HARLEM SHAKE

The title in my blog may be interesting. Nowadays, after Gangnam Style, there is a wind of Harlem Shake. People mostly don't understand the real effect of the music and its strange and unnecessary looking dance. If we detailly analyze the starting point and the developing part of the dance, we can make healthy inferences about it. There is a person wearing a strange clothe and a halmet or a cone on his head. He starts dancing alone but the other people around acts as if he is not there. They go on working, studying or doing their routines. Suddenly, with the change of music, everybody starts dancing wearing strange clothes and doing different moves and actions. There is of course a philosophical explanation of this situation. The guy dancing alone represents the inner world of people which is completely mad; opposite of social behavior. People watching the first part with the solo dancer become confused since the guy doesn't behave normal. Then they become a part of the dance by the second part and they show their inner world with all its nakedness. Thus, Harlem Shake  attracts the attention of most people no matter they like or hate it.

TEACHERS AS SCAPEGOATS WHEN FAILURE IN EDUCATION

Education is a tripod with school, student and parent. If the situation of one's absence, education becomes meaningless since the tripod lose the ability of standing. In Turkey, especially during the last decade, teachers have been continiously kept under pressure, checked and complained about by the school administrations, parents and communities' gossip mechanism. There are request boxes for the students in order to watch and learn about their requests and complains about their teachers but sometimes some students may write defamations just because they don't like the teachers or they are away from the lessons and rules.

The condition mentioned above, effects the teachers' productivity negatively. Mostly teachers lose their aspiration on teaching and using fruitful approaches and they become unwilling and frustrated educators which is not preferable in a healthy education. In adition, even if teachers apply very useful tecniques and approaches, they may decide to change their methods of teaching. This most probably effect the students who are really aware of and interested in the subjects.

Of course the critiques and complains are constructive if they are real but on the other hand, in the situation of false directions, they are so harmful and destructive for the mental and social position of teachers. If there is failure in reaching the goals and targets, teachers are the direct collocuters and responsible individuals; not students or parents. That's, it is a hard job to teach and pay attention at the same time. Theachers are the scapegoats.

EVALUATION OF THE SURVEY ON SCHOOL UNIFORMS

There was a survey which I broadcasted last month about free clothing at schools. I applied it for my students at the age of 12. By the help of the results, I can say that they agree on school uniforms with the percentage of 54.  Only % 33  want to come to school freely. % 12 have no idea or they don't care. As National Education Ministry of Turkey declared last year, the request of school uniforms at schools would be removed. However they have changed their mind. I think the surveys among the students and families are top efficient for their change. I applied a very simple questionnaire to see the reality. I am sure the Ministry applied very detailed and professional surveys, meetings, researches and consultations to understand the importance of the real needs of the students. In my opinion, we haven't any problems with clothing at schools. The real issue should be the techniques, approaches and curriculum and we should focus on these. Actually, we have experienced many many times the deadlock whenever we deal with people's clothes.

For me, the most important thing in an effective and productive educational environment is discipline. A sweet-hard discipline provides a well built educational system. Pupils should own self-discipline and regularity in addition to self-confidence. The uniform gives the sense of discipline and belonging.