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Entry tags:
progress and procrastination
So I read that when one is trying to develop a practice, embrace an exercise, a daily discipline, one should just make oneself do the thing, even if the inspiration is sorely lacking. So here I am, with nothing to say, making myself write for 30 minutes.
I put pressure on myself to have something interesting to say and frankly, I don't and then the pressure of 'omg am a boring person' adds to the power of procrastination. Everyday I read some parts of 3 Quarks Daily and find myself very think-y during the day about whatever provocative piece they have supplied for the day. It is just difficult to get those those think-y bits out of my head in writing. For example (and now you should really surf away), I have lately been reflecting on whether I think that post-modernity is just a phase and that modernity must be embraced (or re-embraced) in order for not only individuals but governments and NGOs to have any effect on the world. This is primarily in response to an article about the rejection of cultural relativism as a mode of thought "which consists in accepting that men and women of Muslim culture should be deprived of the right to equality, freedom and secular values in the name of respect for cultures and traditions." The quote is from Manifesto: Together facing the new totalitarianism. This is a really intriguing line of thought and, depending on what I ultimately figure out, will affect how I teach.
I have focused on teaching religion as a way of trying to inculcate values of tolerance as well as to model ways to embrace the joys, flaws, foibles, and strengths of religious traditions as human activities, usually begging the question of divine existence or lack thereof. What I hope to suggest is compassion towards our own dearly held and loved traditions as well as compassion for the existence, traditions, and choices of cultures other than our own. I have no idea what students really take away from those underlying hopes and premises, but I continue to evaluate and adjust my teaching, my thinking, and my hopes as I gain experience in and out of the classroom. I have been a cultural relativist in the classroom, working on live and let live in conjunction with the exploring the internal logic of existing worldviews. I am not certain that my response to that article actually changes that approach. I am not comfortable telling people, especially people of color, what is acceptable to believe or think about the nature of the world. I am much more comfortable describing and discussing how people structure their worldviews, what people have believed in the past about their world and religion. However, the authors of that Manifesto give me pause for thought and challenge me to think about, if not necessarily decide, what I hold dear and true about the nature of cultures different than mine.
I have been reading Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
melodymuse. I am going to use this in my religious biography class this coming quarter, in another experiment with graphic novels interspersed with more "academic" texts. This book has taught me a great deal about Iran that I did not know and through an extremely moving narrative. The second volume is even more provocative and intriguing Persepolis 2. I am inspired to learn more about Iran and have purchased Reading Lolita in Tehran to supplement the class. More and more I feel like I need to take classes and am trying to use my classes to teach myself as well as my students. What I hope is that my excitement about learning new stuff along with them will be an enhancement to their experience rather than a detraction from the material. I am less certain of that as a pedagogical strategy, at least on the undergraduate level, but at this point in my particular circumstances at UCDustbowl, I think I can afford the risk. I am curious to see what next quarter will teach me on that particular question.
If you've read any really great graphic novels, dear flist, I would love the recs. I'm not certain about my employment situation for next year yet, but I'd like to stack up some reading that could "swing both ways" as it were, for my education as well as my (potential) students.
Also, send Ronon recs.
And the beeps of ending have beeped.
Another day, another 30 minutes.
I put pressure on myself to have something interesting to say and frankly, I don't and then the pressure of 'omg am a boring person' adds to the power of procrastination. Everyday I read some parts of 3 Quarks Daily and find myself very think-y during the day about whatever provocative piece they have supplied for the day. It is just difficult to get those those think-y bits out of my head in writing. For example (and now you should really surf away), I have lately been reflecting on whether I think that post-modernity is just a phase and that modernity must be embraced (or re-embraced) in order for not only individuals but governments and NGOs to have any effect on the world. This is primarily in response to an article about the rejection of cultural relativism as a mode of thought "which consists in accepting that men and women of Muslim culture should be deprived of the right to equality, freedom and secular values in the name of respect for cultures and traditions." The quote is from Manifesto: Together facing the new totalitarianism. This is a really intriguing line of thought and, depending on what I ultimately figure out, will affect how I teach.
I have focused on teaching religion as a way of trying to inculcate values of tolerance as well as to model ways to embrace the joys, flaws, foibles, and strengths of religious traditions as human activities, usually begging the question of divine existence or lack thereof. What I hope to suggest is compassion towards our own dearly held and loved traditions as well as compassion for the existence, traditions, and choices of cultures other than our own. I have no idea what students really take away from those underlying hopes and premises, but I continue to evaluate and adjust my teaching, my thinking, and my hopes as I gain experience in and out of the classroom. I have been a cultural relativist in the classroom, working on live and let live in conjunction with the exploring the internal logic of existing worldviews. I am not certain that my response to that article actually changes that approach. I am not comfortable telling people, especially people of color, what is acceptable to believe or think about the nature of the world. I am much more comfortable describing and discussing how people structure their worldviews, what people have believed in the past about their world and religion. However, the authors of that Manifesto give me pause for thought and challenge me to think about, if not necessarily decide, what I hold dear and true about the nature of cultures different than mine.
I have been reading Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi thanks to
melodymuse. I am going to use this in my religious biography class this coming quarter, in another experiment with graphic novels interspersed with more "academic" texts. This book has taught me a great deal about Iran that I did not know and through an extremely moving narrative. The second volume is even more provocative and intriguing Persepolis 2. I am inspired to learn more about Iran and have purchased Reading Lolita in Tehran to supplement the class. More and more I feel like I need to take classes and am trying to use my classes to teach myself as well as my students. What I hope is that my excitement about learning new stuff along with them will be an enhancement to their experience rather than a detraction from the material. I am less certain of that as a pedagogical strategy, at least on the undergraduate level, but at this point in my particular circumstances at UCDustbowl, I think I can afford the risk. I am curious to see what next quarter will teach me on that particular question. If you've read any really great graphic novels, dear flist, I would love the recs. I'm not certain about my employment situation for next year yet, but I'd like to stack up some reading that could "swing both ways" as it were, for my education as well as my (potential) students.
Also, send Ronon recs.
And the beeps of ending have beeped.
Another day, another 30 minutes.
no subject
It's the rare graphic novel that has grabbed me. In fact, honestly I'd say that the Watchmen is it. After I loved that, I tried a bunch of others, and none of them really made up for the fact that there are so few words on each page .
It's cool you're getting interested in Iran -- for me, recently, it's been Africa. At least partially because I realize I've never taken an African history class, and I'll probably teaching in schools that are more than 50% African American. (Though maybe I'd do myself a bigger favor reading African American history -- I probably know less about that than I think I do, either.)
Ronon recs, eh? Well, did you see Romancing Rodney (Or, Ronon Dex Gets His Man)? http://community.livejournal.com/harlequin_sga/8574.html I thought it was very cute.
And if that one has too much Rodney for you, how about Sensual Deprivation
http://mirabile-dictu.livejournal.com/40871.html
Miss you, girl!
no subject
Thank you for the Ronan links, I shall devote myself to a little recreational reading now. :-)
no subject
You rock, even if I'd already read those. :-)
no subject
If you're willing to suffer through that to get more Ronon, let me know.
;-(