[tips] Random Thought: A Chance Meeting
Susie and I were in a local restaurant the other evening. We were sitting there, looking at the menu. A server from another table looked at me and asked, "You Dr. Schmier?" "Last time I looked," I answered with an impishly grin. The server smiled back. "That was some class we had the last semester before you retired (Fall, 2012). Never had another one like it. It really got to me. You really got inside me and somehow saw what I needed, like no other professor has. Because of that class and the way we learned about the history and ourselves, I now have such confidence in myself and believe I can do anything I want. That's all because of you." "Thank you, but it's really because of you," I quietly replied. It was TJ. He's a psych major. I could feel the latent teacher within me rise to the surface when I asked him what he was going to do after graduation, "I'm going to be a physical therapist, but I have to take physiology classes and the like after I graduate." I burst out with something like, "You're going to be a teacher, then. Psych's a great major for that." I startled him. "I'm not going to be a teacher," he quickly and nervously exclaimed. "No, sir. I going to be just a physical therapist." "Really? How is what you want to do so different from what we did? You want to help people, don't you? You're going to treat whomever walks through the door with respect and without conditions or judgments, aren't you? You're going to have to deal with your patients, not just their aches and pains, aren't you? You're going to have to show them, teach them, how to properly do their exercises, aren't you? You going to have to convince them, give them confidence, help them overcome their fears, that they can get through the often agonizing exercises, aren't you? You going to have to listen to them, aren't you? You go to have to be understanding, especially if they don't do their 'homework,' aren't you?. You're going to have be understanding if they don't do all the reps of all the exercises, aren't you? You going to have to be patient with your patients, aren't you? You're going have to put them at ease, encourage them, support them, and help get them through their pain. You're going to have to push them slowly and caringly beyond what they think they can do or want to do, aren't you? You have to focus on the humanity of those people, get to know them, to set up an individual plan of therapy taking into account who they are, not just their malady, aren't you?You're going to have to have a kind and caring and believing 'you can do this,' aura about you, aren't you?" You're going to have to help them believe that you believe they can recover if they do whatever you asked them to do, aren't you? Sounds like what we did in class, what you just said I did with you. As I see it, you're going into the people business, not just the physical therapy business. You're going to be a teacher." "Yeah, never thought about it that way. It's that faith, hope, and love, it's that teaching with 'lovingkindness' with each person you always showed us." I nodded. We talked a few more minutes before he had to go to his tables. I turned to look at Susie. She was smiling at me with that "once a teacher always the teacher" smile. I must have nodded at her showing a combined sadness and warmed joy. All this jogged my memory of another serendipitous moment that occurred a few weeks back as I was walking Boston's Heartbreak Hill when I came up with the statement that a vision of teaching and philosophy of education is not what you have, but what you do. More on that later. Make it a good day -Louis- Louis Schmier http://www.therandomthoughts.edublogs.org 203 E. Brookwood Pl http://www.therandomthoughts.com Valdosta, Ga 31602 (C) 229-630-0821 /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /^\\/ \/ \ /\/\__ / \ / \ / \/ \_ \/ / \/ /\/ / \/\ \ //\/\/ /\\__/__/_/\_\/ \_/__\ \ /\"If you want to climb mountains,\ /\ _ / \don't practice on mole hills" - / \_ --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@mail-archive.com. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5=T=tips=47061 or send a blank email to leave-47061-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
[tips] Random Thought: A Chance Meeting
It was a good walk this morning. In the fifth mile of my six mile roundtrip, I didn't realize what was about to happen. This is what I best remember. I was moving along at my usual fast pace, abreast of the Phys Ed building, when I heard voice shout out behind me, Dr. Schmier! I stopped. I turned. I recognized the face. I didn't remember the name. Before I could get a word out, she blurted with a feigned frown, Dr. Schmier, I hate you. Then a beaming smile appeared to lighten up her face, And, I love you. She leapt forward and gave me a tight hug. Excited, she stepped slightly back, and in an almost out-of-breath tat-a-tat fashion saying, I just have to tell you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. After all these years, I still just can't get that Holocaust class out of my mind. That yellow star is still branded into my heart. I see that yellow star every time I pull out my underwear drawer. I deliberately put it there so I knew I'd see it every day. The 'Jew' on it just screams at me every day, and I think about what good I'm going to that day. I even read the first page of the syllabus once a week. You just don't know what's happened to me since that class. I'm not shy anymore and I don't do things by what I think other people will think or say, or by who they want me to be. I'm not afraid anymore. Me! I becoming more and more brave. I'm so conscious of struggling not to be prejudice, I watch every word I say and everything I do and I'm so aware of other people and being respectful to them. I now refuse to be the onlooker and