Hey, diary. it's May 18th. I apologize if you feel discombobulated.
I know, I'm not talking to you at a set time collectively in some kind of book.
You're scattered all over the place. It's almost a reflection of the state of
"organized chaos" or "chaotic organization" that I revel in. I've written to
you whenever, wherever, and however the mood hits me, on a scattering of slips
of wrinkled paper, backs of crinkled receipts, in my crossword puzzle book,
across ripped pieces of tourist pamphlets, in margins of our program booklet,
on whatever is in my pockets at whatever time and with whatever is available
when something hits me. Bits of you are book marks, stuffed in pockets of
pants and shirts, crumpled in the computer bag, and goodness knows where else.
I'll probably lose some of you. Anyway, today, I initially wrote to you on the
palm of my hand--before I later transcribed it on the back of a business
card--about a brief conversation I had this morning.
"Why do you let us call you "Louis," I was asked. "You can lose your
authority if you get too familiar with them."
"I want us to be familiar and comfortable with each other. I'd rather
be a safe 'loving presence' than a scary authority. Whatever 'influence' I may
have with you," I quickly replied, "comes from being close with you, not from
my imposing 'Dr. stuff' or my resume or the threat of having the power of
giving a grade."
You know, diary, I think we academics more often than not judge rather
than understand. That messes up our conclusions about why students do or don't
do stuff. We so often stand apart from students because we see them--sometimes
even looking down--from a hierarchical administrative and academic perspective.
We so often impose assumptions from our limitations; we so often find it so
easy to blame without knowing reasons or wanting to know reasons. We so often
lapse into moaning and groaning about students whom we really don't know,
especially in those mega-classrooms. Here more is less, and less is more.
But, if we got to know each other, if we saw each other on the same plane from
an egalitarian point of view, that we're all sacred, noble, worthy human
beings, worthy to be noticed and heard and valued, valuable enough not to be
dismissed or discarded, maybe--just maybe--we'd be more apt to be more
positive, adapt to circumstances, take heart that in each student are seeds of
great potential, rely more on persuasion, and be less inclined to judge,
command, and control. That's more demanding, but it is so much more powerful,
meaningful, and productive.
Make it a good day
-Louis-
Louis Schmier http://www.the
randomthoughts.edublogs.org
Department of History http://www.therandomthoughts.com
Valdosta State University
Valdosta, Georgia 31698 /\ /\ /\ /\
/\
(O) 229-333-5947 /^\\/ \/ \ /\ /\__ / \
/ \
(C) 229-630-0821 / \/ \_ \/ / \/ /\/ / \
/\ \
//\/\/ /\ \_
_/__/_/\_\/ \_/__\ \
/\"If you want to climb
mountains,\ /\
_ / \ don't practice on mole
hills" - / \_
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