I can't think of any country (short of places which are currently very dangerous) that I wouldn't want to travel to. I feel like my trips to Belize and Sweden were some of the most important things I've ever done. I am not really interested in being a tourist though. I don't want to "see sights;" I want to see how other people live on a daily basis. I was lucky that on both those trips I got to see schools, hang out with locals, and just live life with some people there.
Will you please bring your husky to class one day?? That is my favorite breed (excluding my own mutt) and I would love to meet him/her!! I think it's awesome that you have a house full of pets.
I think some people would freak out if I brought my husky to class. She is quite large and looks very much like a wolf. But I do generally have the whole cohort to my house 2 or 3 times during the year, so you can visit with her then!
I think many of the philosophical principles I learned lodged themselves in my brain in hidden places and continue to influence me. But the primary thing I learned from the experience as a whole was how to read very difficult texts. Many philosophy texts are practically impenetrable on first read. When I first encountered such texts, I thought there was something wrong with me because I couldn't grasp the meaning easily. Then I discovered that my professors ALSO had to wrestle with those texts. What a relief to discover! So I, too, learned to wrestle a text. I wish my professors had modeled how to do that. It didn't occur to them to do that, and it didn't occur to me to ask them to show me. I had to figure it out through trial and error, but I did learn it.
I shared your education history with some of my former classmates and one of them joked that it was like you were going the Saint John's route the long way around.
You say that you wished your professors had modeled how to wrestle with difficult texts. How do you think they could have done this? Is this something that could also be taught in a high school classroom?
Yes, I think one of the primary jobs of all teachers is to help their students wrestle with difficult texts. We'll talk a lot this year about ways of doing that.
Wow, I was a bit amazed hearing your teaching background and all of the many wells of knowledge that you can pull from. If you were to choose another project to work on for sabbatical, what would it be?
If I could get another sabbatical, I would still want to spend it in a classroom, but maybe I'd specifically go teach in Finland because they recently overhauled their whole system, and now many feel they have the best education system in the world.
This is actually an easy question to answer. I am endlessly frustrated by how difficult it is to create change in education, even on a small level. Certain things are so ingrained, and many are just so uncomfortable with change. I want BIG changes NOW, but it seems that baby steps are the only option. Hopefully one of you can help think of a way around this resistance-to-change dilemma.
how do you find time to sleep, Dr. A? i love your autobiography & the fact that it keeps getting better & better. we need more people like you in the educational realm!
ps - i promise i'm working on my autobiography. jojo & i were just talking about submitting them the other night when you sent out the email & that kid jumped on it & i'm still editing mine. but, good news i found a place to live this year & i'm in the process of moving. i'll see you soon. i cannot wait!
Sometimes I am kind of surprised by all I get done myself, because I don't feel like I'm working all that hard. I think something that helps me is that I am good at being super focused. If I'm going to sit down and work on something for an hour, I will get a lot done on that project. My phone isn't near me; I don't read emails as they come in; I'm not half watching TV; I am in the zone. Focus is a dying art form, I fear, and that is a shame because it allows me to get a lot done and still have time for fun. Actually, that last sentence isn't quite right because I find the vast majority of the work I do fun. So let's say instead, I still have time for non-work-related fun.
You seem to be so involved in so many different things. Did you search out these unique experiences, such as the Belize trip and guide dog training, or did they come to you?
Ps. I'm a huge dog lover and a proud owner of a rescue pup! I'm hoping to become involved more with Have a Heart, Save a Life, so I'm super excited that your husband is on that team!
Most things I've done started out with someone mentioning something in passing or something I read. Then I'd start looking into it more, and next thing you know, I'd be doing it! For example with the guide dogs, a friend of mine who worked with the blind said, "You know guide dog schools need people who will raise the guide dog puppies and do their initial training." That sounded kind of intriguing, so I looked into it.
You have such a neat teaching background! How was establishing a Latin program? Were the students receptive to it? How did you teach them that it is important?
I enjoyed establishing the Latin programs because I had full control and could do it any way I wanted. "Selling it" to students wasn't as tough as it sounds because students have heard from parents, teachers, the media, etc. that Latin is great for things like pre-med and pre-law. In high school loads of students (regardless of their aptitude or work ethic) believe they are going to be doctors, vets, and lawyers, so I got decent class sizes without even trying. It probably also helped that Cobb County is huge with many high schools with thriving Latin programs. The schools I was in were the last two to establish Latin programs. Georgia is a hotbed of high school Latin. Weird, I know!
You mentioned traveling to Sweden, are there other places in the world that you want to travel to in the future?
