TEACHSOC: Re: need advice

[Michael Klausner]

Angus:   I second your “e-motion.” As you said the civility, support and encouragement usually furnished by most members of teachsoc has been very helpful.   Michael   From: teachsoc@googlegroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of D. Angus Vail Sent: Friday, April 07, 2006 2:26 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: teachsoc@googlegroups.com Subject: TEACHSOC: Re: need advice   It seems to me that teachsoc has always been a supportive community where people try to offer support and advice to one another about how they can accomplish what they want to accomplish.  I'm not sure phrases like "give me a break" and telling people that their approaches are wrong accomplishes that mission. D. Angus Vail Associate Professor of Sociology Willamette University 900 State Street Salem, OR 97301 Phone: 503.370.6313 Fax: 503.370.6512 "It's not enough to know that things work. The laurels go to those who can show HOW they work." From: "Del Thomas Ph. D." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] CC: Teaching Sociology <teachsoc@googlegroups.com> Subject: TEACHSOC: Re: need advice Date: Fri, 07 Apr 2006 13:40:21 -0400 > >Erin, > >Give me a break. Rather than explain upward mobility research ........we >1. tell the student that only the examined life is really worth living. >Who are we to tell anyone what is worth living? >2. Your solution "learning how to overcome them through social action" >places the burden on the student in the tradition > of the puritan ....... far more damaging that the alternatives. >This is a classic example of the teacher/preacher approach that has >weakened our educational system. An escape from sociology >that is really damaging because it looks like we are pushing our >agenda/ideology. This is not science. >3."personal troubles are often rooted in public issues." How booogus is >that. tell that to the woman who was raped by the Duke students >or the Enron employees ..... or those who are patients in mental >hospitals.... or better yet the family of a person who committed suicide. > >Some of these folks have social problems not personal troubles. We >should provide social solutions not demean their life >or send them out to change the world. > >Del > > > > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > I would tell the student that only the examined life is really worth > > living. It is much more viable to strive towards social mobility while > > understanding that personal troubles are often rooted in public issues. > > Realizing that structural barriers and vested interests may stand in > > your way and learning how to overcome them through social action is > > much better than struggling and failing and then blaming yourself, your > > genes, or a wrathful god! I teach my first year students that sociology > > is the equivalent of "Defense Against the Dark Arts" from the Harry > > Potter books. Forewarned is forearmed. > > > > Erin Steuter > > Mount Allison University > > > > > > > > > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Teaching Sociology" group. To post to this group, send email to teachsoc@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/teachsoc -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---