The Spin Doctor.

I hate spin. I see it in politics, churches, and even as a form of impression management between friends.

I crave authenticity. If things in your life are a hot mess, I would prefer you wail and shout to the heavens and own up to your pain, grief, questions, and failures. I would not prefer you to unemotionally declare something along the lines of, "the complexity of this situation will allow me unprecedented personal growth, and I welcome the process." Sure, in some ways it's just being positive, and I'm all about personal growth. But it just seems a bit (or a million bits) too inauthentic for my taste.

Are you with me?

I thought so!

But here's the problem.

I'm a hypocrite!
I am using this despicable spin, that I detest, on a fairly regular basis.
Spin has become a necessary evil in my life.

Here's an example of how I'm currently using spin in my day job.

Background:
The high-stakes PSSA testing is coming up, and it's sending teachers across the state into frenzied skill cramming and test-preparation mode.

Spin:
Here's the chant/mantra I wrote for the kiddos as a rev up to the test. Picture a call/response, a shouty pentecostal like vibe. The teacher says a line and they repeat it.



We've worked all year in reading and Math

We know that are brains are on the right path.

We're some of the smartest in the U S of A.

And we're gonna show the world on the PSSA!


Here's what I would do without the spin:

I drill you with skills for most of the day

Cause real learning isn't measured on the PSSA.

My job review is based on the scores of this class

So pick the right answers or I'll look like an a##!



I have become the spin doctor.