ReplyDeleteI can't think of any country (short of places which are currently very dangerous) that I wouldn't want to travel to. I feel like my trips to Belize and Sweden were some of the most important things I've ever done. I am not really interested in being a tourist though. I don't want to "see sights;" I want to see how other people live on a daily basis. I was lucky that on both those trips I got to see schools, hang out with locals, and just live life with some people there.
DeleteWill you please bring your husky to class one day?? That is my favorite breed (excluding my own mutt) and I would love to meet him/her!! I think it's awesome that you have a house full of pets.
ReplyDeleteI think some people would freak out if I brought my husky to class. She is quite large and looks very much like a wolf. But I do generally have the whole cohort to my house 2 or 3 times during the year, so you can visit with her then!
DeleteWhat, if anything, has stuck with you the most from your philosophy classes at Xavier?
ReplyDeleteI think many of the philosophical principles I learned lodged themselves in my brain in hidden places and continue to influence me. But the primary thing I learned from the experience as a whole was how to read very difficult texts. Many philosophy texts are practically impenetrable on first read. When I first encountered such texts, I thought there was something wrong with me because I couldn't grasp the meaning easily. Then I discovered that my professors ALSO had to wrestle with those texts. What a relief to discover! So I, too, learned to wrestle a text. I wish my professors had modeled how to do that. It didn't occur to them to do that, and it didn't occur to me to ask them to show me. I had to figure it out through trial and error, but I did learn it.
ReplyDeleteI shared your education history with some of my former classmates and one of them joked that it was like you were going the Saint John's route the long way around.
DeleteYou say that you wished your professors had modeled how to wrestle with difficult texts. How do you think they could have done this? Is this something that could also be taught in a high school classroom?
Yes, I think one of the primary jobs of all teachers is to help their students wrestle with difficult texts. We'll talk a lot this year about ways of doing that.
DeleteWow, I was a bit amazed hearing your teaching background and all of the many wells of knowledge that you can pull from. If you were to choose another project to work on for sabbatical, what would it be?
ReplyDeleteIf I could get another sabbatical, I would still want to spend it in a classroom, but maybe I'd specifically go teach in Finland because they recently overhauled their whole system, and now many feel they have the best education system in the world.
DeleteWhat has been one of the biggest challenges you've faced in the field of education?
ReplyDeleteThis is actually an easy question to answer. I am endlessly frustrated by how difficult it is to create change in education, even on a small level. Certain things are so ingrained, and many are just so uncomfortable with change. I want BIG changes NOW, but it seems that baby steps are the only option. Hopefully one of you can help think of a way around this resistance-to-change dilemma.
Deletehow do you find time to sleep, Dr. A? i love your autobiography & the fact that it keeps getting better & better. we need more people like you in the educational realm!
ReplyDeleteps - i promise i'm working on my autobiography. jojo & i were just talking about submitting them the other night when you sent out the email & that kid jumped on it & i'm still editing mine. but, good news i found a place to live this year & i'm in the process of moving. i'll see you soon. i cannot wait!
Sometimes I am kind of surprised by all I get done myself, because I don't feel like I'm working all that hard. I think something that helps me is that I am good at being super focused. If I'm going to sit down and work on something for an hour, I will get a lot done on that project. My phone isn't near me; I don't read emails as they come in; I'm not half watching TV; I am in the zone. Focus is a dying art form, I fear, and that is a shame because it allows me to get a lot done and still have time for fun. Actually, that last sentence isn't quite right because I find the vast majority of the work I do fun. So let's say instead, I still have time for non-work-related fun.
ReplyDeleteYou seem to be so involved in so many different things. Did you search out these unique experiences, such as the Belize trip and guide dog training, or did they come to you?
ReplyDeletePs. I'm a huge dog lover and a proud owner of a rescue pup! I'm hoping to become involved more with Have a Heart, Save a Life, so I'm super excited that your husband is on that team!
Most things I've done started out with someone mentioning something in passing or something I read. Then I'd start looking into it more, and next thing you know, I'd be doing it! For example with the guide dogs, a friend of mine who worked with the blind said, "You know guide dog schools need people who will raise the guide dog puppies and do their initial training." That sounded kind of intriguing, so I looked into it.
ReplyDeleteYou have such a neat teaching background! How was establishing a Latin program? Were the students receptive to it? How did you teach them that it is important?
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed establishing the Latin programs because I had full control and could do it any way I wanted. "Selling it" to students wasn't as tough as it sounds because students have heard from parents, teachers, the media, etc. that Latin is great for things like pre-med and pre-law. In high school loads of students (regardless of their aptitude or work ethic) believe they are going to be doctors, vets, and lawyers, so I got decent class sizes without even trying. It probably also helped that Cobb County is huge with many high schools with thriving Latin programs. The schools I was in were the last two to establish Latin programs. Georgia is a hotbed of high school Latin. Weird, I know!
ReplyDelete