Oh, isn't this darling. The Scottsdale (AZ) Unified School District has decided to demonstrate its commitment to learning by getting rid of all those stuffy old titles for school employees:
She used to be known as the receptionist. Now she's the Director of First Impressions. Barbara Levine is one of several employees in the Scottsdale Unified School District whose job titles have changed in a sharp departure from the traditional titles that parents grew up using.
National workplace experts say they are unaware of another school district in the United States that has changed its titles so dramatically, and they disagree over whether the new titles, which are designed to reflect the district's commitment to learning, are good. Parents, they say, could become confused over whom to contact if they have a complaint.
Was the school bus late? Blame the "transporter of learners," formerly the bus driver. Got a problem with your school principal? Take it up with the 10-word "executive director for elementary schools and excelling teaching and learning," formerly known as the assistant superintendent of elementary schools.
And of this demonstrates Scottsdale's commitment to learning...how? I'd be more impressed if Scottsdale could prove all their students could spell words like "transporter" and "excelling."
Workplace experts disagree whether the new job titles are a positive step. Liz Ryan, who spent 20 years in human resources and founded WorldWIT, a Web site devoted to women's workplaces issues, calls the new titles "trivial, sad and misguided."
"When you are talking about education, you better be kind of serious, and I don't mean stodgy, but grown-up. 'Director of First Impressions' makes me want to gag," she said.
I suppose it's illegal to ask Liz to marry me, but I still want to. She hits the nail on the head - these new titles don't so much demonstrate a commitment to education as they demonstrate a fear of seeming old, stodgy, grown-up, un-hip, boring, etc.
Ryan said the word "director" implies there is something wrong with being a receptionist. Director also implies that the receptionist supervises many other employees, which isn't usually the case. This may make it hard for the Director of First Impressions to find another receptionist job, she said, because people will get confused by the title on her resume. Common job titles exist for a reason, Ryan said, so people can figure out whom to call when they need help.
Yes, and even though parents haven't complained yet, it's possible that some will be confused by all this. But hey, the employees are happy:
As for Levine, Scottsdale's Director of First Impressions, she loves her new title. "I think it's classy," she recently said while answering the telephone and directing a visitor to the right office. "It sounds so important. Everyone wants to be important."
Sounds like the natural extension of the feel-good "self-esteem" movements so popular in "progressive" education theory.
Update: Link is fixed now (and no, I don't shop at NM!)
Posted by kswygert at February 24, 2005 02:23 PM