Teachers, Personal Responsibility and Crazy Alaskans

Teachers

I'm sure if you think about it, you can come up with a top 5 list of "best teachers".  Teachers who left an impact on you and either helped you become the person you are, challenged you to do better, or "had your number".  Of the teachers I hold in my Top 5, most of them "had my number" - meaning that they knew I could get lazy and would call me on this and not let me get away with it.

One such teacher was my first grade teacher, Miss Bennett (and later MGM teacher) who must have been a great poker player, because she could read my "tells" and call any bluff I was using.

Two others were from my time in the Valley Christian High School program (I will tell you if you ask), while the final two were from my time in college - one during my undergraduate studies and one when I was taking graduate courses in Education.

Not too many people know that I contemplated a move to teaching (yes, inspired by the top 5) and actually completed all of the coursework to obtain my multiple-subject California Teaching credential.  I did not follow through with the student teaching aspect and ultimately stayed in my original industry (although I added a teaching/training aspect to it).

While I was taking these courses, I was struck by the emphasis on "social justice" and increasing students' self-esteem, more so at times than even the basic education.  That never left me and I think it is a shame, because one person's social justice may be another person's "indoctrination".  Thomas Sowell has a great article on this subject here. 

Personal Responsibility

One thing about our culture that keeps bothering me is that we seem to be moving away from personal responsibility.  The less and less individuals are held responsible for their actions, the worse it is for society.

Parenting has a huge impact too - both positively and negatively - on society as a whole.  Parents can help by working to create good, solid, caring, moral children, young adults, then adults.  The key here is that it is work.  It isn't yelling from the couch when they do something wrong, it is getting up and dealing with issues as they happen.  It is staying connected to teenagers as they go through their labyrinth, while giving them some space.  It isn't easy.  But it is possible to those who want to do right by their children. 

Crazy Alaskans

I saw a show called "Buying Alaska", which is much like "Househunters", except it only involves properties in Alaska.  On the episode I watched, a man and his son named Hunter were looking for a hunting property.  One such property was really only accessible by float plane, and they were dropped off and left for several hours so they could check out the land.

All of a sudden, the man breaks out some kind of distress call, which made a nasty sound.  The realtor turned quickly to ask him "what are you doing?".  He said "I'm calling in bears."  Nice.  That must have been a good feeling for her....  At least he was armed.  But, seriously, why do that when all three of you are out in the open with no ride back to the main-land?