Sometimes I look at the freshmen I have the privilege to teach and think back to what I was like in the fall of 1994...with my mop of California-blonde hair, and wearing flannel everywhere I went, and listening to Dave Matthews, and Hootie & the Blowfish, and Blues Traveler...and I smile.
I smile because I thought I knew so much then, and didn't realize how much more I had to learn. ("Wise in my own eyes," as the writer of Proverbs so often cautions against...)
It's humbling to serve as a professor, because I think of how very much my professors had a hand in shaping how I think, and act, and LIVE today. I wonder sometimes if I'm doing enough in the service of helping them grow into the people God is calling them to become.
But these students? Wow. What a blessing to teach them. They ask such great questions, they (usually) throw themselves into the weird learning tasks I ask them to try, and most of them truly want to learn. And yet, strangely, I sometimes catch glimpses of the freshman I was coming out in them, the kid who thinks he is so wise, but has so much yet to learn. But I know that it's part of their growing and maturing process too, just as it was for me. In those moments, I feel like the work I'm doing is somehow holy, and nothing to be taken lightly. Makes me wonder if my professors maybe felt that way about working with me too.
Maybe I'm just feeling a little nostalgic today, and maybe I'm just feeling the burden of being a little behind on my marking, and maybe I'm just grateful for the opportunity I have to be teaching at my alma mater, helping freshmen discern if becoming a teacher is part of their calling, just as my professors did 20-odd years ago, changing my life in the process.
I think I'm going to go put some Collective Soul and grade papers...
Scholarly Updates
I don’t know if this will be a regular section in this newsletter, but I figure I will share things here that I’m proud of—and that you might find interesting too. :-)
I wish I had a book update to share with you. (Thanks to those of you who have been asking me about when it will be in print—it’s coming!) I have been in touch with my publisher; long story short, the timeline is going to be a little longer than I initially had hoped. Stay tuned for updates as I can share them!
In the meantime, I did get something else published. I serve on the editorial board of a new journal that launched about two years ago: the Journal of Technology-Integrated Lessons and Teaching (JTILT). JTILT is a peer-reviewed, online journal, but we aim to publish things that “real teachers” will read and benefit from—mostly technology-integrated lesson plans.
I recently had one of my own lessons accepted for publication after the peer-review process (yay!) and it was included in the most-recent issue, which just came out this week. It’s a lesson that I’ve taught in one of my graduate courses, but I’ve adapted it to use it with undergrads, and honestly I think you could use the strategy in this lessson with high school and middle school students too. You can read it here: Digital Florilegium: A High-Tech Twist on an Ancient Reading Practice. (And even if you don’t read the piece, I would appreciate it if you would click that link. We are trying to promote the journal, and every time an article is accessed it helps boost JTILT’s readership stats. Thanks for your support!)
Dave’s Faves
Here are three things I’m absolutely loving right now that I hope you might love too…
Dave’s Fave #1: Lessons in Chemistry
When I was in grad school, I pretty much stopped watching TV—no time for it! But I do love to have a show to watch with my wife, but we have found that our taste in TV has diverged a bit, partly because there are SO MANY OPTIONS for shows on different streaming services these days. Thankfully, with so many options, we keep finding shows that we mutually enjoy. Our latest: Lessons in Chemistry, on Apple TV+.
This is the story of Elizabeth Zott, a chemist by training who is navigating the sexism of the 1950s who is coming into her own in many different ways. (This former middle school science teacher loves the whole “cooking is chemistry” theme that runs through the series!) The show is by turns funny, and sad, and shocking, and poignant, and mysterious, and delightful—and full of social commentary that is surprisingly relevant for our world today. (There really is “nothing new under the sun.”) There is some adult-ish content, and a lot of language, but ultimately there is a lot of redemption, and moments of deep joy. We really enjoyed it.
Dave’s Fave #2: The Martian
I know, I know…I’m about 10 years and a feature film late to getting to this one! Andy Weir’s book, The Martian, was an ABSOLUTELY ENGROSSING read. I picked it up from our local library before our latest cold snap, and since I was stuck indoors for about 36 hours straight, it was the perfect time to read a novel.
WOW, what a great story! In a nutshell: astronaut Mark Watney is mistakenly left behind for dead when his fellow astronauts have an emergency end to their expedition to Mars. Mark’s incredible ingenuity and tenacity—and a bit of luck—keep him alive on Mars while NASA races to figure out a way to get him home. Absolutely packed with adventure but rooted in real science throughout, it’s a fantastic survival story. If you like action thrillers, I can almost certainly guarantee you’ll enjoy this book. Two big ol’ Dr. Dave thumbs up for this one!
Dave’s Fave #3: “Things Will Get Better”
My music recommendation this week is a song by Vian Izak entitled “Things Will Get Better.” I’m famous for my positivity—and I am a positive person—but all of us have down days. If you’re having a bummer of a day, this one might be a little pick-me-up to get you through. It’s a catchy tune with a great, simple message!
The Last Word!
As part of a discussion about how teachers have opportunities to serve as “leaders” through their work, I recently shared this idea with the grad students I have the joy of teaching this semester:
I think that we have to be leaders in some situations, and followers in others. But there is nuance in my saying this! I will be bold enough to say that I think that teachers are always leaders, and teachers are always followers. If nothing else, we are leading our students, and following our Lord! :-)
I've come to think of leadership as "leveraging influence." The important role we play as teachers is one with a lot of influence, and se should not take lightly the responsibility—and privileges—that come with that influence!
A word of encouragement for you, if you serve as an educator: don’t forget about the influence you have! Take this work seriously; it’s holy work to speak into the lives of your students. Have confidence that you are making a difference in their lives! Blessings to you as you lead—and as you follow.
Oh gotta love Collective Soul. I remember playing that album over and over. If you're looking for another Andy Weir book, I'd skip his second book (Artemis), but the third one (Hail Mary) is pretty fun. I think I have it on my shelf if you want to borrow it.