Classes are ending soon. At the end of the term, I like to give my class a final message that summarizes everything in the course. Kind of. Here's my current final message. Any suggestions?
FINAL MESSAGE FOR CLASS
1. Surround yourself with people who care about your feelings (or you forget how to feel).
2. Show caring for the feelings of those around you.
3. Expect from people approximately what they can deliver –
4. But treat people the way you’d like them to behave.
5. Remember, from where you’re standing on your side of the street, you don’t know which way the wind is blowing on the other side of the street.
6. Give people the benefit of the doubt.
7. Paddle into the waves. Face your fears.
8. Reflect on your unsatisfying encounters. What went wrong? Do it differently next time.
9. Come out. The less you have to hide, the better you generally feel. (Eventually.)
10. Focus on the infrastructure of your life: pay your bills, feed your kids, patch leaks. It is easier to build a creative, fun life on a sound infrastructure.
11. Back up your data.
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The parting words from my grandfather Ramirez as I left for college: "I don't care if you end up being a garbage man, just be a professional garbage man."
I'm interviewing some people for a job this week and next. Right now I'm heavily leaning toward this kid who worked as a waiter for five years before getting into lab work. He's not as experienced as either of the other candidates, but I really respect the fact that he worked himself through college in a restaurant. Making your own way carries a lot of weight with me.
I agree 100%. It also shows that one can – and will – do the job required and have no qualms about it. Everyone has to put in their time as the "bitch" in order to get respect and grow. Even when you are halfway up the ladder, you have to do things that are beneath you. People who hope to skip that step because they feel they are special are a waste of time.
Also, I absolutely love it when my teachers give students something like this at the end of the year. It makes the teacher stick in my mind for years, and the advice given is often fantastic.
In all seriousness, encourage your students to go out and talk to people they've never met before. I feel like too many kids are indoctrinated into the "don't talk to strangers" mantra, which leads to social cliques and antisocial tendencies towards new people. 12. Don't stick your dick in crazy.
Thanks viceroy, ruler of the colony (of butterflies). I'm glad to hear that other teachers do this. I didn't know. A class (a good class) can be an intense short-term experience, it seems to need a sign-off of some kind. As for your dick message. It's probably one that would go better in this hubski discussion 2+ years ago. I doubt it would be appropriate for my class, unless I was teaching a Philosophy of Love and Sex class that my best friend teaches. In fact, I'll suggest she have a final message for her class. Actually it would be amusing to put your suggestion in as 8.1 after 8.
Feel all your feelings. Realize that sugar and alcohol and other drugs are there to help you get through a tough time, but eventually, you'll still be left with uncomfortable feelings you'll eventually have to feel. The earlier, the better. Exercise. Get enough sleep. Eat healthy food.
If I were you I would add a short list insightful books : - Maxims by François de La Rochefoucauld - Essays by Michel de Montaigne (...)
That's a great idea. by the way: do you have those books? I wonder if Complexity has them to mail. I have The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, but I have not read either of those two.
I have both and it's really worth a read. The meditations are also great. These three books and The Characters by Jean de La Bruyère gives really great insight into the human nature. How old are the students in your class ?
Get the Hays translation. It's worth looking around a bit to find it. MUCH more readable.
12. Be the ball 13. If you will it, there is no dream 14. "A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner." -Don't be afraid to fall down, get bruised and fail. Just remember to get up again.
"There is no dream" has a slightly different meaning from "it [the thing you are willing into existence] is no dream. Even if you were quoting from The Big Lebowski, it's still "it":
“If you will it, Dude, it is no dream.” -Walter Sobchak I love the quote about the sea. My father used to say, "An unrocked boat is a sunken ship."If you will it, there is no dream
Assuming that you are not being ironic, Theodor Herzl's quote is generally translated as " 'If you will it, it is no dream; and if you do not will it, a dream it is and a dream it will stay."
Yes, I know. I've been quoting it for years and it was just a lazy mistake. I hope that you, Mr. Herzl and your class will forgive me. I love your fathers quote.
I came across this a while back. Also a teacher giving advice to graduating students, if you like any of them. http://mar-rs.tumblr.com/post/56390088067/1-there-are-plenty-of-ways-to-enter-a-pool-the