Bad Eyes vs Menial Labor
In the past, menial labor was in great demand, and not much thinking was needed. That short-sighted attitude will not take us into the future.
Teaching
Medieval Medicine & Cell Phones
A medical classmate of mine is an inveterate reader and every once in a while I call or eMail him for reading recommendations. A couple of years ago he suggested The Physician by Noah Gordon. It was a fun read and I would recommend it to anyone interested in history, the history of medicine, or … [Read more…]
Slow Learners, Non-Learners
There are administrators, and even some teachers, who believe that slow learners do not want to learn, they are non-learners. The facts argue otherwise.
Rote/Wrote: Memorization vs Education
In the previous post I talked about the origins of modern education, and about how the book and simple literacy dominated the functions of the early university. That literacy was dominated by memorization, not education Roman Public Speaking & Mnemonics The word ‘lecture,’ comes from the Latin word lego, ‘to read’, but also ‘to recite’. … [Read more…]
Medieval Magic of Books
The medieval magic of books was a constant of the medieval university: exotic mutterings, alchemic symbols, a wand for instruction… and reading.
Whose Fault?
Where does the fault lie? Clearly, it’s the parents’ fault. But if that’s true, it’s really the grandparents’ fault. But that means it’s the great-grandparents fault…
Paying Teachers
Paying teachers more money is critical for education, but teachers are professionals; so we also need to pay them more respect. Teachers Salaries Teachers are always in the crosshairs. We expect them to do more and more (and with fewer and fewer resources), but do not pay them very well. Some years back there was … [Read more…]
He Earned It
A few years ago I stumbled across Dr. Seuss Goes to War and bought it for my children. (And for me and my friends; one of my friends, a retired University historian, was visiting our home and sat and read it with fascination for quite some time.) It turns out that the beloved Dr. Seuss … [Read more…]
The Scariest Show on TV
The Scariest Show on TV proves we remember little of our schooling; but as schools demand more, the students hate it more, and they remember less & less. Beating Children Some years ago I saw a t-shirt that read, “The beatings will continue until morale improves.” This applies to all sorts of bureaucracies, but particularly … [Read more…]
Reading to Children
At one point in practicing medicine, I remember worrying that I was becoming racist. I had examined several black children one day who were all uncooperative and fought me, so I couldn’t get in a good exam, which means I couldn’t practice good medicine. I could feel myself tensing up when I went to examine … [Read more…]