The Random Thoughts of Louis Schmier

            Slowly and patiently recovering from my cerebral hemorrahage, with Susan hovering over me like the loving mother hen she is, until I get back into physical shape and recover my energy, I have little else to do other than think.  I have to admit that as a sign of my healing, I’m biting at the bit to get back into class Spring Semester.  As part of my process to psyche myself up for my return in January, a few days ago I watched PBS’ “Declining By Degrees” for the umpteenth time.  By chance, watching it coincided with two other events.  The first was reading an inspiring response by a teacher to one of my Random Thoughts on caring.  He wrote, “Most of them [students who he is mentoring] want to fail; it’s easier. Although deep down, they want to feel what its like to have success,  Its just that they have been failing so long and have been told so many times that they are failures they have given up.  I believe it’s my job to convince them they have something positive to contribute, to share, to present.  They can learn if they get confidence.  If they are hidden in the shadows forever they will always fail.”  The second, and most important of all three happenings, I’ll just have to say is that Susan and I dropped everything to help a student who came to us in dire need.   

            This confluence reminded me of what I don’t see in all too many classrooms:  unconditional love!   By that, I don’t mean love of and dedication to an academic’s discipline.  I’m talking about teaching as a labor of love.  I mean an intense love of and dedication to those human beings in the classroom.  I mean loving to be in that classroom, loving the challenge of dealing with the challenge each student poses, loving all the time it takes to reach out to a student, loving the continual exertion of energy is takes to touch a student, loving the great effort it takes to make a difference.  I mean loving to freely give of yourself, loving to be authentic, and, above all, loving the moment you’re living in.  I can guarantee that if you have all this love, all this unconditional love, you’ll fill yourself with a moving and exhilarating purpose, meaning, accomplishment, and fulfillment; you’ll infuse and inspire yourself with deep sincerity and integrity; you’ll discover riches in places few other academics even think of looking or dare to look; you’ll find that the sky’s the limit when it comes to possibilities; and, most important, each day will be a new adventure filled with grand discoveries.   

            Let me put it this way.  Following the call of Thoreau, my educational philosophy is simple.  It’s unconditional faith in, hope for, love of, kindness to, caring about, and empathy for each and every student as a sacred and invaluable human being.  No exceptions.  From them spring my attitudes of and behavior towards each student.  When we unconditionally treat each student as a shrine to creation, we respect each of them; when we respect each student, we appreciate each of them; when we appreciate each of them, we accept each student; when we accept each student, we welcome and embrace each of them; when we welcome and embrace each of them, we have faith in and hope for each of them; when we have faith in and hope for each of them, we think the best of them and for them; when we think the best of them and for them, we care about each of them; when we care about each of them; we act caringly; when we act caringly, we are empathetic and loving; when we are empathetic and loving, we are excited about their potential achievement; when we are excited about their potential achievement, we do whatever it takes to support and encourage each of them.  And, when we do all that, we just might offer each student the best chance to transform her- or himself 

Make it a good day. 

      –Louis–