What do I teach?Hello I try to teach Computer Science, but what I really teach is whatever effect I have on students' lives. Perhaps I have only a little effect, but certainly I interact with many students which must have some effect. What do I want students to learn?Honestly I want students to be happy, productive people. This might not require that they all be computer experts. Some students will be computer experts and I hope to teach them computer skills. Others will find computer work boring, tiresome or distasteful. This is a fine conclusion. We do not all need to be the same. Hopefully these students will learn something useful from my classes. ConfidenceLife can be difficult and adversity can weaken the mind. I want students to have confidence in their ability to live well. It is not important that they have confidence in computer skills (unless they wish to be computer experts). So, how can students learn confidence? For some this will result from doing well in my class. Others will perform poorly which is not a boost to their confidence. For them I wish to not destroy their confidence. I aim to treat them with respect even though I may give them low grades. I do not wish grades in my classes to be evaluations beyond performance in the class. Some people will do poorly, but can do better later. Others can do better by switching to a different discipline. All of my students have the potential to be happy and productive, regardless of their grades in my classes. I don't know how to teach confidence, but I can allow confidence and try not to destroy it. CuriosityMany of the best achievements are based on creativity. Problems exist and creative people discover effective solutions. I believe that the basis for creativity is curiosity. A curious person will discover solutions before encountering the problems. Creative solutions are the result of a long-term investment of energy due to curiosity. I think people can exercise curiosity best by trying to solve problems which are slightly challenging. It does little good to repeatedly solve simple problems. Instead you need to encounter problems which you can't solve initially and discover how to solve them. I can provide an environment for curiosity to develop. Peace
In order to succeed it is essential to be able to use all your talent. This is true in computer science and other disciplines. You need to be able to focus on the task at hand without worrying about problems. I consider this to be a result of inner peace. I don't know how to teach peace, but I can try to live in peace and allow others to live in peace. Love It is important to love your work. It is far easier to work when the work is what you really want to do. Life should be much more than work, so there needs to be more to love than just your work. I don't know how to teach love, but I hope to love my own work. I can teach computer skills. The work is hard, but the plan is simple - practice makes perfect. The tangibles are not easy to achieve, but at least I know something to do to directly achieve them. The intangibles are probably more important. I can't teach enough skills to last for an entire career. I hope to foster confidence, curiosity, peace and love. If you have these traits you will continually develop new skills. |
I built a trellis during Spring Break which covers the patio in my backyard and extends to shade a double window in the den. The diagram on the right shows the structure of the trellis frame. There are 9 4x4 treated pine posts (dark blue). Seven of the posts are planted about 3 feet deep in the ground. Two of the posts are simply standing on the concrete of the patio. The tops of the posts are about 7 feet above the level of the patio.