To begin what I hope will be a truly exciting and productive journey for all of us allow me introduce myself. I am Jonathan Polus, a English Literature Major at Cal State University Northridge, and someone who has a passion to teach and mentor young adults. The ability to nourish and foster a love of learning and an interest in the books and words I love is something that truly excites me.
It is in my nature is not to do anything quickly, but think through and process all that is before me before making a decision. I am truly an Ent in the fashion of J.R.R. Tolkien's ancient tree giants that never make a decision hastily and rarely appreciate change. Likewise, change is not one of my favorite vocabulary words. As I mulled over media technology and its relationship to teaching I found myself with a few overarching reservations, one which I will share.
I sincerity fear the loss of interpersonal relationships and mentor ship within the educational system. My teachers and my parents are the reason I have pursued and dedicated myself to a life of scholarship and education. My one experience with an online class at Cal State University Northridge was not something that I wish to repeat. There were no anecdotes, no spontaneous theorizing, no striking and sharpening of personal belief and theory. I fear that if teaching is given wholly to technology we will lose the life, emotion, and enthusiasm in the subjects as quickly as we lose it in the students themselves. This rather apocalyptic reservation aside I have experienced some wonderful benefits of technology in the realm of education.
One such aid came while attempting to understand Shakespeare and the intricacy of his many plays. What benefited me the most were the BBC theatrical enactments of the plays. These, often word for word, enactments allowed me to follow along highlighting in my book noting the truly important stage and set element of the plays. This media resource was invaluable to me and my understanding of the text. I have recommended every teacher I know who teaches Shakespeare to at least incorporate clips of the performed plays along side or outside their regular lectures.
Though I am hesitant by nature, I truly am excited to learn and utilize more of these media teaching techniques. As tools, they will no doubt be invaluable in the field I am soon to enter and with the bright young adults I will have the honor of teaching.
Jonathan Polus
Hey Jon,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your fear of education losing it's mentor-ship and room for new thought, but I fear it has already been moving in this direction some time. I am glad to read your enthusiasm for inspiring the students of the future because I feel that many teachers I have had over the years lacked this intention. A true teacher is always a learner, and understands that things will always change.
On a side note, I'm taking my first ever online class this semester and it seems very impersonal, maybe too easy! Though like I mentioned before, I truly think this is the direction education is headed because most of the time classes don't require and/or inspire the development of people as a whole, but more so just the information that can be packed into the brain. I think you actually understand that students need to be stimulated by the material, not only in the mind, but also the emotions that are mostly ignored in academia today.
I chose your post because you're such a blessing in class. I was not surprised to see you say that you want "to nourish and foster a love of learning and an interest in the boooks and words [you] love" was no surprise. It excites me too :)
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