Carey Dillinger, September,1994
The Daily Commercial
Contrary to what many students think, a teacher spends most of his or her time trying to simplify the subject at hand. This is their primary job. When the state of Florida issues a teaching certificate not only does this qualify a teacher in his area of certification, but it makes him an active member of the "Jargon Police." As a "Jarfoot" (slang for jargon policeman) a teacher must spend some time sorting through the various types of jargon encountered and labeling it acceptable or non-acceptable. Exactly what do we mean by jargon? From The American Heritage Dictionary - Standard Edition :
jargon (jär-gõn) n.
1. Nonsensical, incoherent, or meaningless talk.
2. A hybrid language or dialect; a pidgin.
3. The specialized or technical language of a trade, profession, or similar group.
Some synonyms for jargon include: terminology, buzzwords and lingo. ( The arts and sciences have their own jargon for the word jargon, they call their's nomenclature, while the media has labeled educational jargon as "edu-speak").
When jargon is the specialized language of a profession it can be a good thing. If a surgical team uses a shorthand technical language during an operation to facilitate the successful completion of that procedure, jargon is good. If tradesmen use their jargon to make their work easier or more efficient then so be it. If however, the surgeon or the auto mechanic choose to bring their jargon out of the operating room or garage and into the waiting room, then their technical language degenerates into nonsensical, incoherent or meaningless talk!
Jargon is bad when it causes confusion or keeps the average person from understanding something they are fully capable of understanding. Some examples of bad jargon include: all "some assembly required" toy and furniture instructions, all tax documents, some insurance policies, some contracts, and of course quite a few of the nineteen competencies of the Lake County Schools Managerial Development Plan.
For those of you not familiar with the Lake County Schools Managerial Development Plan, it was developed during the 1980's so that Lake County would be in compliance with Section 231.0861 of Florida Statutes and within guidelines developed by the Florida Council on Educational Management. The purpose: " to implement a process for selection, screening , and appointment of principals and assistant principals." Copies of this plan are available in document form from the school board office in Tavares. It was promulgated at the public expense. (Promulgated is governmental jargon for "published.") The Plan lists the nineteen competencies that must be mastered for a candidate to be considered for a principalship in Lake County. Now take a deep breath and read the list of competencies aloud: Proactive Orientation, Decisiveness, Commitment to School Mission, Interpersonal Search, Information Search, Concept Formation, Conceptual Flexibility, Managing Interaction, Persuasiveness, Concern for Image, Tactical Adaptability, Achievement Motivation, Management Control, Developmental Orientation, Organizational Ability, Delegation, Self Presentation, Written Communication, and Organizational Sensitivity.
Now it's time for us to use our imaginations...
"Hi honey, welcome home. How did your interview go? Wasn't it for the assistant principalship of Quartlow Middle School ?"
"No dear, that interview was last week. I lost that job because of flaws in my 'tactical adaptability.' This week I was going for the Skidway Elementary Dean's opening."
"So how did this one go?"
"Great, I think. First I knocked them dead with my 'self presentation' and followed that with a masterful demonstration of 'proactive orientation.' Next I stunned them with a intuitive understanding of 'concern for image' by excusing myself to the little person's room to fix my hair."
"Oh Sweetie, that was a great maneuver, I'm sure you got high marks for 'achievement motivation!'"
"Finally, they wanted to ask me some questions, but I was able to 'manage the interaction' by agreeing to submit my answers through 'written communication.'"
Some time the following week...
"I know you're disappointed about not getting that dean's job, what went wrong?"
"I really don't know, they said I needed to do an interpersonal and information search, then try to formulate a flexible concept. I basically took that to mean, 'Don't call us, we'll call you.'"
Does a school administrator actually need to meet 19 specific competencies to be an effective principal or could it be possible that he could possess just a few general qualities and do the job? Let's think a minute. The excellent principal must know how to deal with four groups of folks: students, staff, parents and boosters, while successfully answering to the superintendent and the school board. He needs to have personal characteristics that will make this possible. He must be able to make all of his decisions based on the answer to one question: Is it for the good of my school and my students? Now, if he answers "yes" to this question, then he needs to be willing to consult the staff and the parents. If his decision is made according to these criteria and it violates no laws or county policies, then he must be able to expect support ,not interference, from the county office and school board.
As you can see the Jarfoot's work is never done. As long as there are politicians, bureaucrats, lawyers, "technonerds," and assorted other jargon lovin' miscreants, the Jargon Police will be on patrol, making Lake County idiomatically safe for you, me, and the rest of the conceptually inflexible.
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