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Techno-Rhymes
A class project
Class of 2001/2002
Techno-rhymes is the name given to a
class project initiated at Althouse to address a nagging
and almost invisible problem faced by technology teacher
candidates. The problem is that technology as a subject
is perceived by students and the general public as a
mechanistic or electronic phenomenon, void of any
emotion or soul, and subsequently any credibility.
Compounding this perception problem is
the pervasiveness of technology, i.e., the elusiveness
and expansiveness of it. How is a technology teacher to
fully convey these complexities so that student and
parent perceptions are more complete/favourable?
Technology teachers have understandings and feelings
about their life’s work and technology as a school
subject but often don’t have a mechanism for expressing
those feelings. Their work as teachers is always
coloured, you might say, by a public perception of
technology and what technicians/technologists do. They
know in their souls about the essence of technology but
find it difficult to celebrate that essence in school
settings.
The idea of addressing this
communication/professional development/societal
challenge (in Canada, at least) came from an unlikely
source–a century-old song called "The Man Behind the
Plough." This song was introduced to me by social
historian/composer/musician Ian Bell of Paris, Ontario.
It appears on a cassette called "A Grand Musical
Entertainment: Grassroots Music of Early Ontario."
Upon listening to the song I realized
that the man behind the plough was a metaphor for all
the technicians, tradespeople, farmers, artisans,
technologists and engineers who keep our technological
civilization modernized and operating. If it weren’t for
these people our electricity would not be ensured, our
vehicles would be less dependable, and our electronic
media would malfunction. In short, the many comforts we
enjoy and look forward to enjoying would be jeopardized.
In the case of "The Man Behind the Plough", a source of
wholesome food and grain products would be less assured.
The song crystalized for me how little
respect non-technological people have for the ‘toil’ and
the ‘joy’ that is associated with technological work.
Yes there is a work component which is often maligned
and diminished, especially by those who have not toiled
or celebrated technical achievements themselves. But
there is also an intrinsic value and self-fulfillment
from this work that is overlooked and goes unheralded.
The lyric ‘ If you’re honest in your purpose at your
knees the world must bow’ ultimately triggered
techno-rhymes or what might be called a technology
teacher education ‘comeback project’ . The
reception given the project by this years students has
signalled for me a new hope and status for technology
teaching in the schools.
The following songs and poems,
selected and/or composed by this year’s graduating
technology teachers, are a fine tribute to the forgotten
non-academic side of school life, and the self-esteem
which is associated with that kind of learning. Let us
hope that valuing of work and experience becomes at
least as visible as academic knowledge, especially at a
time when more and more of reality is abstracted through
media depictions. Advocates of schooling, students and
parents alike, would do well to open their senses to the
many work songs, poems, films and personal experiences
that testify to what being productively human means.
To celebrate the project the class met
once a week to learn the song by Thomas Westendorf and
develop their choir and voice skills. Professor Eyre
from the music department provided piano accompaniment
and voice exercises.
Thanks to all.
R. Hansen
These submissions are
in their original form
Each of these projects are in pdf format - Adobe
Acrobat Reader is required to read
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