Wow! I hadn’t caught the underlying meaning of the double-negatives before. Great observation. They’re actually asking for education, but not “thought control.”

I’ve been ruminating on the ways that the voices in our heads mess with us (http://tonybrainstorms.blogspot.com/2016/04/theres-someone-in-my-head.html). You’ve made me add to my list: voices installed by others, such as teachers and oppressive education systems.

You might want to check out Gardner’s recent post: The Web is not the same as the internet, and why that matters (http://www.gardnercampbell.net/blog1/?p=2080). He talks to this idea that our educational model encourages passive thinking. That problem-solving is the best possible outcome. Solving problems that someone in charge points us at. He asks the question “could there be a higher learning objective?” His answer comes as, “yes! Problem-Finding.”

I think that it’s likely that every generation will complain about the younger generations as they get older. Heck, I even find myself shaking my head at the undergrad youths these days.

It seems likely to me that we develop senses of what works and what doesn’t as we get older, but younger folks are willing to challenge the status quo and do things in their own ways. To the older generations, it looks like they have no idea what they’re doing, and that’s because they don’t! But that’s also how innovation happens.

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I think that it’s likely that every generation will complain about the younger generations as they get older. Heck, I even find myself shaking my head at the undergrad youths these days.

It seems likely to me that we develop senses of what works and what doesn’t as we get older, but younger folks are willing to challenge the status quo and do things in their own ways. To the older generations, it looks like they have no idea what they’re doing, and that’s because they don’t! But that’s also how innovation happens.

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Great points! I definitely agree that learning, as well as teaching, can be viewed as a long series of small changes. Thanks for pointing out the student perspective!

Me too. If teachers can teach concepts/topics with a broad idea and related them to students life, students can understand them well and be attracted.

Thanks for your comment, Karen! I think you make a really great point that we don’t always see the full impact of things. But we all can do things that have those far-reaching effects!

I love that phrasing! I too have learned to “know myself, fight with myself, and improve myself.” I think we often think of people that “have great character” without thinking that we can develop our own character.

Thanks for your comment!

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I love that phrasing! I too have learned to “know myself, fight with myself, and improve myself.” I think we often think of people that “have great character” without thinking that we can develop our own character.

Thanks for your comment!

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Ok, there’s so much here to like….but I’ll pick the low hanging fruit and affirm that the mac and cheese days are fine. Just finished mine as I’m getting ready for class this evening. As long as you keep your beacon in front of you (or at least in your mind’s eye), the cumulative effect of those mac and cheese days is indeed cordon bleu.

Thanks for your reply! Added context to the list!

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