Comments on: A Bag of Gold http://chrislott.org/story/a-bag-of-gold/ Musings on education, techology, and life.. Sun, 04 Jul 2010 16:19:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Jared Stein http://chrislott.org/story/a-bag-of-gold/comment-page-1/#comment-408097 Jared Stein Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:01:19 +0000 http://chrislott.org/story/a-bag-of-gold/#comment-408097 Perhaps the only way change has ever happened: one person at a time. It may be that the role(s) we have adopted inhibit us from enacting dreams of better teaching. I know that's becoming more and more apparent in my case, as administration continually says, "That's not your role". Perhaps it's more realistic for folks like Gardner, as a faculty member has the almighty academic freedom; if one can't get the service and support one needs on campus, who's to stop a faculty member from adventuring on their own? One of the phrases Gardner used throughout the talk that resonated most with me is "amplify our selves". A teacher's usefulness is in part to guide or assist or empower students to amplify themselves, and a teacher's grandeur is that s/he has the chance to do so for at least a dozen students during the course of a semester-- ~45 hours. Aside from teaching, it seems the best way to have a real piece of this action is through faculty training or centers for excellence. As much as I enjoy my job its one of strict timelines and production-line assemblage; I envy Marc's job because it has few, if any, timelines and allows for deeper, constructive relationships with faculty at their speed, implementing slow change, but significant change. Perhaps the only way change has ever happened: one person at a time. It may be that the role(s) we have adopted inhibit us from enacting dreams of better teaching. I know that’s becoming more and more apparent in my case, as administration continually says, “That’s not your role”.

Perhaps it’s more realistic for folks like Gardner, as a faculty member has the almighty academic freedom; if one can’t get the service and support one needs on campus, who’s to stop a faculty member from adventuring on their own?

One of the phrases Gardner used throughout the talk that resonated most with me is “amplify our selves”. A teacher’s usefulness is in part to guide or assist or empower students to amplify themselves, and a teacher’s grandeur is that s/he has the chance to do so for at least a dozen students during the course of a semester– ~45 hours. Aside from teaching, it seems the best way to have a real piece of this action is through faculty training or centers for excellence. As much as I enjoy my job its one of strict timelines and production-line assemblage; I envy Marc’s job because it has few, if any, timelines and allows for deeper, constructive relationships with faculty at their speed, implementing slow change, but significant change.

]]> By: Steven Egan http://chrislott.org/story/a-bag-of-gold/comment-page-1/#comment-408090 Steven Egan Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:52:37 +0000 http://chrislott.org/story/a-bag-of-gold/#comment-408090 We encourage each other with tales of our small victories. We reflect on the individuals that have benefited from our efforts rather than the whole which seemingly does not. We retain the child's optimistic, wonder-filled view of life and the world. We look at the problems at hand and deal with them, rather than the ones that await us. We do not just eat, sleep and work. We also play, learn and care. In essence, we run the course and keep the faith. We encourage each other with tales of our small victories. We reflect on the individuals that have benefited from our efforts rather than the whole which seemingly does not. We retain the child’s optimistic, wonder-filled view of life and the world. We look at the problems at hand and deal with them, rather than the ones that await us. We do not just eat, sleep and work. We also play, learn and care. In essence, we run the course and keep the faith.

]]>