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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