Decisions, Decisions....
Posted on Mar 30th, 2008
by 
kcidybom
kcidybom
I like my work as a field instructor at a therapeutic wilderness boarding school. Actually, I love it, and for reasons that escape me it turns out that I'm good at it. I'm the guy who gets the radio call in the middle of the night to talk to a student suffering from severe depression, or acting out uncontrollable impulses, or feeling off-the-wall anger, whatever. I'm the guy who sits with them listening as they bare their souls, cry over the guilt they heap on themselves, make plans for a better future. So why the trick question?
Kindly Conundrum -- around here we all call him KC for short -- snuck up behind me in the woods the other day. It was the day after I got back from a 15 mile 'rapid-pace' warm-up hike, one in preparation for a 32 mile/24 hour hike a few weeks out, so I was tired -- maybe I hallucinated, but he talked to me:
"Hey, Mr. Man, we got something for ya. Something new to do."
After I came back to earth, after my pitter-patter heart quieted, I answered: "Ummm, who's 'we,' and what?"
"Oh come on now, you know who 'we' are. You do, don't you? Oh hell, you don't have a clue. Okay, 'we' are a big gulp from the karmic jug, the little voice sitting on your shoulder telling you to get it together, your 'gut feeling,' that look in another's eyes when they think you are either cool or a jerk, take your choice. But anyway, we want you to be a teacher. Would you like that?"
"We are all teachers," Buddha-boy cleverly replied.
"Nah, not that way. We want you to be a bona fide teacher, you know, classrooms, lesson plans, tests, that sort of stuff."
"Teacher of what, KC?"
"Science," said he, "right here at this school."
"Ummm, you do know I stopped teaching, or at least stopped helping teach, the Catechism when I realized I no longer believed that the truth of it wasn't contingent, right?"
"So what's that have to do with it?"
"Well, I no longer believe in science as a complete and internally consistent system of thought," I answered. "I believe the reductionist method is important, but not the all-and-everything that many practitioners make it out it to be. I believe it largely addresses causal relationships but ignores synchronous ones at other than the very smallest scales. We humans impose patterns on nature where none may exist. We do this to ease the burden. On the other hand, we ignore other patterns because they do not fit our preconceptions. Again, we do this to ease the burden. I believe that no system of thought is complete, so how can I teach anything, no less science?"
"We had not considered this," said KC.
"So what do I do then?"
"Do what you must, we can say nothing more." And with that KC was gone.
I have until this Friday to decide.
Access: Public
belief
July 2008 
You might be a DAMN good science teacher just simply BECAUSE of this paragraph……..
I no longer believe in science as a complete and internally consistent system of thought,” I answered. “I believe the reductionist method is important, but not the all-and-everything that many practitioners make it out it to be. I believe it largely addresses causal relationships but ignores synchronous ones at other than the very smallest scales. We humans impose patterns on nature where none may exist. We do this to ease the burden. On the other hand, we ignore other patterns because they do not fit our preconceptions. Again, we do this to ease the burden. I believe that no system of thought is complete,
This will allow and encourage your students to continue to investigate, to look broader instead of just narrower.
Here's a short read that I think might speak directly to what you've just written here– The Creation, An Appeal to Save Life on Earth by E.O. Wilson. Chapter 14, “How to Learn Biology and How to Teach It” and Chapter 15 “How to Raise a Naturalist” and Chapter 16 “Citizen Science” are very interesting. Of course they made me WANT to be a science teacher. I'm always, always thinking about the other paths I might have taken or still might take. ;-)
Whatever you decide I'm sure it will be the right decision. It's a cliffhanger. I'll be looking for the post next weekend to see what you decided. :-)
also – do you think it’s true that we often teach what we most need to learn??
I know the saying goes, when the student is ready the teacher will come. but is is also true that when the teacher is ready the student will come?
Good luck with having too many good things to choose from.
Choose wisely, Luke…nah, every choice has it's own great outcome. Just enjoy.
