I came in from my walk a few hours ago. The air was warm and inviting.
While I was being gold plated by the pollen along my now two mile power walk, I
was thinking about a brief conversation I had with Kathy (her real name) about
teaching.
I was sitting on the stone bench in front Ashley Hall, watching the honey bees
struggling to make a nest inside the terrazzo tile roof. Kathy, who is
aspiring to become a teacher, sat down next to me. We started talking
about my teaching methods and educational philosophy. She asked me,
"What do you think teaching all about?"
“Being a burning candle for each of them,” I answered without
looking at her as I nonchalantly pointed to the students pouring out onto the
pedestrian walk from West Hall.
"Huh? A burning candle? I don’t get
it!"
I turned to her. “Yeah, being a burning candle, but it has to be
about being a burning candle that’s there to help someone else light her
or his candle. A person who only is concerned about burning his or her own
candle really doesn’t shed very much light and isn’t very
warming. But, to be a burning candle for someone else, that’s
something else. Being a burning candle is my opportunity to shine my own
special light into someone else’s darkness so she or he can see something
she or he has either only vaguely seen or never had seen before. When I
do that, it doesn’t have to be a blazing torch. Even a small flame
will shine for a long, long way, drive back a lot of darkness, and drive out
some heavy chill. By being a candle I can help reveal the true riches
that lurk in the shadows and help each student help her/him come out from the
darkness of disbelief into the light of her or his beliefs, abilities, talents,
and potential. To do anything else, only perpetuates and perhaps increases her
or his, as well as my own, darkness and coldness.”
“Well, how do you do that, help someone to light their own wick?”
“There’s no set formula. Every candle is different.
But, I always say that there are 50 times, and 50 chances to light a candle
each semester. I call those instances and opportunities
‘days.’ So, I just strike my match, light my wick, and become
a burning candle for someone each day. But, of course, there's more to
it.”
And, I went on to say….
Make it a good day.
--Louis--
Louis
Schmier
www.therandomthoughts.com
Department of
History
www.newforums.com/L_Schmier.htm
(229-333-5947)
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