[nagdu] Why people don't criticize schools

[Tracy Carcione]

I've been thinking about this some.
People have a relationship with their school, at least many do, that feels
different than a relationship with most businesses.  I spend a month at my
school, at least in the beginning.  I work closely with my trainer at
least twice a day, and probably more than that.  I have lunch with the
staff, and most meals with one trainer or another.  When I go home, I'm
encouraged to call the school if I have problems, or just to let them know
about something particularly great my dog has done for me.  And I go back
every 5-10 years.  I think this is a pretty fair synopsis of the school
experience, and it makes sense to me that many people feel like they have
a friendly relationship with their school. They have something of an
investment in it, if only in time (and perhaps more than time.)
So people want to put their school in the best light, and can get
defensive if they feel someone else is running it down.

I agree with Susan.  It's OK to point out areas in specific programs that
could use improvement, and to name names, but it has to be done with some
sensitivity.  We want to be welcoming to everyone.  I may think some
school is pretty poor, but there are people on this list with a dog from
there who are quite happy and doing well with that dog, and I have to
respect that.
Just my thoughts.
Tracy


> I also notice that if I say my school does a certain thing, people say
> their
> school does, too, but, that school may not do that thing but somehow
> people
> have to say their school does that, too.
>
> I've had this occur and have asked a couple of times about ways of doing
> things that other schools do in training and I then find that their
> schools
> do things a bit differently.
>
> Hope this made sense.  Am trying to be very tactful here.
>
> It's as if people get defensive or something.
>
> Margo andArrow
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Tracy Carcione
> Sent: Saturday, August 21, 2010 9:46 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: [nagdu] Why people don't criticize schools
>
> I don't know why other people don't speak of negative experiences
> publicly,
> but, for me, it's not so much what the school might do but what their
> devotees might do.  If I say that School X did such-and-so, it's quite
> possible people will jump all over me for saying so.  I once criticized
> GDB's ownership policy on a GDB users' list, and got attacked from every
> direction.  I don't need that crap.  Also, if I like most things about my
> school, I don't want to run them down in public.  Also, I don't want to
> criticize someone else's school in the same way I wouldn't want to
> criticize
> their friends publicly.  It just annoys people.
>
>
> I think most GDB grads don't apply for ownership out of inertia.  If the
> situation were reversed, and one had to apply for GDB to own the dog, most
> people wouldn't do that, either.
> JMO.
> Tracy
>
>> list and that is why it is rar
>
>
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