Rick J.:

To answer your question, he's in our student lounge right now (PS122),
working out an extra-credit bonus problem for which it's too late to get
any credit (the exam was yesterday). His hands are covered with
dry-erase marker because he was too excited to take a few steps to reach
the eraser during his derivation.

If I only had more than about 1-2 students like this per year, it would
be more fun!

Paul

Paul A. French
Associate Professor and Chair, Physics and Astronomy Department
SUNY College at Oneonta
Room 120 E, Physical Science Building
Oneonta, NY 13820
 
607-436-3358
607-436-2654 (fax)
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Teaching Breakfast List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
> Behalf Of <Rick Jagels>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2005 10:50 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Recent Story About Students in Detroit News
> 
> As someone who believes that education is the goal of a college such
as
> ours not so much training for a specific career- I
> disagree with some of the authors premise.  The ability to think
> critically, be aware of  many career possibilities, have some
> understanding of cultures and history, derive pleasure from the
pursuit
> of art and music of many kinds, learn to live in an environment of
> diverse views, races, cultures: these are some of the loftier goals of
> education.  The author's contention that students are too rich and
have
> no career goals misses the point. Interestingly the limited purpose of
> "job training" is, I believe, MORE dangerous than career
> purposelessness.  They will change careers too often for us to train
> them for only one.  Ethics, Art, communication, composition, history
> etc. are ultimately of the greatest value.  Three cheers for the
> purposelessness student with an indiscriminant intellectual appetite!
> Now- where the hell are they??
> 
> Rick Jagels
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Teaching Breakfast List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
> Behalf Of Jim Greenberg
> Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2005 9:00 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Recent Story About Students in Detroit News
> 
> This was a good read.. Thought this group would find it
interesting....
> 
> Title: Lack of purpose haunts students
> 
> http://www.detnews.com/2005/editorial/0502/13/A15-87606.htm
> 
> Jim Greenberg
> --