Proud momma

I know I like to drop little hints now and then about how much work goes into teaching college students. And even though it is hard work, and I am, as I write this, in the middle of a day that started at 6 this morning and will end sometime after 7 tonight, there are times when you are made very aware of why you go through it all.

Last semester, I taught a class on philosophy and ethics; a tough feat in a school where the majority of the students are Christians. Besides trying to explain the concept of statistical significance to a 9am class, it was probably the hardest course I have ever had to teach. At times I wasn’t even sure I would ever get them to grasp the basics of all philosophy, the idea that all beliefs are relative, and wondered if “public school” meant the same thing in the bible belt as it did everywhere else. But even then, there were moments when I realized that all my struggles were not for naught. One of my students wrote an absolutely brilliant essay on the concept of religion, and with his permission, I am copying an excerpt from to share with you:

“Now everyone knows that religion is a very controversial topic. There have been debates about religion for many years. The controversy still exists today and has even been recognized in the current presidential debate. Hypothetically, existentialist, John Paul Sartre, would have been one to probably lead a debate regarding the existence of God. He would have most likely protested that there is no real truth and we all are responsible for our own actions and choices. On the other end of the debate would have stood Benedict Spinoza, a philosopher who believed in pantheism; i.e., everything is one and the same as God.
Although neither might have agreed with one another, several topics might have raised eyebrows of those listening to the debate. Satre might have argued that, "The world is not systematic, not organized, and there is no predetermined role. There is no reality in truth. If so, where is proof of it?"
Spinoza would have responded, "You need to go through my developmental phase. It would help if you gained some knowledge about Life. You are stuck in this inadequate stage, unaware that proof is shown through reason. Get yourself some adequate knowledge and then we can talk..."
Sartre might have replied, "Ha, reason does not help in determining "truths" about the world. Everyone has to live with there own choices and rules. Let me teach you a thing or two about individualism and radical subjectivism. There are no binding values. There is no God!"
Spinoza might have concluded, "Man, your an atheist, what do you know?! True enough as humans we have freedom to choose our actions, but we are subjected only to our desires. Reason is master of our passions. Everything is one and the same as God, Bottom Line!"

For a student who has grown up in the bible belt, who doesn’t just feel, but knows that the bible is true, this is an amazing achievement. When I read his essay last semester, I knew that all my sweat, my complaining to various coworkers and family members, and hours of wondering how I would ever get them to understand were worth it. Maybe he was the only one out of thirty students who “got it”, but it was well worth it.

When you pay attention to things, moments like that happen every day. The student who wrote the perfect column in my editorial and critical writing class just yesterday. Overhearing one student tell another that, no, you can’t do statistical research when you’re merely exploring a topic. Having a student ask you if it’s OK if they use MLA referencing as opposed to APA, but adding that if not, they will happily learn a whole new referencing system because they really don’t want to plagiarize. It’s awesome.

Sometimes I feel like the proud momma of over eighty students.