The other day I met someone whom I didn't know. The introductory part
of our conversation went according to a simplistic script:
"What do you do?"
"I am a university professor"
"What do you teach?
What should my three word answer to that second question be? I walk
into a classroom. Is the answer a "what" or a "whom?" A "what" answer is a
discipline, content, transmitting, cut-and-dry one that comes from "my here:"
"I teach such-and-such." A "whom" answer is one that goes to what Mark
Coulston in his REAL INFLUENCE calls "their there:" "I teach students." But,
exactly who are they and where is "their there?" That is, who are the each of
them? For which ones am I the teacher? Am I the exclusive teacher for the "A"
student, for the vocal student, for the "honors student," for the interested
student, for the self-motivated student, for the eloquent, for the
able-to-wrtie student, for the question answering student, for the discussion
student, for the agreeable student, for the needs me less student, for the
round pegs? For whom? I walk into a classroom. Am I the inclusive teacher,
as well, for the reticent student, for the fearful student, for the can't write
student, for the memorizing student, for the average student, for the
disagreeable student, for the poor student, for the shy student, for the
indecisive student, for the needs me more student, for the square pegs? For
whom am I the teacher? I should be the inclusive teacher, not the exclusive
one. Complexity and diversity aren't vices. Generalizations and stereotypes
are.
Make it a good day
-Louis-
Louis Schmier
http://www.therandomthoughts.edublogs.org
203 E. Brookwood Pl http://www.therandomthoughts.com
Valdosta, Ga 31602
(C) 229-630-0821 /\ /\ /\ /\
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/ \ / \
/ \/ \_ \/ / \/
/\/ / \ /\ \
//\/\/ /\ \__/__/_/\_\/
\_/__\ \
/\"If you want to climb
mountains,\ /\
_ / \ don't practice on mole
hills" - / \_
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