I came in from my walk a few hours ago. The air was warm and
inviting. While
I was being gold plated by the pollen along my now two mile power walk, I was
thinking
about a brief conversation I had with Kathy (her real name) about teaching.
I was sitting on the stone bench in front Ashley Hall, watching the
honey bees
struggling to make a nest inside the terrazzo tile roof. Kathy, who is
aspiring to become
a teacher, sat down next to me. We started talking about my teaching methods
and
educational philosophy. She asked me, "What do you think teaching all about?"
"Being a burning candle for each of them," I answered without
looking at her
as I nonchalantly pointed to the students pouring out onto the pedestrian walk
from West
Hall.
"Huh? A burning candle? I don't get it!"
I turned to her. "Yeah, being a burning candle, but it has to be
about being
a burning candle that's there to help someone else light her or his candle. A
person who
only is concerned about burning his or her own candle really doesn't shed very
much light
and isn't very warming. But, to be a burning candle for someone else, that's
something
else. Being a burning candle is my opportunity to shine my own special light
into someone
else's darkness so she or he can see something she or he has either only
vaguely seen or
never had seen before. When I do that, it doesn't have to be a blazing torch.
Even a
small flame will shine for a long, long way, drive back a lot of darkness, and
drive out
some heavy chill. By being a candle I can help reveal the true riches that
lurk in the
shadows and help each student help her/him come out from the darkness of
disbelief into
the light of her or his beliefs, abilities, talents, and potential. To do
anything else,
only perpetuates and perhaps increases her or his, as well as my own, darkness
and
coldness."
"Well, how do you do that, help someone to light their own wick?"
"There's no set formula. Every candle is different. But, I always
say that
there are 50 times, and 50 chances to light a candle each semester. I call
those
instances and opportunities 'days.' So, I just strike my match, light my wick,
and become
a burning candle for someone each day. But, of course, there's more to it."
And, I went on to say..
Make it a good day.
--Louis--
Louis Schmier www.therandomthoughts.com
Department of History www.newforums.com/L_Schmier.htm
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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