On Teaching (Sort Of)

I saw this today and I thought it was pretty neat so I had to share.



I considered teaching at one point. I was an instructor for the Navy for four years and enjoyed every minute of it. Of course, my students were mainly young adults and I had certain tools at my disposal to ensure strict compliance, but it was a rewarding opportunity that I am very glad that I did not pass up. So, I decided to attend the local college and get certified in secondary education. I concentrated in Social Studies, since my BA is in History it seemed a logical choice and I totally understood the requirement that I take Michigan history (being non-local, all I can tell you is that they make cars here). What I did not get were the requirements to take a ton of additional 100-level courses without the option of challenging the course. This certification was supposed to be post-baccalaureate. Geography 101 slayed me, the instructor was a pompous bigoted ex-Mennonite who blathered on about those dirty Muslims and attempted to skool me in Germany's post-WWII culture and attitudes. Guess he didn't know that I did some serious WWII study (Europe not Asia, I'll admit that all I know about Japan is that we dropped some hideous bombs on them from a plane named the Enola Gay [okay, I know a little more, but I like the effect]) as an undergrad or that I lived more than a decade in Germany. I complained to the administration, crucified the unqualified yahoo on critiques and that dude is still there teach Geography 101 (sadly, most of the students are very young people who are completing their basic requirements to continue on at 4-year colleges or pursue professional certificates). His effect could be extremely significant on a whole generation of northern-Michiganders, and many of them are already starting from the rear. Here is what I took out of the situation:

1) Rather than allow students to challenge a course (and save some dough) the school in question is a money-grubbing institution that will milk you for every last dime (even if they don't provide you a cent's worth of instruction).

2) Some people are too lazy, or unconcerned, or something, to do the right thing. I strongly feel that this instructor should have been censured, and possibly, terminated for espousing his political views upon the students, not teaching the subject matter and, most importantly, not having a full command of the subject matter. Many of the instructors are people who retired from some other profession (this can be a very good thing, but not in this case).

At the end of the day, I had a job that required visits and communication with all of the high schools in the two local counties. I realized that it would be years before a Social Studies position opened up and I started looking to continue with a Masters in History and going from there. Unbelievably, the Jedi forces collided with the most awesome set of circumstances that I ended up being led down a path that I had first tread upon over 20 years ago. Law School. Okay, there was that little blip in my new plans (perhaps the price that I pay for the scholarship and GI Bill that will fund my new journey), but I will finally be starting law school in a mere 16 days.