Republic credits are no good out here. I need something more real.

Qui-Gon Jinn:  ”I have twenty thousand Republic dataries. ”
Watto:            ”Republic credits? Republic credits are no good out here. I need something more real.” 
Qui-Gon Jinn:  ”I don’t have anything else [waves hand] but credits will do fine.” 
Watto:            ”No, they won’t-a.” 
           [Qui-Gon waves his hand more firmly] 
Qui-Gon Jinn:  ”Credits will do fine.” 
           Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace

Talk about needing something more real…

As a former substitute teacher (those few, short years Padawan Learner was in school), I remember all too well the experience that Chris shares in Education as the Emperor’s New Clothes.

It’s the sit down, shut up, can’t pee without a pass, worksheets in place of discussion, and grades instead of knowledge that really riles me up about so many classrooms today. Don’t misunderstand me. I don’t think classrooms are necessarily bad. I did voluntarily go all the way through 18th grade, after all. Similarly, I don’t think they’re automatically good places, either. They are just places where learning can (and often does) happen and where learning can be (and very often is) pushed aside for paperwork’s sake. The same things can happen in homeschools, universities and laboratories.

Psst – Many, many thanks to The Real Mother Lode for the link.

May the Force be with us all, Share!

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