Higher Learning

A truly higher education

So earlier this week I was convinced I needed to hitchhike to Hawaii to pursue a doctoral degree in beach combing. Or perhaps find an  apprenticeship with an iron welder--which would make me both unique and skilled. Hungry but unsure of what to eat, tired but unwilling to close my eyes, I wandered desperately close to the border of an existentialist crisis, took a look and high-tailed it back to what I know that I know. 

1. First on the list is the immutable fact that I have light years of leaning to tackle. The more I learn, the more I know I need to learn. I will consider that solace and assurance that I will one day be a teacher whose class I'd like to be in.
2. I have access to, and the support of a delightful team of personal friends, colleagues and even teachers of teachers (an extraordinary undertaking) who have been lending me a smorgasbord of supports without which I would starve. For their wonderful sakes, this thing is gonna fly!
3. I have an abiding commitment to caring. Though it can often land me on the short side of the stick, this is important. It means that I can look a young bloke in the eye, tell him I KNOW he is better than what his actions dictate and see the click just behind his pupils as he registers that I mean what I'm saying.
4. While I really don't like confrontations, I am actually quite good at them when the need arises. So if I need to stride purposefully towards a student until he backs against a wall and looks nervous, well so be it. 'Nuff said.

So Hawaii and that doctorate will have to wait just a little bit longer while I sort out a few things, but I can live with that.