It's not JUST the teacher, Louis. The students contribute to the classroom environment as well. Over the course of 11 years, it has happened to me twice (thankfully): no matter what I tried, the classroom milieu was cold enough to hang meat. I found myself wondering how on earth 40 some students could wind up in the same section. It is a mutually reciprocal relationship, and I find the more active and engaged the students are, the better I am at teaching.
My two cents, for what it's worth.... Jean Edwards ----- Original Message ----- From: "Louis_Schmier" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, August 04, 2003 6:20 AM Subject: Random Thought: A Scary Realization > The beginning of the academic year is just a couple of weeks away. > No depressing "yuks" for me, only rising "wows!" I just finished reading > Daniel Goleman's PRIMAL LEADERSHIP and portions of Peter Senge's FIFTH > DISCIPINE for the umpteenth time. They have accentuated the feelings I > always get at this time of the year. As happens each year, while the > juices are staring to flow and the excitement is starting to bubble, I > come to a tempering, sobering, and scary realization: more than anyone > else, I am the decisive element in the classroom. More than anyone else, > I create the conditions that directly determine the student's ability to > work well. I affect how students will feel and therefore perform. I am > the authority figure, the classroom leader, the pacesetter, the role > model, the weather maker. It is my personal attitudes and approaches, my > assumptions and presumptions, my daily moods that create the climate in > the classroom. Like it or not, conscious of it or not, actively or > passively, as a teacher, I possess tremendous power to make a student's > life miserable or joyous. > > I can be sour or sweet; > I can be pathelogical or theraputic; > I can torture or inspire; > I can care less or care; > I can manipulate or persuade; > I can dictate or persuade; > I can discourage or encourage; > I can obstruct or open the path; > I can diminish or elevate; > I can bore or excite; > I can creat disonance or harmony; > I can curse and condem or bless and edify; > I can be of diservice or serve; > I can grind down or lubricate; > I can be clueless or be clued in; > I can be disinterested or interested; > I can humor or be humorous; > I can be cold or empathize; > I can be deaf or listen; > I can be blind or see; > I can be distant or near; > I can disconnect or connect; > I can disrespect or respect; > I can disbelieve or believe; > I can create hopelessness or hopefulness; > I can humiliate or hold sacred; > I can sneer or cheer; > I can be unaware or aware; > I can insensitive or mindful; > I can hurt or heal; > I can ignore or notice; > I can beat down or be upbeat; > I can hiss or applaud; > I can create crisis or eliminate crisis; > I can heighten or diminish; > I can de-humanize or humanize; > I can devalue or value each student. > > It is my choices that decides on which side of each "or" I stand. > How well I manage my moods and attitudes affects students' moods and > attitudes, and influences how well they each will perform. That is no > small burden. It's both scary and humbling. > > Make it a good day. > > --Louis-- > > > Louis Schmier www.therandomthoughts.com > Department of History www.halcyon.com/arborhts/louis.html > Valdosta State University > Valdosta, Georgia 31698 /~\ /\ /\ > (229-333-5947) /^\ / \ / /~ \ /~\__/\ > / \__/ \/ / /\ /~ \ > /\/\-/ /^\___\______\_______/__/_______/^\ > -_~ / "If you want to climb mountains, \ /^\ > _ _ / don't practice on mole hills" -\____ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
