Teaching


Wherein Our Heroine is Very, Very Fortunate.
I read a lot of academic and post-academic blogs. In addition to daily visits at Rana and Mel's places, I check in on a regular basis with Professor Cooper and a few others. Recently, I have found that a couple of other academic bloggers have linked to me.*

Life did not lead me to a career in the Ivory Tower, but I do have a fascination with the idea of working in academe. I try not to romanticize the fascination, as I know academia has low pay, phenomenal politics, and intense pressure as some of its less attractive attributes. Potentially the least attractive part of teaching is students with delusions of entitlement. Running a close second would be students who have to be taught or re-taught basic skills. An instance of this would be one of my college roommates, who thought writing a "critical" paper for an English class meant she was expected to give her opinion of the work in question. She thought this as a Sophomore, and since she had gone to a prep school (as had I), she would not allow me to disabuse her of the notion. Critical equaled critique in her mind, and despite my warnings, she was enraged by her poor grade (ah, we return to entitlement).

I read about entitlement and other ills of the classroom, and occasionally reflect on my Yoga students. I know the comparison is a poor one for a lot of reasons, but when I consider the "entitlement kids" of academia, I feel incredibly fortunate to teach people who are engaged, interested, and curious. So many of them come to the class looking for an alternative to (or augmentation of) their physical fitness regime, yet end up becoming open to the emotional and spiritual sides of the practice, delving into the history and culture. They come looking to learn and to work - all I have to do (and it is a big "all") is show them the way. Their exploration does not begin and end at the studio door - what teacher could ask for more?

Bliss.


*By the way - does anyone know why Technorati will post a linkage and then remove it, even though the blogger has not removed the link?.
Posted: Monday - February 21, 2005 at 08:46 AM         | |

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