I'm re-writing my teaching philosophy.
A teaching philosophy is a short description of what I think college teaching should be, could be, and how I do it. All ideally, of course.
It's going alright. I'm resisting the urge to quote Spinoza. I'm also resisting championing unlearning, my new obsession. Rather tricky to be a teacher who thinks, really, we learn more hanging out with friends, making dinner, and laying around in shorts reading in darkened rooms.
I like my kid. I think he's funny and sweet.
I almost lost it a balloon man at the park yesterday.
Hugo: Ballooooonsss! Wheeeee! I LOVE balloooons!
Balloon man: scowl
Hugo: Hi!
Balloon man: Could you take him to the side? (flat palm point to his left asscheek) This is a private function.
Me: This is a public park, balloonman. And your vest with little stars is faded and very 1991, and my son is fucking awesome. So make him a balloon puppy or fight me right here, right now.
OK, What I actually said: (nothing)
I did scowl at him.
I also kicked woodchips at his balloon table. Like really kicked.
I also let Hugo poke the balloons a few more times.
I get all proprietorial about public parks. In a public, socialist way.
Does that make sense?
OK: I share all our toys, frisbees, balls and fun with other kids.
I let other reindeer join in our fun and games.
So when any douchey parent or balloonman-capitalist doesn't want to share balloons, toy excavators, or sparkly balls, I get all cranky.
This is my life.
One minute: grandiloquent teaching philosophy.
The next: adult tantrums in the playground
2 comments:
I agree with Moe. No one actually knows where balloon men come from. They just appear, then when you turn around they vanish. Popcorn sellers also make me nervous.
wow. i was recently asked to compile a list of the 15 books that... i don't know... i liked the best or were most influential or something (it's going around FB). i *cldn't*. part of the thing was that a former colleague (from PhD) tagged me, so i had my academic pretensions, but at a certain point, i crapped out. not because i don't read constantly (or near constantly) but because there aren't that many books that have totally transcendentally blown me away. i love language and writing... maybe i just have trouble with "best of lists."
oh yeah: but the greatest learning experiences in the past few years for me have been real-life. and friggin' dorks defending their right to their little quarter-(million)-section of public land is definitely a real-life learning experience.
and the two incidents are intimately related, no?
the sort of teaching (i'm guessing) you espouse is exactly the opposite of "owning" public land (or thoughts, or whatever) and defending it against (intellectual) intruders like a fortress.
good on you!
(haha i can comment on your blog!)
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