Hot damn Albert! You are the one they call on … you're good. Yes, you are good at what you do and you'd more than likely be good at teaching. You already are. Enjoy the process - ! You can't lose, you know?
ps … good goin' on getting ready for that LONG HIKE!!! :-)
Dawn - I love it that you bring up E.O. Wilson. I admire his work so much, although the book you mention is new to me. I'm going to Amazon right now to order it. And yeah on the second comment. Definitely, and both.
Jeannie - Yup, a kindly conundrum for sure. And whatever I choose to do I can't lose - what a wonderful place to be.
Thanks gais…love ya…;-)
Hey Peri - your commenting overlapped mine - how fortuitous though. We had the same exact idea - can't lose. Wonderful, true, and it'll make my decision so much easier, realizing that. Love to you too…;-)
mr all………..the science guy!
cool
Hey Krissy - Isn't it so very weird? Love ya…hugs. See ya soon.
I hope your decision goes well Kcidybom. I feell that you make a difference no matter what you do.
Thank you Jenni, that's very sweet of you.
do you know yet? what does your heart say?
Ooooo, instead of (or maybe in additon to) calling you Mr. All, Krissy and I can start calling you Mr. Science! You'll have to get those black plastic 1950's scientist glasses, too. I get to take pictures.
I was late to class and missed this string when it happened. You would make the best science teacher! E.O. Wilson just wrote a novel. An invitation to move into something else.
Thanks Farland. Your vote of confidence, and those from above, mean the world to me. I haven't reached my personal tipping point on this yet, but I suspect my decision will come sooner than Friday.
Hey, if I do become a teacher do I have to eat more apples and cultivate a teacher's pet? I do refuse, however, to use a plastic pocket protector…;-)
The most memorable teachers that I have had are the ones who listen, and include humor in their lessons. In fact I had a teacher, Mr. Long, who was a science teacher . He had a very hard time teaching evolution. He stated his personal view, and then had us read the text. He told us that it was up to our minds to decide what was right. This caused a heated debate that really opened my eyes to the differances in worldly views. If you decide to become the teacher, and this is what I get from the conversation- I think you will be awesome. It seems you are very dedicated to the students, and maybe you can help someone elses young eyes see other views too. I remember how confusing the world seemed and sometimes I would go talk to my teacher. It's amazing how we touch each others lifes, and as a science teacher I think you will touch many. The text is not always right. On a nother note, the teachers rule is you have to eat three apples a day- morning, noon, and night.. If you break the teacher's rule you have no choice but to use a plactic pocket protector. :) Sorry.
I decided - I'm gonna do it. I'm the new science teacher!
congratulations, mr. science!
You'll make a great “anything” teacher. If that's where your heart is, then all will go really well.
I can't wait (if I was one of your students) What I love abou science is the part of it that is a mystery and the more you learn the bigger the mystery.
congratulations! big hug!
Thanks everyone…your support and encouragement is so important to me. And yes Farland, the more you learn, the bigger the mystery.
Love you gais!
Ok, Mr Science, just scrolling up, and why exactly would plastic pockets need protectors?
Albert you will make such a fabulous science teacher (or any kinda teacher) but yeah, science and you !!!! wooohooo! I'm excited. My daughter's middle school science teacher was like you! I'm happy for you and very happy for your future students! When do you make the switch?
Mr Science Guy………………….. are you going to have a lab and beakers and test tubes and stuff? We could have so much fun! Maybe we could dissect something? Or have a water table, cool!
Mr Science!!! yay. I just got back from Utah and am catching up on Gaia stuff, slowly but surely. Congratulations. I, for one, would LuUUUUUv to take your science class. :-)
My heart is toasty warm.
And my distance learning class is open to all, tuition free, but for everything I teach each of you must teach me something in return. Oh wait, you already have! I'm already behind on this transaction. Sorry, lessons to follow!
Thank you all so much…Albert…;-)
Mr Science,
yay!
I can't think of a better person for the job. You will teach them open ended questions….magic
xx
Thanks Jena, that's so sweet, and teaching open ended questions is the highest calling of a teacher - I hope to be able to do that.