But Coach gave me the sign to take.
Funny (political, religious) pictures
- Thread starter strawman
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Dave
Staff member
(That's what she said.)
(Just like Nick's prom night.)
So it was the Scots that stole Camelot...
GasBandit
Staff member
Only the model.
I did hear they have ants...
There are a lot of politically-minded professors. I personally am very uncomfortable getting political in my classroom.
The political professor is something I never really experienced due to being in CS. The closest thing I got was a journalism class where it was basically "how not to be racist/sexist/homophobic/whatever" in journalism. That wasn't really a professor's opinion so much as the material though.
I had engineering/math professors orating about random shit, but it was never political. In particular I remember a Math professor talking about his Canoeing trips that he made regularly to the Yukon. They were cool stories, but if I was cruel I would blame him for my bad grades in that class. In truth, I just never "got" how to represent an Infinite Taylor Series very well in my own head, so I wouldn't blame him too much for that.
They were really cool stories though.
I had plenty of political professors....But then again, I studied philosophy, and later modern arts. It's pretty much a given those professors will have strong views as to human nature, how we can and/or should live together, and what is wrong in the world.
The good ones appreciated/welcomed informed dissent, the bad ones just wanted regurgitation of their talking points. I had some of both.
The good ones appreciated/welcomed informed dissent, the bad ones just wanted regurgitation of their talking points. I had some of both.
I'm a middle school teacher, and I teach US History too (which means we covered the election and current events). I think I have actually uttered the phrase "I don't share my political views because it's unprofessional" around 50 times this year. I find that picture hilarious.
I always tell my students "It's my job to teach you how to think, not what to think."
I always tell my students "It's my job to teach you how to think, not what to think."
Yeah, if you teach them how to think, you basically got them for life thanks to the brains excellent ability to rationalize away anything it doesn't agree with.
My high school history teacher shared his political views with us. And we were encouraged to share our political views. We had some pretty awesome current events discussions in his class. I consider him one of my favorite teachers (even though he was the 'other side' of the political spectrum from me and we often disagreed on issues) and those discussions a valuable lesson in listening and thinking about why you (or someone else) supports/opposes certain issues.
But this was the 80s when you could still have respectful and civilized political disagreements/discussions, rather than the shitshow "us vs. them" hatefests that are the norm these days. I feel sorry for kids now, because it seems to be nearly impossible to have a good political debate anymore.
But this was the 80s when you could still have respectful and civilized political disagreements/discussions, rather than the shitshow "us vs. them" hatefests that are the norm these days. I feel sorry for kids now, because it seems to be nearly impossible to have a good political debate anymore.
Yeah. Remember when a debate was an exercise in trying to convince the other party to join your side, rather than trying to convince them how wrong they are?
--Patrick
The Socratic Method, tool of debate and education, has existed since AT LEAST the time of the guy we named it after (Socrates so around 470-469 BC). It is ENTIRELY about proving the other guy wrong. Fuck, the Greeks basically the invented the Western ideas of debate and even then rhetoric was like this.
I feel like you can also do that with high school-aged students, but middle school students are still too young to form rational opinions in politics and then discuss them civilly. Either they are too ignorant to have an opinion, or too immature to discuss it civilly. That's my experience, anyway.
In the janitor closet of Trump Hotel.
Well, that's where we have to take our lunch breaks because management doesn't want the guests to see us.
Necronic
Staff member
That doesnt seem fair, you're just going to end up with a bunch of liberals that way.
You should balance your lessons out with some religious zealotry, historical revisionism, anti-scientism, and Reaganomics here and there to ensure at least a few republicans make it through.
All you really have to do is shriek "FUCK OBAMA!!" and "WAR ON COAL" every day for 8 years. Eventually even your opponent will start doing it.
It's the method of sharing political views, not the sharing itself, that is unprofessional. You can use the Socratic method to prove someone wrong, but still not be an asshat while you're doing it.
And to keep the thread appropriate, have a funny religious (philosophical?) picture of So-crates.
And to keep the thread appropriate, have a funny religious (philosophical?) picture of So-crates.
I thought it was more about refinement, about "cutting the fluff" rather than flat-out refutation.
--Patrick
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I always pronounce Socrates in my head like that.And to keep the thread appropriate, have a funny religious (philosophical?) picture of So-crates.
The point of the Socratic method isn't to show the other one they're wrong, though. It's to guide them towards the/an answer by their own reasoning, by leading them along.
"Black people are stupider than white people!"
"Why do you think so?"
"They score lower on all tests in my school!"
"Really? And do the black people in your school all have something else in common?"
"Yeah, they all have parents who are in jail!"
"I see. So nobody helps them with their homework?"
"No! They don't get any help from their crappy parents!"
"Have you ever needed your [parental figure] to explain something to you?"
"...Yes...."
"What would have happened if your [parental figure] hadn't been around at that time?"
"I'd have failed my test."
"Soo...."
"Hey, maybe black people aren't stupid! Maybe we all need [parental figure]s who help us to get ahead in school! Wow! You've totally changed my mind about this topic!"
Yes, I'm aware the above is a crappy example. But anyway - a) the Socratic method doesn't have to result in convincing the other of something - they can come to the conclusion their original position is valid, too, and b) it's absolutely not about convincinf someone - it's about making them think for themselves.
"Black people are stupider than white people!"
"Why do you think so?"
"They score lower on all tests in my school!"
"Really? And do the black people in your school all have something else in common?"
"Yeah, they all have parents who are in jail!"
"I see. So nobody helps them with their homework?"
"No! They don't get any help from their crappy parents!"
"Have you ever needed your [parental figure] to explain something to you?"
"...Yes...."
"What would have happened if your [parental figure] hadn't been around at that time?"
"I'd have failed my test."
"Soo...."
"Hey, maybe black people aren't stupid! Maybe we all need [parental figure]s who help us to get ahead in school! Wow! You've totally changed my mind about this topic!"
Yes, I'm aware the above is a crappy example. But anyway - a) the Socratic method doesn't have to result in convincing the other of something - they can come to the conclusion their original position is valid, too, and b) it's absolutely not about convincinf someone - it's about making them think for themselves.
I disagree. As a teacher, I am automatically in a position of power in the eyes of my students. They have to listen to me on at least some level - I have authority while they are in my classroom. So no amount of phrasing or limitations will truly counteract the subconscious message of "I am in charge, and this is what I believe, so you should believe it too." It's the same reason that sexual contact between a teacher and a student of legal age isn't allowed, even if seemingly consensual. The power dynamic means it can't ever been on truly even ground.
EDIT: I forgot to clarify, this may be more accurate for my age group. College students should be able to handle themselves.
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That's not true, you can just teach them to think of themselves first, and have no empathy for anyone not close to them, and you're golden.
Remember how Romney had to tell R's to think about how it could be their mother or sister that was getting their pussy grabbed by a star?
That picture is most excellent.
There is definitely a power differential in the classroom in college. In a lot of ways, taking advantage of that differential is viewed as okay, though, because everyone is an adult. That said, universities are totally locking down on potential lawsuits due to unwanted advances or preferential treatment, making everyone very aware of that differential. So far that has not extended into the sharing of political views.
