For all those teachers and educators out there

Reading the Washington Post (one of the only decent print papers out there - they even have FRAZ) this article was front page. Bottom fold but still. A great read.

Refreshing in a way sort of not really, but worth a read. It made me think about all the school teacher/cyclists who are doing a damn fine service to the next generation, trying to educate them.

Another article showed up in the Metro Section. Similar in way maybe they didn't connect but also a good read. All the testing. Teaches kids how to test well, No? Does it teach them to think and write and communicate? What is science? Communication of findings? What is Teaching? Communication of basic concepts? What is Art? Communication of emotions? What is writing? Flat out communication!

So how does testing and filling in little ovals make one a better, more knowledgeable person? *thanks to Firefox 2.0 for catching the spelling error*

BloggingWeb logging is a great way to work on communication skills in the written form. Sure it also can be fraught with the short hand as discussed in that article i linked first hand. but the WTF and HS and LMFAO have been around longer than IMs. They go way back to the roots of computer communication. In many ways discussing the Cross courses of Europe is an educational experience. I'm trying to learn.

Sure, i'm not new on the block, but i have recognized that somethings i have not as much knowledge as i should. And actively seeking out others with primary experiences and listening to their opinion/recounting is a way of educating myself that i relish.

I like to ask questions. even stupid ones. many i would know the answer to, but still without thinking of the answer myself i seek the answer from others. One person commented to me that it was a sign of indecision. Um. Yup. I'm pretty guilty of being indecisive. I'll analyze options until the product landscape changes and i have to start over or forget about it. Which is often good for a cash poor person like me.

Cash has never been something i've ever had much of. Growing up education and educational experiences were always valued above anything else. The state of michigan decided that my wife working as well as me was not going to continue and that ended the one stretch of reasonable fiscal freedom. Still clawing and scratching to stay above it all. So reading, asking questions, searching for gifts not material, seeking knowledge always seemed to be where i fell into. If i could wrap up a bit of knowledge and give it out as a present this time of year would be easy for me. The penny pincher in me has a tough time spending money, and the indecisive side makes picking out a gift for someone even more painful. That all feeds into the anxiety and its a pretty destructive spiral. Happens all the time.

When i was running my own classes in Michigan, writing was critical. It works beautifully with teaching a technical skill. They learn how to do something. Then write up what they did and how they did it any why it could be useful or important. The first papers were always tough. One or two students out of the 8 or 10 could write acceptably but still had much to learn about scientific formatting and clarity in the brevity of a report. But towards the end of the semester, with lots of patient guidance, many re-writes, they generally all began to understand why i was demanding that they focus on their writing. Writing is important.

This writing here for me is very different than the critical scientific writing. Its more along the lines of speech writing i think. Prose flowing out of my fingers. This has been more tightly guided around a theme than most drivel posted. More because it was inspired by a specific instance.

Writing.

Writing is good. Slows one down. Makes one think. IM and text messages are probably very good starting points for writing. And potentially a fantastic teaching tool if harnessed intelligently with great planning.

peace out
G