Piute County School District,

I hope everybody had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Hopefully you had the opportunity to eat some good food and see friends and family. Some families enjoy talking about politics or religion as they sit down for the big fall feast. Those topics are usually fun, but working in education we have to cover that topic as well. It’s interesting to hear how everyone has such a different perspective on their school years; fond memories for some, and not so much for others. 

When asking about their perspective of education as parents the opinions can vary even more. Even among educational experts the opinions about education and it’s purposes can vary greatly. It often reminds me of a poem about six blind men that try to describe an elephant to each other. Each of the blind men touches a different part of the elephant and has a different perspective of what it is like. They argue about who is accurately describing an elephant. While none of them are wrong, none of them are truly right either.

Only by seeking to understand all of the perspectives can you piece together what something is really like. The grand purpose and ideal experience of education might be a difficult puzzle, but our students seek to understand simpler puzzles every day. We get the opportunity to show them the perspectives needed to understand. 

Thank you for all the unique perspectives and skills you bring to our school district. Everyone is needed. Take a minute to read the full poem.

Have a great week 16, 

Koby

Read the full poem, or have it read to you - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJVBQefNXIw

The Blind Men And The Elephant

It was six men of Indostan, to learning much inclined,

who went to see the elephant (Though all of them were blind),

that each by observation, might satisfy his mind.

The first approached the elephant, and, happening to fall,

against his broad and sturdy side, at once began to bawl:

"God bless me! but the elephant, is nothing but a wall!"

The second feeling of the tusk, cried: "Ho! what have we here,

so very round and smooth and sharp? To me tis mighty clear,

this wonder of an elephant, is very like a spear!"

The third approached the animal, and, happening to take,

the squirming trunk within his hands, "I see," quoth he,

the elephant is very like a snake!"

The fourth reached out his eager hand, and felt about the knee:

"What most this wondrous beast is like, is mighty plain," quoth he;

"Tis clear enough the elephant is very like a tree."

The fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, Said; "E'en the blindest man

can tell what this resembles most; Deny the fact who can,

This marvel of an elephant, is very like a fan!"

The sixth no sooner had begun, about the beast to grope,

than, seizing on the swinging tail, that fell within his scope,

"I see," quothe he, "the elephant is very like a rope!"

And so these men of Indostan, disputed loud and long,

each in his own opinion, exceeding stiff and strong,

Though each was partly in the right, and all were in the wrong!

So, oft in theologic wars, the disputants, I ween,

tread on in utter ignorance, of what each other mean,

and prate about the elephant, not one of them has seen!