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Louis Schmier“Every student should have a person who want to help him or her help him – or herself become the person he or she is capable of becoming, and I’ll be damned if I am ever going to let one human being fall through the cracks in my classes without a fight.” |
| My name is Louis Schmier. The first name rhymes with phooey, the last with beer. Since I believe everything we do starts from who we are inside how about if I first say some things about myself. Then, I can ease into other things. I am a 76 year old – in body, but not in mind or spirit – born and bred New Yorker who came south in 1963. I power walk 7 miles every other pre – dawn morning. That’s my essential meditative “Just to …” time. I am an avid gardener. I love to cook on my wok. Loving to work with my hands as well as with my heart and mind, I built a three room master complex addition to the house. And, I am a “fixer-upper” who does not allow any repairman to step across the threshold. Oh, by the way, I received my Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina and have been teaching at Valdosta State University in Georgia since 1967. I taught there for 46 years, reaching the tenured rank of Professor of History. I prefer the title, “Teacher.” I retired in December, 2012. Twenty-five years ago, I had what I consider an “epiphany.” It changed my understanding of myself and my approach to teaching. I distanced myself from being a researching and publishing scholar to closing the distance with students and becoming a loving, serving teacher. My teaching took on the character of a mission. It was a journey that has taken me from seeing only myself to a commitment to vision larger than myself and my self-interest. I came to believe that being an educator meant I was in the “people business.” I came to believe that the most essential element in education is caring about people. Education without caring, without a real human connection, is as viable as a person with a brain but without a heart. So, when I am asked what I teach, I answer unhesitatingly, “I teach students.” I became more concerned with the students’ learning than my teaching, more concerned with the students as human beings than with the subject. I became more concerned with reaching for students than reaching the height of professional reputation. I came to believe that the heart of education is to educate the heart. The purpose of teaching is to instill in all students genuine, loving, lifelong eagerness to learn and foster a life of continual growth and development. It should encourage and assist students in developing the basic values needed for learning and living: self-discipline, self-confidence, self-worth, integrity, honesty, commitment, perseverance, responsibility, pursuit of excellence, emotional courage, creativity, imagination, humility, and compassion for others.
In April, 1993, I began to share ME on the internet: my personal and professional rites of passage, my beliefs about the nature and purpose of an education, a commemoration of student learning and achievement, my successful and not so successful experiences, a proclamation of faith in students, and a celebration of teaching. These electronic sharings are called “Random Thoughts.” I continued to share my feelings and thoughts on teaching in particular and life in general after I retired. There are now over 1,000 “Random Thoughts” floating out there in cyberspace. The first 350 or so, which chronicle the beginnings of my journey, have been published as collections in five volumes, RANDOM THOUGHTS: THE HUMANITY OF TEACHING, RANDOM THOUGHTS, II: TEACHING FROM THE HEART, RANDOM THOUGHTS, III: TEACHING WITH LOVE, and RANDOM THOUGHTS, IV: THE PASSION OF TEACHING. They contain my Random Thoughts from April, 1993 through July, 2001. The fifth volume is a recent Ebook of selected Random Thoughts to create a “dictionary of teaching,: FAITH, HOPE, LOVE: THE SPIRIT OF EDUCATION. The chronicle of my continued journey is on its way in RANDOM THOUGHTS, V: TEACHING WITH COMPASSION and a few more untitled volumes. “Touch one student and you’ve changed the world.” |
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The Random Thoughts of Louis Schmier
Hey Dr. Schmier,
I just wanted to tell you hello and thank you for such a great history class. I was in your class about four years ago and want to tell you how interesting you made that class. I recently graduated from VSU with a BSED degree with my concentration as history. YOU are an inspiration to upcoming educators and hopefully anyone who takes your class appreciates not only your lessons on history but also, your life lessons. Thanks again!
Bethany McCallister
Hi Louis,
I really enjoyed reading here today. I’m one of those seasoned teachers too working in a large school district trying to teach teachers how to embed technology into their instruction. What a wonderful example you make for disspelling the idea that those of us not born into this digital revolution can’t learn how to creative interesting learning experiences. I’m 55 and working on the doctorate. I love the learning. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and ideas. I’m a southern and love NYC. My blog is at Moving Forward, ttp://linda.edtechteachers.com.
Hi Louis,
I just wanted to make sure that you were invited to our education “Blogger Summit”. We hope you can make it and feel free to share this invitation with any other bloggers in the area that might be interested. The invitation is attached below.
