[lit-ideas] Re: The Education of a Swain

I clearly wasn't clear enough about teaching for that 'one.' I meant that the one student who wakes up in my class is worth the whole year. Two or three is gravy.... I did not mean that I somehow teach to that one while ignoring the rest. In fact, quite the opposite. The 'one' you describe (who has already woken up) can take care of herself. The 'one' I mean doesn't yet know that she will wake up. I've always felt that the responsibility of a first year class is to awaken a love of (and respect for) the subject. Unfortunately, many students are happy to learn the names, spit out a few theories for the test and grab the mark. But every year some few are startled out of themselves and discover a taste and talent that they never imagined. Those are the 'ones' I was talking about. Who the 'one' is is not knowable at the beginning of the year, only at the end... 
I hope that's clearer...
Ursula

John Wager wrote:
To say to most of my students "You don't know what you're doing, so I'm only going to teach those who already know something" seems both dangerous and cruel. Professors who teach for the 1 student out of 10 who "gets" the material on a high level misses the 3 or 4 or 5 students who COULD succeed, IF they knew what success really was. I'd rather teach for half the ignorant than for the one already educated. 



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