Well said. It is so humbling to think of all that is out there and how truly insignificant we are. I think of this when I get so caught up in the turmoil of daily life and stress about things that really don't matter, when you get down to it. I kind of needed this post at this moment in my life, so thanks. Have a great year back at the helm. I'm still happy that I no longer teach, but I do enjoy the small bits of teaching I do through my cognate posts and when I speak at literary events.
So glad to have you back! And with such a great post, too. Like you, I've been following the Webb project for a while and was astounded at the photos this summer. But, to answer your question - how do we teach our students about the vast universe - I'm not sure we can.
It's a truism that we teachers learn at least as much from our students as we teach, but how does that happen? Is it by them sitting down in a formal teaching situation and presenting us with a slide show about everything that matters to them? Or is it their enthusiasm and respect for a certain subject or idea that captures our attention and resolve to look deeper into it?
I think continually and consistently exhibiting empathy, compassion, and enthusiasm for new ideas is the equivalent of leading the horse to water. Whether they take a drink isn't really up to us.
Well said. It is so humbling to think of all that is out there and how truly insignificant we are. I think of this when I get so caught up in the turmoil of daily life and stress about things that really don't matter, when you get down to it. I kind of needed this post at this moment in my life, so thanks. Have a great year back at the helm. I'm still happy that I no longer teach, but I do enjoy the small bits of teaching I do through my cognate posts and when I speak at literary events.
So glad to have you back! And with such a great post, too. Like you, I've been following the Webb project for a while and was astounded at the photos this summer. But, to answer your question - how do we teach our students about the vast universe - I'm not sure we can.
It's a truism that we teachers learn at least as much from our students as we teach, but how does that happen? Is it by them sitting down in a formal teaching situation and presenting us with a slide show about everything that matters to them? Or is it their enthusiasm and respect for a certain subject or idea that captures our attention and resolve to look deeper into it?
I think continually and consistently exhibiting empathy, compassion, and enthusiasm for new ideas is the equivalent of leading the horse to water. Whether they take a drink isn't really up to us.
Great post, and again, welcome back!