A "brrrrrrrr" good morning. Not realizing until it was too late
that the temperature was in the low 40s, I went out this morning bare
chested in shorts. Big, big mistake. The chill's pin pricks taught me
what it feels like to experience the death of a thousand cuts.
Anyway, as I was cutting through the sharp crisp air, struggling
to take my mind off impending hypothermia, I was thinking about "purpose."
I guess that word was on my mind because of a meeting with a small but
dedicated bunch of faculty called by the concerned acting VP of Academic
Affairs to pump life back into the now generally moribund Teaching and
Learning Center on our campus. During the conversation, I scribbled some
ramblings all over a napkin, leaned over and showed it to a long time
friend and colleague from the philosophy department: "using 'oh, you know
what I mean' words. got to discuss meaning of 'teaching,' 'learning,'
'student-centered.' first principles first. The 'whys' before the 'hows'
and 'whats.' First, purpose of an education. Then purpose of a TLC."
Somehow, in some convoluted way, on the "back nine" of my route,
that word, "purpose," routed me into thinking once again about the
lingering impact of a recent highly visible incident involving a star
football player on one of the local high school football teams that has a
lot of citizens up in arms. As soon as I got back to the unheated
house--who puts the heat on during November in South Georgia--I quickly
got some freshly brewed coffee and tightly cupped the warm cup. After the
color of my fingers transformed from blue to flesh, and movement was
restored, I sat down at the computer and sent a letter to the editor of
our local newspaper. It is my second regarding this local incident. I'd
like to share it with you good people:
What is the purpose of an education? It is to see
students develop wholly, to possess skill, knowledge,
and conscience. It is to add value to each student
and to help them value themselves. That is not being a
therapist, or a councillor, or a clergyman, or a substitute
parent, or a whatever. It is being an educator, and that
is not easy. If we focus only on transmitting subject
information and developing what we call thinking skills
without much concern with helping to develop a moral and ethical
guide for the use of those abilities and knowledge, we have
engaged in very bad education. No, if we want our children
to be truly educated, they must acquire self-confidence,
competence, and conscience. We must help them develop BOTH
their intellect and character. We must help them learn
both how to do things right and to do the right things.
We must help them learn not only to acquire a productive
livlihood, but to a productive life.
Just realized that TLC can stand for "tender, loving care" as
well as for Teaching and Learning Center. Hmmmm. Curious. The two
are really synonymous terms, you know.
Make it a good day.
--Louis--
Louis Schmier [log in to unmask]
Department of History www.therandomthoughts.com
Valdosta State University www.halcyon.com/arborhts/louis.html
Valdosta, GA 31698 /~\ /\ /\
912-333-5947 /^\ / \ / /~\ \ /~\__/\
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-_~ / "If you want to climb mountains, \ /^\
_ _ / don't practice on mole hills" - \____
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