayer and perhaps lose some of myself as I play the psychological games these parents have set in motion? Like most Americans resolutions have no hold on me. The usual resolution is to do less bad stuff, more good stuff and have fun in the process.  This year may be different since I feel I am at an impasse.   I teach in an affluent school, where I am given a long tether, but at other times I feel that is just what it is, a tether.  My days are typical 11 hour days since I am obligated to stay after school and tutor students, the job is rewarding, exhausting, and frustrating all in the same minute of every hour of every day I am there. The job works for me on some levels:  I am good at what I do, my co-workers like me, but it works against me on so many levels, such as the kids have no respect for me or for anything really, their parents have taught them to do want is necessary to get the numerical grade necessary to move them along to where they need to be, and learning be damned.  That is the frustrating part, that many of the parents either consciously or subconsciously subvert my authority, making me into an obstacle rather than a guidepost.  Do not get me wrong there are families at this school that make my heart melt, but for every interaction I have with them I have 2 interactions with the obstacle makers.  So that brings me to my decision, do I abandon my stable job in these economically dubious times, or do I make a stand and get a little grayer and perhaps lose some of myself as I play the psychological games these parents have set in motion?

It is the first day of the aught-neuf, and I've had a lot on my mind for the last year.  My new year's resolution will be to post not more, just at all.

http://www.bloggernews.net/114234