Zhengzhou, May 25: Diary, ....I was telling a Zhengzhou student that I find that there is a union between scientific studies of the brain and Chinese philosophy. I explained that the latest of what I call "brainology” shows that there is an anatomical basis for four elements of Zen that are critical to teaching: Attentiveness, Otherness, Alertness, and Awareness. Their mutually supporting scientific and philosophical elements translate as and introduce what I have called "four little big words": faith, belief, hope, and love. They combine to form a sense of community, to realize that there are others around whom the classroom is centered and are to be served, to nurture empathy and compassion, to see hidden beauty in the apparent bland, to see the extraordinary in the ordinary, to see sacredness clothed in street clothes, to see burning bushes everywhere, to know that the classroom is holy ground. They both are about the social and emotional intelligences of caring about, respecting, being kind to, and connecting with students that is so essential in helping them help themselves perform at a level far higher and beyond their wildest dreams. Ah, diary, it sounds so seductively clear and simple, doesn't it. Well, its not simple and easy. Too many people too easily go overboard and too quickly unthinkingly jump on the pedagogical and technological bandwagon. In the classroom, they offer a "faith-based" view, exert a special pull, and draw a special fervor. Too many are blindly tempted into one, magical summary pedagogical "7 habits" or "best teachers do" prescription. Too many think all they have to do is to take a dose for a cure all. They unthinkingly think they automatically themselves do everything, they work everywhere, they have great consequences all the time, they need no learning curve, they instantly clear away all obstructing boulders, and that they squelch second guessing or quell doubt. The formula is pure simplicity: attend a conference, participate in a workshop, read a book, and whallah: all is instantly well. It seldom is, isn't it. If for no other reason than it's about complex and complicated individuals. Nevertheless, too many people think it's all about doing. It's not. It's about being; it's about attitudes; it's their inner selves; it's about the inner selves of others; it's about change inside. All I know is that as we change inside we come to understand that when it comes to dealing with what life hands up, without excuses, we play our own hand; that we can be our own person while still being respectful, understanding, and kind to others; that our lives are in our hands, and that it is up to us to keep playing those hands in a grateful, loving, and serving way. I think, diary, if we can live a limitless vision--and that is a very big "if"--and help students start doing the same, we all can overcome the heavy and dragging weights of doubts, excuses, fears, judgmentalisms, and angers of our limiting ego that prevent us, to paraphrase a line from StarTrek, from boldly going where we have never gone before.
Make it a good day -Louis- Louis Schmier http://www.therandomthoughts.edublogs.org<http://www.therandomthoughts.edublogs.org/> Department of History http://www.therandomthoughts.com<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" - / \_ --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=12472 or send a blank email to leave-12472-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
