tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720154522729513418.post8170325480111153356..comments2023-07-08T02:32:23.793-07:00Comments on Teaching Matters at LU: When It's One of Those Days...Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917082233981368034noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720154522729513418.post-77784013378245446672014-09-26T10:09:57.616-07:002014-09-26T10:09:57.616-07:00Dear esteemed African philosopher (if I may use th...Dear esteemed African philosopher (if I may use those four words in one phrase without internal contradictions:<br /><br />I would certainly agree that there is no point to teaching if it produces no learning. Indeed, I would say that it is an impossibility--if my student didn't learn anything I didn't teach anything no matter what I thought I was teaching. And I would agree that it's hard to compete for student interest with the non-academic side of college. But that is the challenge of teaching, one which you, as a past recipient of the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching, have, I am confident, figured out.<br />Lindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18335145674065415998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720154522729513418.post-85544087661039261912014-09-20T12:34:05.859-07:002014-09-20T12:34:05.859-07:00Letter to the Director of the Center for Excellenc...Letter to the Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning:<br /><br />I was surprised to learn through one of your many e-mail messages and blog (on the subject) that you or one (or more) of your esteemed Advisory Board members believes that teaching matters at Lincoln University. Given the profundity of the matter and the self-evidence of the assertion, I do not wish to impugn the individual or collective wisdom of the Director or her Advisory Board nor question the truth of the claim. After all, I am only an African philosopher, raised with monkeys and elephants in the jungles of Africa. <br /><br />After a number of restless days and sleepless nights, over a course of several years, I do, however, wish to know to whom teaching matters. It matters not or, if it does, very little to most of the students whose main concern is about grades and not teaching or learning. It matters not, or very little, to most of the administration whose primary concern is about power or control. I even doubt that it matters to the faculty as much as salary (does to faculty). <br /><br />Many teachers have taught different lessons to different people at different times. The point, however, is to learn. In the end, it is learning that is important and not teaching. What is the point of teaching when there is little or no learning? We learn to teach, but teach to learn! I wonder how much (positive academic) learning takes place on some college campuses, besides socializing including drinking, smoking, using smart phones and having sex.<br /><br />Safro Kwame<br />Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04738925154661156525noreply@blogger.com