bystander I once was. I refuse to be one of those silent good people. Me! Can you believe it? I call down my friends, boyfriend, my parents, especially my mother, my sisters, people in my church back home, anyone, once did it to my preacher, and talk with them. And it all began with you and that class. You're not just my favorite teacher; you're my best professor; you transformed me into a much, much better person than I ever thought I could be, all in one class. They called it a 'Perspective Class.' Boy was that the truth! It sure effected mine. Dumbstruck, eyes watery, I couldn't find any words. Before I could utter at least a thank you, She gave me another hug and said abruptly, I'm late for class. Got to go. I saw you and just wanted you to know that you've made a big difference in my life and maybe in other lives I've touched. Bye. And off she hurriedly ran into the Phsy Ed building. I just stood there, frozen, numb, deeply humble, a tear or two falling from my eyes. There was such joy in her voice, and I still don't know who she was, but she sure knows. I turned and walked faster than normal, thinking this is what education should be,transforming, and struggling to remember her words. I've got to get to work on the book I want to write about that Holocaust class with its Star Project, and break through the organizational barrier that's been stopping these past two years. Make it a good day -Louis- Louis Schmier http://www.therandomthoughts.edublogs.org 203 E. Brookwood Pl http://www.therandomthoughts.com Valdosta, Ga 31602 (C) 229-630-0821 /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /^\\/ \/ \ /\/\__ / \ / \ / \/ \_ \/ / \/ /\/ / \/\ \ //\/\/ /\\__/__/_/\_\/ \_/__\ \ /\If you want to climb mountains,\ /\ _ / \don't practice on mole hills - / \_ --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@mail-archive.com. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5n=Tl=tipso=40182 or send a blank email to leave-40182-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
[tips] Random Thought: A Chance Meeting
In response to my last reflection, one professor wrote in what seemed to be a demanding tone, let's just stick to technology and pedagogy. I wasn't going to respond until an answer unexpectedly happened my way yesterday. I was disobeying my beautiful Nurse Rachet and working, braced knee and all, the drive-through line of the synagogue's corn beef sandwich sale fundraiser. A black Lexus pulled up. I leaned through the open window. A smiling young lady leaned over holding two tickets. I exchanged them for two sandwich boxes. Then, as if not caring that cars were lining up behind her, she hit me square in my heart. I wasn't ready for it. Dr. Schmier. You don't remember me, do you. I was Sally Sax (not her real name) in your class twelves years ago. You came to the hospital to visit me when I was really sick and missing class. I was surprised to see you. I wondered why you came since I wasn't a very good student. You told me not to worry about a project presentation my community was making and to just focus on getting well. You said, we'd work something out so it wouldn't hurt me. After you left, I cried. For the first time that I could remember, I felt worthwhile. I felt loved. I felt I mattered because you showed that you noticed me that I mattered to you. I decided right then and there to start believing in myself and turning myself into the person you believed I could be. I still am. And, I'm teaching what you taught me to my children. I never said anything about this in my journals or to you. So, I think it's time to say, 'thank you.' I'd come out and give you a big hug if there weren't so many people behind me. I just silently leaned on the door for a second, speechless. The ache in my braced knee disappeared. I could feel a tear forming. Then, I said a quiet thank you. It was enough. With that, I backed away, she smiled and drove off. When I told my Susie, she asked if I remembered Sally. I answered, No. But, I couldn't get Sally out of my mind. This morning, as I was reading David Brooks' oped in the NY Times, and writing a comment, it hit me. I remembered; and, I remembered that I could never figure out why Sally had suddenly blossomed after she came back from a week in the hospital. Now I know. So, to this professor, I say, no. I won't. I can't. I'm someone who speaks to people about living a deep, meaningful life, professionally and personally. Though I've never have ignored technology and pedagogy, but I'll focus more so on people. Hippocrates said something to the effect that it is more important to know what sort of person has a disease than to know what sort of disease a person has. It's not different in the classroom. We each have self-fulfilling views of both ourselves and students. We shouldn't see students merely as avatars of GPAs, stripped of their intrinsic worth of being a human being. We are at our best when we present education as personal transformation and development rather than as ritualized test-taking and grade-getting. So, I'm not just asking you to consider living and teaching according to the dictum of my Teacher's Oath. I'm begging you. Technology and methodology are important, but not more than is the individual person. There are a lot of people like Sally out there. Make it a good day -Louis- Louis Schmier http://www.therandomthoughts.edublogs.org 203 E. Brookwood Pl http://www.therandomthoughts.com Valdosta, Ga 31602 (C) 229-630-0821 /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /^\\/ \/ \ /\/\__ / \ / \ / \/ \_ \/ / \/ /\/ / \/\ \ //\/\/ /\\__/__/_/\_\/ \_/__\ \ /\If you want to climb mountains,\ /\ _ / \don't practice on mole hills - / \_ --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5n=Tl=tipso=35718 or send a blank email to leave-35718-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
