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Showing posts from May, 2017

How to Melt Snowflakes--or maybe harden them up

Good interview of a person I just learned about.  This is the kind of Republican and republican we need.  Not whatever passes for one in Washington now. http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2017/may-web-only/ben-sasse-adolescence-is-gift-but-extended-adolescence-is-t.html

Snowflakes?

The other day one of my students was talking about his job at Walmart.  He said customers bring their dogs into Walmart all the time. "You mean service dogs, right?" I tried to clarify. "No, just dogs.  I just leave them alone," he answered.  "Are you serious?" I asked. "Walmart just lets them, and we leave them alone.  I'm not getting in trouble over someone's dog." I was flabbergasted.  What are these people thinking?  Why would you think bringing a dog into a grocery store is your right or need? First, I grew up when dogs, except for what was called "seeing-eye dogs" never went anywhere.  Second, dogs are not all house-trained and might go when they feel the urge.  Yuck.  Who gets to clean that up?  Third, children often walk up to dogs they don't know and get friendly--they shouldn't but they do.  As the owner and daily walker of a pitbull, I am extremely vigilant about children who have not been trained

The Socratic Method and Getting in Trouble as a Professor

Excellent article in Inside Higher Education , which I read more than The Chronicle of Higher Education simply because IHE comes to my box everyday for free, but I also find the articles valuable. https://chroniclevitae.com/news/1806-tread-carefully-with-the-socratic-method?cid=wcontentgrid_hp_9 This writer works in the same system I do and I know his situation.  I also have had the same kind of thing happening. Sometimes when we play "devil's advocate" we are both trying to challenge critical reflection and expressing a viewpoint, or a half-way one.  I had a student skewer me on a student evaluation a few years back because I had the nerve to suggest that being a stripper was not a good career choice for women. What I get from this is the granularity and care we must take with our language.  I am very guilty of letting my subconscious speak.  Sometimes this serves me well with some amazingly creative insights.  Other times I put my foot in it, and I'm not ta