Chasing ... Cutting

[Terrance Flaherty]

"Derek C. Maus" wrote:
> 
> On Thu, 31 Aug 2000, Terrance Flaherty wrote:
> 
> >  "All's", now check your ego at the door, it's assessment (of students
> > and teachers) as an integral part of the lesson. Correct answers are
> > fine, but we don't learn much from them.
> 
> Um...I'm not sure I understand what this is in reference to, Terrance. As
> a matter of fact, I'm not sure I even understand the first sentence at
> all. Help me out here, please.

The point is, there is a virtue in not knowing. Mistakes are
under-rated.  The correct answer is over-rated. What does
Pirate's dream mean? What does GR mean? If one students sits
in the front of the class and has a very intelligent
conversation with the teacher, the class fails. If every
time you solicit information from a class one smart guy
provides the correct answer, what have you got? Isn't it
important that students talk to each other, write for each
other. Assess each other, and YOU too? We may complain about
this medium, but it is rather democratic, isn't it? Sure,
this list has problems, gender equity, to name but one, but
no apple polisher dominates here, no smug professor stands
at the podium and fills up the students empty heads with the
correct way to read, to get it right. One p-lister jokes
about hosting a book he hasn't read. Teach a book you
haven't read (I'm not directing any of this to you Derek or
anyone in particular), it's a great way to get your students
out of the corners of the room, where they go, of course, to
find power. S-z, always a gentlemen, said sure, host a book
you have not read. 

There is a virtue in not knowing. I borrowed this phrase
from Elanor Duckworth. It is a virtue that I don't know
some  of things my students know--Who killed Homer Simpson?
It 
is a virtue that students don't know all the same 
things--when a students asked me "Who is Homer Simpson," it 
was fortunate that he did not ask me in private after class, 
as was his usual manner, but opted to address his question 
to me and the class. It is a virtue that students don't
know  some of things that I know--who killed Homer, well I
don't  really know the answer to that question, but it's a
good  question. Finally, it is a virtue that none of us
knows it all.