Silence Is Complicity

In Silence Is Complicity, Dr. Torin Finzer speaks loudly to counter balance the deficiencies in the "No Child Left Behind program" (NCLB). While the NCLB has a great marketing slogan that is difficult to disagree with, at its core it is an abrogation of the spirit of freedom that is the lifeblood of the Cultural realm by the Governmental realm. Additionally the Economical realm also supplants cultural ideals with an accountant’s methodology, hence accountability. The central participants--children, teachers and parents are left in a strange new world that does not address the core of education, the leading of a child into adulthood.

Dr. Finzer advocates that teachers should be bold in their profession. Would doctors or lawyers allow such government intervention? Teachers are the key players in a play that has the child as the book and the classroom as the stage. Why should the teachers be beholden to nonplayers who lack the connection, responsibility and daily care of children?

One of Dr. Finzers solutions to thwart this takeover is to promote the Teaching Profession through teacher research. This will elevate the teacher, the profession and most importantly the students’ experience.

Dr. Finzer uses the term teacher researcher as Dr. Steiner would use the term spiritual scientist. Both are engaged in an internal, meditative approach that is aimed at improving all of humanity, not just the solitary ego. The teacher works on her self and her material for the benefit of her students. This selfless act benefits all. It is a free act filled with love and joy!

If we are fortunate enough to have been taught by a great teacher, we look back at the experience with awe. The teacher had love for each student and love of his subject area. This heartfelt enthusiasm (gemut) for both elevated the classroom into a fertile field that has produced great fruit down the years.

Dr. Finzer and I were blessed to have experienced such teachers. One was Prof. Fritz Koelln at Bowdoin College who epitomized Chaucer’s famous statement concerning teachers--“And gladly would he learn and gladly teach” (The Canterbury Tales, General Prologue, line 310).

Prof. Koelln started teaching at Bowdoin in 1928 and retired in 1971. While he taught, he audited a course every semester. He audited over 80 courses! Prof Koelln joked that he was the oldest undergraduate at Bowdoin and despite taking four times the number of required courses, never graduated! Prof. Koelln never stopped being a student and learned “each day anew.”

I cannot imagine Prof. Koelln being audited by a NCLB mentality. It would have destroyed his freedom to approach teaching as an artist and might have turned him into a pedant.

Teachers can learn from themselves, other teachers and most importantly students “in media res,” in the classroom. This is one of the greatest joys in teaching--to create a mood that allows for imagination, inspiration and intuition to unfold. To paraphrase Dr. Steiner, you don’t really know something until you have taught it. To capture this creative joy is at the core of Dr. Finzer’s approach to teacher research, which can occur anywhere including the classroom. Dr. Finzer gives practical guides on how to do that which teachers do all the time--learn so they can teach. This process becomes almost meditative in its approach.

If we allow teachers the freedom to teach from their highest ideals, our children will experience that freedom. It will transform their lives.

Neill Reilly
April 28, 2007

CONTENTS

Introduction

1. Standards Set by the Federal Government: Who Has Been Left Behind?
2. Back Off, Big Brother!
3. Introduction to Research
4. Perceptions of Obstacles to Teacher Research
5. Reinventing Research: New Concepts, New Approaches
6. Why Do Research?
7. Seeing, Feeling, Finding Your Question
8. Thoughts on Research Methods
9. Organizing a Research Project
10. Sharing Research
11. A Collaborative Model for Teacher Research
12. Why Do Research? (Revisited)
13. Research as Teacher Empowerment

Appendix

Torin M. Finser

Torin M. Finser received his PhD in educational leadership from Union Graduate School, his MA in education from Adelphi University, and his BA from Bowdoin College. He taught at the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School, where he also served as faculty chairman. He has done extensive consulting with schools in organizational dynamics and leadership development and has been a keynote speaker at conferences around the world.

Dr. Finser is the author of numerous books, beginning with School as a Journey (1995), which has been translated into Mandarin, Farsi, Thai, Arabic, Korean, and Spanish. Torin has served as General Secretary of the Anthroposophical Society in America and Chair of the Education Department at Antioch University New England, and is currently Director of Waldorf Programs.

A founder of the Center for Anthroposophy, he has recently pioneered their new Building Bridges Program for practicing teachers in independent and charter schools and Explorations for Waldorf parents. Educational History PhD, Union Graduate School, 1994 Educational Leadership with emphasis on Teacher Stress/Renewal MA, Adelphi University, 1978 Education BA, Bowdoin College, 1977 Double major in history and German Literature. Graduated in three years, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa. Waldorf, 1960–1974 Student at three Waldorf Schools: Rudolf Steiner School in NYC Green Meadow Waldorf School, NY, Freie Waldorf Schule in Krefeld, Germany.

Torin is married to Karine, has six children, and is also now a very happy grandfather!