Gary, I can truly appreciate that you all are psychologists with a
scientific training and that I am a historian with a social science and
humanity training (that was only after I blew my pre-med program one
semester with four F's and an A), I am, however, well versed in the
sciences having had a minor in the history and philosophy of science.
And that is not cut and dry as I recollect there was a discussion, a
vigorous discussion, a while back about whether psychology was a "hard"
science or a "social" science. It's a discussion that traces itself back
to the Enlightenment of the 18th century when the discipline was truly
born. And heck, on my campus, the Pysch department is in the School of
Education almost as a service department because of political decisions
made decades ago that took it out of A & S.
Anyway, there is a misunderstanding. I have been in this
"business" of education virtually all my life. Since I went to
kindergarten way back in 1946, I have been in school in one capacity or
another without a break. I wholeheartedly agree, as that Yiddish saying
goes, a "for instance" is not proof. When, however, I relate a story of
a particular student or a particular colleague or describe a particular
event or talk of myself, or discuss a priciple of teaching method or share
an aspect of my educational philosophy, do not think I am not taking an
uninformed, frivolous, inexperienced, vaccuous, dreamy, and isolated
inductive leap. Whether I explicate or infer, I see in that person and/or
incident an incapsulation, evidence of, a conclusion about, a raising of a
question about, an issue drawn from years of observations and experiences
and reflections drawn, in turn, from endless reading of student journals,
endless observation, endless reflection and contemplation, endless
listening, countless small talks, endless inter-actions with colleagues
and students on my campus, on the internet, at conferences, etc.
But, even if it was otherwise, a story serves, as Marcus Aurelius
observed, a very important purpose. Even a single event is something of
that proverbial step which is a critical part of a thousand mile journey.
It reveals the human condition with which both of our disciplines are
concerned and reminds each of us of possibilities and potentials of
viewing ourselves and others in different and deeper ways. Stories are a
way of sharing and teaching and learning.
So, maybe being an active participant on this list, I, at least,
serve the valuable purpose of demonstrating that there are indeed
alternative and legitimate ways of looking at other people, oneself,
surroundings in both a personal and professional context.
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) /^\ / \ / /~ \ /~\__/\
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