Date: Thu 8/10/2006 5:38 AM
Random Thought: Scholars and Teachers

Well, the new semester is upon us and as I was listening to new faculty being introduced I thought of how tired I am of the old, shop-worn "research versus teaching" debate that rages in academia. I am tired of sitting in on beginning-of-the-semester college meetings having new faculty introduced by having received this degree as this place, having a concentration in this discipline, having published this book, having received this grant. Rarely, if any, mention of teaching credentials. Usually, just age-old, unfounded assumptions, prevailing myths, that if you know it, you can teach it and to be a good teacher you must be an accomplished traditional scholar. Yet, having lived for many years in the research and publishing world as an accomplished and acclaimed scholar and now dwell in the world of the latter as something of an accomplished teacher, I can tell you that both researcher and teacher are comparable scholars, that Ernst Boyer's concept of "the scholarship of teaching" was hijacked by researchers to mean research and publication about pedagogy. That's not what he really meant. In the context of his report SCHOLARSHIP RECONSIDERED, he didn't mean that scholarship was synonymous with research and publication. He meant it is time to stop demanding professionalism when it comes to one's discipline and accept what only can be called amateurism when it comes to the classroom. He meant it time to stop demanding that an academic be up-to-date in his or her discipline and accept him or her being out-of-date of the literature pertaining to teaching. Maybe that's why academics generally receive critique of their research and publication with far more acceptance and graciousness than they do of their classroom teaching. Maybe that's why academics generally grimace when are asked to be held accountable for their classroom teaching effectiveness no less than they are for their research accomplishments. He meant that classroom teaching should hold a place no less than classical research and publication. He meant that preparation for the classroom should be as deliberately and consciously intense as preparation for research and publication. He meant that graduate schools should consciously prepare their students as future classroom teachers no less than they do as future traditional scholars. He meant that institutions should look at teaching credentials no less than at traditional scholarship credentials. Scholarship, for him, had a broader meaning than is currently held in academia. For him, it is synonymous with professional--I repeat, professional--preparation, as well as practice. It is synonymous with know-how, with professional training, development, and expertise. He meant that academics should enter the classroom with the same professional preparation and training as they enter the archive or lab. He meant they should enter the classroom with the meaningful and purposeful "why" of what they do as they do when they enter the archive or lab. The research scholar and classroom teacher should engage in equally scholarly work. They should engage in deeply informed, intensely prepared, and purposeful reflection, vision, meaning, purpose, and practice.

Whether scholars or teachers know it or not, scholarship and teaching are in many ways spiritual endeavors. I say this because I find the two worlds are not as much worlds apart as many scholars--especially scholars--and teachers think. Going beyond Boyer's "discovery," "integration," and "application," and "dissemination," both scholarship in the traditional sense and teacher are as much, if not more, about personal change, growth, awareness, and sensitivity as they are about professional development. If you think about it, the most rewarding aspect of scholarship and teaching is not found in the resume or the award, in the reputation or the recognition, in position or authority, in tenure or title. It's that personal "eureka moment;" it's discovering what your own core values are, finding out what you believe in and what inspires you and what drives you, and learning what you're capable of becoming as a person. So, scholars and teachers must respect each other, for they both are fellow-travelers and kindred spirits.

True, they venture into different lands, walk different paths, climb different mountains, need to have received different training, are in need of different equipment, and utilize different techniques and methods. Contrary to prevailing and self-serving myths, to be a master teacher, you don't have to be an acclaimed scholar and to be an acclaimed scholar doesn't mean you're automatically a master teacher. But, difference is not the same as better or lesser, or as superior or inferior, or as professional or non-professional. Difference means just that: different. Contrary to existing academic culture, there is no reason for anyone to believe he or she is a higher or lower order of professional, much less of a human being or should have a more or less honored place in academia. Each serves a vital role and deserves respect of the other. Each relies upon the other for the discovery, dissemination, integration, and application of all that an education is about. Both scholar and teacher experience the same mysterious and organic process, and are the flowering of their own ongoing exploration and growth.

What do I mean by that? This is what I mean:

Curiosity about the subject matter in your discipline is the starting point for scholarship and discovery. Curiosity in your teaching about each student is the starting point for teaching and discovery.

