Bob, I'll quote you: "Is education ever going to be valued again for its own
sake?" Did we really sign up to teach high school? (Not that I don't
value high school educators! I just don't think I have the stamina to
do it.)" If I misunderstood you, and you were not bemoaning either the loss
of a past mythical golden age or the watering down of higher education, I
apologize.
As for the rest of your message, first (I'll keep count this time) I don't
happen to agree with the three tier structure of education you foresee,
although the community college are more akin to what I might call
"non-mechanical" votech, counseling for example. However, the Ivies and
other flagship research institutions, involved in research as they are, are
no less involved in what I call "white collar" job getting vocational
training than are the non-flagship institutions with their pre-med, pre-law,
accounting, management, pre-pharmacy, education, foreign service, etc
curriculums. Second, I totally agree that all of collegiate education is
losing is "liberal arts" mission, reluctantly clinging to core curriculum to
save face, as it embraces a vocational, job-securing missions. However, I
don't think it's an either/or situation. It can be an "and" situation.
Third, a large responsibility of this transformation has to be placed at the
doorstep of the faculty who themselves so often see their classes as job
preparation, want to fill all student electives with courses in their
discipline, and see no need for students to take those "superfluous" courses
as English lit., history, art, foreign language, philosophy, etc. Fourth,
(am I still counting right?) the way you describe the relationship of
self-esteem, confidence, and achievement is one with which I totally agree.
>From my observations and experiences with students, as the less than
confident student is stretched, as he or she is supported and encouraged, as
the positive is emphasized, as he or she achieves, a self-motivating a
self-confidence has a much better chance of appearing. And, that process
has to be constantly reinforced. That is the approach I use in my classes.
By the way, I haven't used Tootsie Pops in years.
Make it a good
--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" -\__
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