Alex
ED In ’08 Blogger Summit
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Strong American Schools is excited to announce the ED in ’08 Blogger Summit. Conference details are as follows:
May 14th – 15th
Palomar Hotel, Washington DC
Registration is Free!
An opening reception is scheduled on the evening of Wednesday, May 14th. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served before the screening of a new documentary film on education, Two Million Minutes. A Q&A session with the filmmakers is set to follow.
Then join us for an all-day conference on May 15th. Nowhere else will you have an opportunity to meet and network with fellow education bloggers, participate in panels, attend workshops, and help tackle some tough questions on the state of education in America.
Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP today!
Register at http://edin08.com/bloggersummit/
Hi, Louis,
I just discovered that you had a blog. How long has this been going on?
I look forward to reading through your archive.
John
Hi,Professor,
I’m coming to read your blog!
Really alot of inspiring articals.
It’s just like reading Chicken Soup for the Souloo
Dear Teacher, Louis Schmeir Ph.D.
I have a question. In a word or phrase, how would you describe a “student” who rushes into endeavors then flounders; is temporarily successful with “hands-on” instruction (can approach mastery of sketching, fishing, timing an engine, follow a recipe, immediately after hands-on personal instruction, then loses the ability fairly quickly.); needs an “epiphany” then he “nails” the concept and surpasses even experts. How would you describe such a student? How would you empower him? (the old “rabbit’s foot”?)
Respectfully Yours,
John T.
John T. I don’t ordinarily deal with hypotheticals based on a couple of sentences. But, I’ll take the leap this time since you’ve only as for a word or two and since I see such students every semester. So, how would I describe such a student? On his journey towards his unique potential. How would I empower him? With unconditional empathy, kindness, belief, support, encouragement, faith, hope, and, above all, love. Then, again I do that with each student before or after she or he seees–if she or he sees–the light. I can say a lot more.
Louis
WOW! This is only a word and barely describes my thoughts on yesterday. I spent the better part of yesterday at in-service meetings where you shared your amazing thoughts on life and teaching. You have inspired me to be a better person and strive every day to be a better teacher, whether in the classroom or out. If I can impact my students in the ways you’ve suggested, I will know I have succeeded. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us yesterday.
Great news! Concerning the difficulties, I haven’t believed about them even more.thank you really substantially ideal sharing i’m coming everday.
thanks you
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Dr. Schmier, I took history with you, o I guess, in 95. The class was amazing. You made us all teachers, teaching each other. Not only did I learn history, I learned a lot about myself and found a mentor inside. I have floundered and found myself again and again. So happy I found this website. You have inspired me yet again.
I carried your philosophy of love into other jobs I’ve had. Very rewarding to help people achieve their best even in the smallest of ways. So, thank you, Louis. I’ll keep up with this blog.
Dr. Schmier,
I am so very happy to know that other educators still want to “whisper to their students,” know them on a personal basis and take a personal interest in what will happen in their graduates futures. While making decisions regarding students, I have learned to always look at what will happen five years in the future if I do bend a little. Where will the student be in five years if I’m understanding, and if I realize that “life” happens to students too. They sometimes have no other one in their life to be their cheerleader; to tell them they will make a difference in their professions. I am so very glad someone forwarded your “whisperer blog.” It’s given me an opportunity to read some of your other work, and you sir are making a difference, a true ripple down effect.
Thank you.
Louis
Dr. Schmier,
I want to thank You for sharing Random Thoughts.
I am high school physics teacher from Kazakhstan.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazakhstan
I started teaching in 2010, and this autumn I became sick of teaching.
Then I started searching web and found Your reply (about Barbara) to Rick Garlikov.
It hit me hard and hurt me deep.
But it was pain of healing.
I looked back at six years of my teaching, compared it to Your teaching…
So I understood I need to change myself.
Now I am reading Random Thoughts. Started from the beginning, now I am reading year 2001.
Thank you, I wish You and Your family happiness in this life and afterlife.
Thank you. I don’t even know your name. My epiphany, as you probably read, occurred 24 years into my teaching career at the age of 50. I discovered that I had to change how I taught. To do that, learned the more difficult lesson that I had to change the person who I was. And, to do both, I had to do a lot of “unlearning.” It was a long, difficult, twisting, rocky, and unending task. But, how fulfilling and meaningful it was. Let me hear from you agains. Louis