Monday, February 15, 2021

Chicago Teachers Interpretive Dance

"It's our livelihood...versus...our lives."

Well, no, it isn't really.  I think that's where you're going wrong, right at that point.

If I lived in Chicago I think I would be praying "Don't let my kid get any of these overdramatic women next year."

Though if I were in high school I might be thinking "That would be awesome.  Easy A! I know exactly what to say and what to do for a final project. Honor roll, here I come!"

5 comments:

james said...

I assume the "interpretive" part is the narrative interpretation. From the dance alone I might have thought they were being swarmed by gnats.

Assistant Village Idiot said...

I think interpretive might have actually meant something years ago, and may still in some corners of formal dance instruction. But it now more usually means nothing more than free form, showy, occasionally displaying overobvious symbolism.

james said...

I take the root "interpret" to mean putting one's meaning into some kind of language for communication, whether through sounds or colors or motions--some kind of "signifiers".

Perhaps it is my fault for never learning the dance language, but the effect is that when "uninstructed ones .. come in, .. will not they say that you are mad?"

dmoelling said...

Since the 1970s the teaching profession moved from women and men who were genuinely interested in teaching (although pay wasn't great it was a respected occupation) to a job that left many unsatisfied. So you could teach while not working hard and pursue a political sideline to make yourself feel important. I was in junior high in the early 1970s and we started to get male teachers who were dodging the draft to be blunt.

The unions also brought in a soul deadening politicization of the workplace. Not just outside politics but hard union work rules, constant monitoring of union members for compliance and others.

Texan99 said...

Is there anything more dreary than a teacher with nothing useful to teach, who nevertheless has the power to make a student sit still and listen for extended periods?