Been thinking and feeling a lot lately, more than usual. As I sat by the fish pond this morning in the pre-dawn darkness, a few tidbits of light came to me. Here are some of them:
1. Because students don't do what a professor plans for them doesn't mean the students are worthless and unable. 2. You cannot help a student "become" unless you accept where she or he is. 3. Aristotle: educating the mind without educating the heart is not educating. I call it "white collar vocational training" or "credentialing." In other words, there are a moral role and function that should be inseparably woven in with the material missions. It is so often ignored--except in eloquent and empty mission statements. Yet, it is the moral compass that should provide the guiding spirit of an education, or as Thomas Edison said, the heart and soul must control, guide and give meaning to the creations of the mind. Mastery of the subject mean nothing if we don't help students acquire a mastery of themselves. 4. Nothing makes a student more able and capable than being helped to believe she or he is able and capable. 5. I wish a lot of us would stop searching for the pot of gold in the classroom and be the pot of gold. 6. Educare! If we're spending all our time transmitting and stuffing in, how can we call forth? If we're doing so much talking, when do we listen? 7. A presumption or generalization or stereotype about students is nothing more than someone being tired of seeing, listening, feeling, and thinking. 8. The character of a teacher is revealed on the third or fourth or even fifth second chance. 9. Lectures, tests, grades? Abraham Maslow said that if the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. 10. And, on a personal note: if people knew how long and hard I work at, studying, and learning about teaching, they wouldn't think it is easy and anyone can do it. Show me someone who says he can teach in his sleep and I'll show you someone who walks into the classroom in his sleep and who puts people to sleep. 11. I wish people would listen to Heraclitus and realize they never step into the same class twice. Each day you have to start over in each class with each person. 12. We should teach to transform, not to a test. If you bungle transforming a student, don't think a book, article, or grant matter all that much. 13. How many students think their first name is "wrong" or their nickname is "you can't?" 14. My authority in the classroom does not come from my tenure, title, and/or resume; it comes from my unconditional caring, empathy for, commitment to, respect for, my belief in, faith in, hope for, and love for each person in that classroom. In the spirit of Lao Tzu, when students are sincerely cared about, when they feel they are loved, when they know someone has faith and belief in them, they have a better chance of finding their inner strength and courage. If you judge a student, when do you have time to believe in, have faith in, have hope for, and love her or him. As a gardner, I can bear witness that as long as you weed out, some part of you and your efforts and your time cannot nurture. 15. We live in an academic culture of fearful risk-averting. Doggone, I wish we would stop practicing safe teaching, take the condom off the classroom, and be fearless risk inviting. I mean how do we discover our way unless we risk going way out? The greatest risks bring the greatest satisfactions. I think Democritus said that. 16. Tenure is not synonomous with backbone. Fear does not make for connection or community; instead, it breeds strangerness and aloneness; it widens the chasm. 17. I didn't marry my Susie because I felt I felt I could live with her; I married her because I felt I could not live without her. After 46 years, still do. It shouldn't be and for me isn't any different in that classroom. 18. To paraphrase a Sufi teaching, into the classroom came those weak in self-esteem, lacking in confidence, shy, the haughty and arrogant. Seeing them as the "they're letting anyone in," the professor cried out, "They're unprepared; they don't belong here. God, how is that You, a loving creator, can see such things, let them happen, and yet do nothing to help them?" The professor then heard a voice saying, "I did do something. I sent you." 19. The classroom is a wondrous world full of sacred, noble, unique individuals. There is no end to the adventures you can have and the miracles you can witness if you only see with open eyes, listen with open ears, and love with open heart. Every memorable event in the classroom is the result of unconditional enthusiasm, belief, faith, hope, and love. 20. If you think technology is the magic bullet, the panacea, I would remind you when Lewis Waterman invented the fountain pen, people didn't suddenly become Shakespearean writers. 21. And finally, Buddha says that a thousand candles can be lit from one candle. So, as I approach retirement in two months and four days, all I want is for people to say of me is, "He touched one student and changed the world." Make it a good day -Louis- Louis Schmier http://www.therandomthoughts.edublogs.org<http://www.therandomthoughts.edublogs.org/> Department of History http://www.therandomthoughts.com<http://www.therandomthoughts.com/> Valdosta State University Valdosta, Georgia 31698 /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ (O) 229-333-5947 /^\\/ \/ \ /\/\__ / \ / \ (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=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=20672 or send a blank email to leave-20672-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
