I really enjoyed all of these thoughts on teaching. I’d love to join the book club for Family Lexicon too, could you please send me the Zoom link? Thank you so much!
Michelle and Albert: what a wonderful, inspiring post! Two things, one also hopeful and one a cavil:
The hard-right Democrat-Gazette estimated that 10,000 people were on the streets in Fayetteville on June 14. That is an appreciable percentage of the total population. More than 3.5%, I believe (though math and I are always at war). Little Rock saw around 5,000. And just about every small town in Arkansas showed up, even in small part. Even Texarkana, Jonesboro, Hot Springs – in addition to the predictable Fayetteville and Eureka Springs.
Just one objection. Please think hard about adding to the cultural fog surrounding aging when you write, even if light-heartedly, such thoughts as “our bodies rush towards the inescapable end of organic decay.”
In my experience of advancing age, I am intent on turning around that rush day by day, into a more merciful and contemplative listening to my physical self. “It” has tons to say. “It” is telling me what memory cannot about my history – and “it” is telling me what “it” needs, instead of what I think “it” needs.
This is a process so momentous, it feels actually holy. I hold it as a reckoning with my (all humanity’s?) connection to the natural world, the natural cycles. Those cycles don’t necessarily rush.
And that is a key distinction. Rush can be a dynamic that leads to unnecessary deterioration. It breeds carelessness, over-looking of critical nuance, and it can even encourage use of force born of denial or subterranean fear. Please don’t add to that dynamic (let alone participate in it!), even light-heartedly.
One day I plan on writing about how to “operationalize” this. Not fully baked yet.
And other than that -- sending big love to you both and total joy about what you're doing with our successors, the next generations. Now that is momentous!!
Aw, thank you Anita, for the report on what's going on in Little Rock, as well as this really thoughtful, soulful reminder -- I love this idea that we can turn around that rush by being more merciful and contemplative with our physical selves. We're going to try to constantly remind ourselves not to rush!
I also shared the song with my Taigi practice group! Taking one of your classes would be such a dream 🥹 and I am lucky to learn from you both in all the ways I can
So many of your reflexions ring true for me- reading quizzes, worrying about cheating, AI, how to hold students accountable at a minimum, inspire them to be critical thinkers in the ideal, rather than creating punitive ways to check for compliance. You have brought so much creative energy to your teaching. I am inspired and in awe of you and what your students came up with! Brava!
I really enjoyed all of these thoughts on teaching. I’d love to join the book club for Family Lexicon too, could you please send me the Zoom link? Thank you so much!
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Michelle and Albert: what a wonderful, inspiring post! Two things, one also hopeful and one a cavil:
The hard-right Democrat-Gazette estimated that 10,000 people were on the streets in Fayetteville on June 14. That is an appreciable percentage of the total population. More than 3.5%, I believe (though math and I are always at war). Little Rock saw around 5,000. And just about every small town in Arkansas showed up, even in small part. Even Texarkana, Jonesboro, Hot Springs – in addition to the predictable Fayetteville and Eureka Springs.
Just one objection. Please think hard about adding to the cultural fog surrounding aging when you write, even if light-heartedly, such thoughts as “our bodies rush towards the inescapable end of organic decay.”
In my experience of advancing age, I am intent on turning around that rush day by day, into a more merciful and contemplative listening to my physical self. “It” has tons to say. “It” is telling me what memory cannot about my history – and “it” is telling me what “it” needs, instead of what I think “it” needs.
This is a process so momentous, it feels actually holy. I hold it as a reckoning with my (all humanity’s?) connection to the natural world, the natural cycles. Those cycles don’t necessarily rush.
And that is a key distinction. Rush can be a dynamic that leads to unnecessary deterioration. It breeds carelessness, over-looking of critical nuance, and it can even encourage use of force born of denial or subterranean fear. Please don’t add to that dynamic (let alone participate in it!), even light-heartedly.
One day I plan on writing about how to “operationalize” this. Not fully baked yet.
And other than that -- sending big love to you both and total joy about what you're doing with our successors, the next generations. Now that is momentous!!
Aw, thank you Anita, for the report on what's going on in Little Rock, as well as this really thoughtful, soulful reminder -- I love this idea that we can turn around that rush by being more merciful and contemplative with our physical selves. We're going to try to constantly remind ourselves not to rush!
I also shared the song with my Taigi practice group! Taking one of your classes would be such a dream 🥹 and I am lucky to learn from you both in all the ways I can
Aww, thanks so much dear Leona! You're my role model for how i want to organize and create community =) Love to you.
So many of your reflexions ring true for me- reading quizzes, worrying about cheating, AI, how to hold students accountable at a minimum, inspire them to be critical thinkers in the ideal, rather than creating punitive ways to check for compliance. You have brought so much creative energy to your teaching. I am inspired and in awe of you and what your students came up with! Brava!