What You Can Learn From a Lousy Teacher...

Here is a post from Seth Godin's blog. These are some things to think about when you are taking classes now and in the future.

If you have a teacher (of any sort) that you cannot please, that you cannot learn from, that is unwilling to take you where you need to go because he is defending the status quo and demonstrates your failure on whatever report card he chooses to use, you could consider yourself a failure. Or you could remind yourself...

Grades are an illusion
Your passion and insight are reality
Your work is worth more than mere congruence to an answer key
Persistence in the face of a skeptical authority figure is a powerful ability
Fitting in is a short-term strategy, standing out pays off in the long run
If you care enough about the work to be criticized, you've learned enough for today

What do you think of this?

If you have 21 mins take a look at this week's Modern Family episode. Pay attention to Mitchell talking to Manny when he sits with him and talks about fitting in and how people work as adolescents to fit in and want to be different as adults. Also pay attention to Luke doing his project on Van Gogh. Which of his parents approaches make the most sense? Which one works in the end?

Here is the episode.