Scholarship is a creative act that feeds on imagination and fresh wonder which hold surprises if the subject matter is intently studied. Teaching is a creative act that feeds on imagination and fresh wonder which hold surprises if each student is intently studied.

Scholars are always braving the unknown seas and launching courageous expeditions as explorers into "terra incognita." Teachers are always braving the unknown seas and launching courageous expeditions as explorers in "terra incognita"

Scholarship embraces new experiences and insights into the subject matter which take you into surprising new directions. Teaching embraces new experiences and insights into each student which take you into surprising new directions.

Scholars who take the most intense interest in their subject area are those who achieve the most. Teachers who take the most intense interest in each student are those who achieve the most.

Scholars never have finality to their search, for tomorrow is always new and the information is always new. Teachers never have finality to their vision, for tomorrow is always new and each student is always new. Scholars go where they need to go, led on by and following the information, going this way and that way and another way, not knowing where they'll be next, and then figure out what whatever it is they need to do. Teachers go where they need to go, led on by and following each student, going this way and that way and another way, not knowing where they'll be next, and then figure out whatever it is need to do.

For scholars the options are virtually endless. Their assumptions must be as broad as they can be. They are constantly entertaining endlessly different possibilities, even the most unheard of. If they keep their eyes and ears and minds open, they're going to get just about all they can handle. For teachers the options are virtually endless. Their assumptions must be as broad as they can be. They are constantly entertaining endlessly different possibilities, even the most unheard of. If they keep their eyes and ears and minds open, they're going to get just about all they can handle.

Scholars more often than not shun the provided predictable and improvise their own way. Teachers more often than not shun the provided predictable and improvise their own way.

Scholars know that if they really want to learn about their subject, they must work there. Teachers know that if they really want to learn about each student, they must work there.

Scholars avoid the superficial and simple, and know that is the first step in solving the problems they wish to solve. Teachers avoid the superficial and simple, and know that is the first step in solving the problems they wish to solve.

Scholars know that scholarship is best approached without specific lexicons or set formulas. Teachers know that teaching is best approached without specific lexicons or set formulas.

Scholars know that every document, every questionnaire, every experiment contains what I'll call "everyday miracle." Teachers know that each student contains what I'll call "everyday, common miracle."

For scholars, scholarship is a manner of perceiving that brooks neither blind faith or blind doubt or deaf dogma or intractable routine. For them, more often than not, the most singular experience, the most exhilarating "wow" event, the most fulfilling discovery is not the one they had hoped for. For teachers, teaching is a manner of perceiving that brooks neither blind faith or blind doubt or deaf dogma or intractable routine. For them, more often than not, the most singular experience, the most exhilarating "wow" event, the most fulfilling discovery is not the one they had hoped for.

Scholarship is about always about being in a different often unpredictable place and what the scholar think of being in and seeing that place. Teaching is always about being in a different often unpredictable place and what the scholar think of being in and seeing that place.

Scholars must have courage for the inexplicable and the strange and the uncomfortable and the inconvenient that they encounter. They usually have little like for the necessary mundane. Scholars find little charm in being sure of what they will find. Scholarship involves a certain amount of hardship. Sometimes is it particularly trying. Then, there's that discovery that makes it all worthwhile. Teachers must have courage for the inexplicable and the strange and the uncomfortable and the inconvenient that they encounter. They usually have little like for the necessary mundane. Teachers find little charm in being sure of what they will find. Teaching involves a certain amount of hardship. Sometimes is it particularly trying. Then, there's that accomplishment that makes it all worthwhile.

For scholars, whether they know it or not, scholarship is a journey of self-discovery. To discover the potential within them is the first step in any scholarly exploration. For teachers, whether they know it or now, teaching is a journey of self-discovery. To discover the potential within them is the first step in any teaching exploration.

Scholars research to lose themselves and then find themselves, to open their hearts and eyes and minds as well as those of others, to stay young and vibrant and fall in love with their discipline once more. Teachers teach to lose themselves and then find themselves, to open their hearts and eyes and minds as well as those of others, to stay young and vibrant and fall in love with students once more

So, once again, lip service aside, if scholarship is truly reconsidered, they both are entitled to their due. They both have to know their particular stuff. They both have to know how to use and apply what they know. They both, then, are entitled to authentic and sincere--and, above all, equal--priority, acknowledgement, recognition, status, and stature--especially when it comes to promotion and tenure guidelines.