The Capstone deathnell commences iwishihad comment

Randolph was not terribly literate, he just 'got by'. He had been interested in wood since time immemorial. He loved the stuff! After his apprenticeship to a MASTER woodworker he had established a small shop, making and selling all types of wooden things. Beds, chairs wardrobes, footstools, you name it. Sales were good. People, somehow 'felt' Randolph's soul within the wonderful things he made.

A few years after establishing the small business a Japanese man set up a Karate school next door. Randolph was a bit apprehensive in the presence of Takahashi, Sensei, Fifth-Dan in Shotokan style but after a while they became great friends. For many years they would have evenings together drinking saki while Randolph taught Takahashi English and Takahashi introduced Randoph to Kyudo, Zen archery. When Randolph made his first Yew Bow as a birthday present for Takahashi, both were quiet as Takahashi reverently examined the work of art, then, turning to Randolph, he bowed, very low, uttering 'Sensei'. He stood, raising 'his' Bow, made by a Master, a Sensei, to full height and as he drew back the silken string the Yew wood made a sound that sent Randolph's reflective, internal conscious metaphor of himself silent.

Life was good for Randolph. A wife, a girl-child, a great friend in Takahashi, and time flew.

Then the 'GST' arrived when he was some seven years from retirement. Randolph had to close down. He thought it meant 'Gimme Somemore Tax?'

As an 'experienced' woodworker the local TAFE Institute welcomed his lifelong-learnt ability and gave him a yearly, renewable contract as is the wont of modern education philosophy. The 'TaxMan' didn't see it as a 'contract' so continued to do what it always did.

Randolph knew nothing of teaching or learning, yet the students seemed to revere his ability and the simplicity of his approach in helping them learn. It wasn't real woodwork, just nailing bits of timber together to make houseframes. But Randolph's mastership turned this simple task into works of art. Quality unmeasurable by any Capstone test applied in lexical 'process, deliberately-depleted-of-content-fashion', devoid of sensitivity, or, perhaps, real, human, currently termed, flexibility.

A few years flew by again. Then, his daughter, Arbor, arrived in tears. She had been working as a receptionist for the past twelve years and had been told that she had to pay for, and undertake, a Training Course for 'Receptionist' or she would lose her job. Randolph couldn't believe it and all he could do was foolishly suggest that she get pregnant ASAP. She did. (Failed the Course Assessment and not only kept her job but got six months, paid maternity leave, got pregnant again and....there's more!)

The day after Arbor's visit Randolph was called into the Program Manager's office, (not the real one, the 'flexible Powers That Be' hadn't renewed the previous one's Contract and had left the teachers to 'sort it out') and informed him that he would have to obtain either a Certificate in Education or a Workplace Assessor Certificate IV or else his Contract wouldn't be renewed. The saving grace was that the Course was 'paid for'. The PM (temp -- also 'on-contract') explained further. This only confused Randolph even further.

Almost the total 'teachforce' was at the first face-to-face, 'FG612, How Learners Learn'. Randolph couldn't understand. First off some sort of 'game' was played, paired-up, the pairs had to write each others names on a flipboard sheet together with 'perceived attributes'. Randolph had trouble with both words! Then it got worse -- the handouts had words he had never even seen before! He returned home despondent and sat trying to understand the academic lexical, black 'squiggles' on the white-stuff before him hoping that learning the foreign things would make him 'teach' better. It didn't.

He hadn't the ability to reflexively reflect on the reflection of his reflected reflexivity.

He could only deal with wood.

He failed the Cert. Ed. Course, and failed to get his Contract when it came up for renewal.

As he sat at home pondering the 'NC' lexical on the piece of paper, the familiar, soft, respective "Sensei Randolph", alleviated his stupor. "Sensei Takahashi", he replied rising to bow to Takahashi who returned the simple gesture of respect.

For the very first time, in a very long aquaintance, he noticed Takahashi's white hair, and, momentarily touched his own.

Takahashi delved beneath his ghi and held a piece of paper out to him, "I have failed a 'Workers Place Assignment, funny word", he said. The puzzled look on his face was understood as Randolph read the lexicalities on the deathnell notice.

"BSZ401A; NYC: BSZ402A; NYC: BSZ403A; NYC: BSZ404A; NYC: BSZ405A; NYC: BSZ406A; NYC: BSZ407A; NYC:BSZ408A; NYC"

"I shall return to Japan", Takahashi replied when Randolph explained, "You must come, Sensei Bowmaker", He paused, then smiled and added, softly, without vehemence, "Your 'Dream-Alive' place is really fucked!"

Randolph looked at his old friend. Tears came to his ageing eyes. He had, at least picked up something from the "Educational Swamp" this dream-alive land is now being sucked into. The terms of "Fairness and Flexibility" were hypocritical.

He had seen Sensei Takahashi do the splits with feet on housebricks.

Seen him lay his gonads some centimetres below the split legs.

They both knew what 'flexibility' meant! No?

That night the saki flowed. Takahashi played on his Taiko and Randolph stretched the silk string on his best Yew bow until he entered his Bicameral depths and 'became' the Taiko sound, when played by a Master, 'became' the sound the Yew Bow makes, when stretched by a Master.

Perhaps two "Mastards" according to their "NYC" lexical assessments?

Randolph and his wife now live very happily in a small village near Kumamoto Bunka No Mori, in Japan. (Bunka no more?) Randolph makes the very best Yew Bows Japan has ever perceived. Everyone knows he's a 'Sensei'. There are no Capstone tests in the village. No "BSZ shit!" Takahashi teaches Shotokan there. He is now Tenth Dan.

The only paper they are currently aware of are the walls of their dwellings and the small, paper boats they both made, over a cup of saki, one from Randolph's Contract lexical, 'NC', and one from Takahashi's Workplace Assessment IV lexical, 'NYC'.

They both know these little paper boats will someday carry a lit candle down the local river telling the world that they have gone to that Great Capstone in the sky.

Always assuming that they have achieved, "Competent," to do so, no?

Corollary:

Arbor currently has eight children without Capstone approval. She lost her job some years ago but earns more money from child allowance than she ever did while working!

The Workplace Assessment system was revised some years later allowing prior experience, without lexical proof, but with Workplace Assessment defined by the candidate, to take precedence over academic qualifications and the ability to speak in big words. This seemed fair, since the young have currency of qualifications and non-current lifelong experience while the ageing have non-current qualifications and current lifelong experience.

It was alleged that the Prime Minister, in his fourth term of office, had this assessment revision done when he objected to being appraised by a Workplace Assessor IV of being assessed 'Truthful' and 'Representing the people' of this 'Dream-Alive' land. He was alleged to comment that his lifelong competency of 'doing and being', er, 'being and doing' proved his competence. The Treasurer, also in his fourth term, was commented to make no allegation, er, alleged to make no comment.

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