English is Cool

sábado, outubro 13

A college professor

In college, some years ago, I had to wait in a hallway
for one of my professors.

Across the way a door opened into a history class.
The professor, a tall balding white-haired man came in,
put his books down and looked out over the class.

"As you know, my goal in this class will not be to teach you
how to think for yourselves but to force you to conform to
my way of thinking."

As one, a hundred pens began scribbling on a hundred
notebooks and I could see a look of purest terror creeping
up over the professor's face.

"No, no!" he shouted. "That was a joke!"

For a moment every face turned up to look at him blankly.
Then, as one, they all laughed. When I left, the professor
was still staring at them, open-mouthed...
author unknown

7 Comments:

  • Hi Jon...

    Unfortunately, for some students in the real world, this is not a joke, but a nigthmare tehy live in their classrooms everyday...

    Here in Mexico and everywhere else in the world.

    Besides... it's so damn difficult to let them have their own thoughts... Being a teacher is sometimes more a fact of controlling our selfishness (?), than to teach some hard data or to let them "spark" a whole new idea (at least new for them).

    Kisses.

    By Blogger Blas Torillo Photography, at domingo, outubro 14, 2007 1:50:00 AM  

  • Blas,

    I agree entirely with you when you say that being a teacher involves controlling one's own selfishness.

    Just conveying data and information is not at all teaching. Actually, I believe no one teaches, but everyone learns instead.

    Thus, being a teacher has much more to do with facilitating for students to learn, guiding those who want to acquire some knowledge you've acquired.

    And guiding does not mean handing out "prêt-à-porter" stuff but showing them possible paths to walk on through which they may spark a whole new idea (at least new for them).

    It reminds me of the ONE good professor you had the serendipity to have come across as you told in a post.

    Thanks for your lines, dear!

    Besos :)

    By Blogger Jonice, at domingo, outubro 14, 2007 10:55:00 AM  

  • Great teacher! ! Ui ui
    Oh my god! The worst is that they exist :(

    By Blogger foryou, at segunda-feira, outubro 15, 2007 5:16:00 PM  

  • Abraços e boa semana!!!***

    By Blogger Plum, at terça-feira, outubro 16, 2007 1:33:00 PM  

  • Foryou: they do :( ... but the others do, too :)

    Plum: :)

    By Blogger Jonice, at terça-feira, outubro 16, 2007 3:55:00 PM  

  • That is an amazing tale, Jonice.

    It is often true and it shows how we, as humans, often act like sheep.

    Hugs from paris....

    Terry

    By Blogger Terry Kaufman, at quarta-feira, outubro 17, 2007 9:12:00 AM  

  • This is pure gold jonice..!

    By Blogger Niall young, at quarta-feira, outubro 17, 2007 9:36:00 PM  

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