I guess I take offense because a) the content of the letter was so ambiguous that I really don't understand the specifics of her complaints....... Just a lot of whining about her professors "not knowing me as a person"..... Whatever that means. b) For every letter like that from a Marjorie, I can whip out multiple letters of "thanks" from students for not "teaching down," for filling the hour with interesting (and entertaining) information rather than sophomoric musings of other students and for being a caring and available adviser. All this, despite the fact that I teach sections of 35-100 students and have over 50 advisees.
I resent the implication that because I am not a New Age kind of guy who helps students get in touch with their feelings, what I do is not valuable. I recognize that Louis' activities can have value for some students. But I also recognize that many of his students will o go away asking "where's the beef?" I only wish that the "touchy-feelie" crowd would come down off their high horses and admit that there are other ways to be valuable to one's students besides teaching small, interactive discussion sections and helping students discover themselves. We are in a profession that provides multiple paths to being a valuable resource for one's students. The Humanist crowd seems to think that diversity is a good thing unless you're talking about diversity in instructional goals and educational values. I do not believe that and frankly, I resent it. As I've said frequently in the past, I'm thankful that my dept. has 2-3 Louis Schmiers. And I'm thankful that my dept. has others with my philosophy. And I bemoan the fact that we've got others who do nothing well and who diminish our profession. If I was in a dept. full of nothing but Louis Schmiers I'd slit my throat. Alternately, we could just rename the WCU Psychology Dept. as the "Esalen of the East." Make it a good day. Ed ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Edward I. Pollak, Ph.D. Department of Psychology West Chester University Office 610-436-3151 Home: 610-363-1939 http://mywebpages.comcast.net/epollak/home.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Husband, father, grandfather, biopsychologist, bluegrass fiddler and herpetolculturist.............. in approximate order of importance. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Subject: Re: Random Thought: A Cause To Pause From: Louis_Schmier <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2003 12:25:28 -0400 (EDT) X-Message-Number: 7 You know what befuddles me with the reaction of some on this list to this student's letter, the less than cordial and collegial halabaloo. It is that some are taking it so personally as if Majorie or I am attacking your personhood or professionalhood. It is simply a letter by a rising Honors Senior raising some issues that already have been raised about academia in the CHRONICLE and CHANGE, in the Wingspan and Boyer Reports. If you want to pause, fine. If you don't, that's also fine. If you see no cause to pause, why be caustic? Make it a good day. --Louis-- --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
