According to Aristotle, “The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal.” That sentiment is an apt way to describe the short story "Harrison Bergeron," which we discussed today in English class.
As much as I believe in treating people equally, people aren't equal. I hope they never are. What I mean by that is that we all have unique talents, perspectives, and beliefs. I would hate to live in a world like the one portrayed in "Harrison Bergeron" in which people are forced into positions of complete equality. Graceful dancers, intellectual geniuses, beautiful people -- anyone whose natural ability might make them better than another -- were forced to be ordinary, average, the same.
If Monet was equal to the rest of us in artistic talent, how much less beautiful the world would be! If Michael Phelps or Michael Jordan were equal to the rest of us athletically, how much less exciting athletic events would be. Our world is amazing because of our uniqueness, not in spite of it. So, while ALL people should be treated as the worthwhile, valuable people they are, we should not be equal. We never have been, and I hope we never are.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Cancer and Procrastination
I got a call from my dad about two hours ago telling me that he didn't have cancer. We didn't really expect him to have cancer, but he has had a number of tests recently, including a needle biopsy, to determine the cause of a pain in his kidney. We just learned today that cancer isn't the cause. As I said before, we didn't think it was cancer, but we were all still quite relieved to get the good news.
As I thought about that, I couldn't help reflecting on a friend who lost his battle with stage 4 colon cancer two days ago. His funeral was today. When he went to the doctor with complaints of stomach pain, he didn't expect to hear that he had cancer either. But that's the news that he got. He died at the age of 49, three years after his diagnosis. So young! [I know that to a 15 year old that may not seem young, but to a 41 year old (me) it seems tragic.]
That brings me to the topic of procrastination. Tony procrastinated about going to the doctor when he started having symptoms, and it cost him his life. Could he have lived had he gone to the doctor earlier? We'll never know. But it likely would have helped.
Most of us procrastinate at one time or another. Yet, for me, life is so much sweeter when my work is done and I don't have "to do" lists hanging over my head during the day and swimming through my dreams at night. Does that mean I won't procrastinate any more? Probably not. However, I want to live my life to the very fullest each day. For me, that means focusing on what I need to do when I need to do it, so I can spend quality time doing the things I want to do with the rest of my time.
Tony used his diagnosis to do great things, including starting Friends of Tony, a charity for children's cancer research. He was a beautiful person and did great things with his life. I don't want to wait until I receive a terminal diagnosis before I make my life count. I want to get things done, so I can do what counts.
As I thought about that, I couldn't help reflecting on a friend who lost his battle with stage 4 colon cancer two days ago. His funeral was today. When he went to the doctor with complaints of stomach pain, he didn't expect to hear that he had cancer either. But that's the news that he got. He died at the age of 49, three years after his diagnosis. So young! [I know that to a 15 year old that may not seem young, but to a 41 year old (me) it seems tragic.]
That brings me to the topic of procrastination. Tony procrastinated about going to the doctor when he started having symptoms, and it cost him his life. Could he have lived had he gone to the doctor earlier? We'll never know. But it likely would have helped.
Most of us procrastinate at one time or another. Yet, for me, life is so much sweeter when my work is done and I don't have "to do" lists hanging over my head during the day and swimming through my dreams at night. Does that mean I won't procrastinate any more? Probably not. However, I want to live my life to the very fullest each day. For me, that means focusing on what I need to do when I need to do it, so I can spend quality time doing the things I want to do with the rest of my time.
Tony used his diagnosis to do great things, including starting Friends of Tony, a charity for children's cancer research. He was a beautiful person and did great things with his life. I don't want to wait until I receive a terminal diagnosis before I make my life count. I want to get things done, so I can do what counts.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Goals for the Year
I asked my students to post a blog entry about their goals for the year, so it seems only fair that I do the same. I could rattle of tons off goals that I have, but, realistically, I know that I will not accomplish everything I'd like to during this year. So, I will list a few of the most important.
A goal that I have for myself for all of my classes is that I would like to finally get my Moodle courses organized in such a way that I don't feel the need to revamp them each quarter/semester. I spend too much time doing that, and time is something I don't have nearly enough of. If I accomplish this, I'd have more time to do other things to help my students learn more.
I have two goals for school. One goal is for the school I teach. I would like to write a curriculum map for my English class based on the work of Richard DuFour. This will be a challenge as it is something else I need to find time for. However, once I have done that, I believe my English curriculum will be much stronger. I have another goal for the school I attend. I am currently in my Master's program, and my goal is to finish all of my work for the program by the second week of June, even though the program doesn't end until the second week of July. I want to spend my summer with my boys, not doing school work.
A major goal for my personal life is to try to put my life in balance. Right now, I spend way too much time at school and not nearly enough time at home with my children. It's not healthy to have my life so far out of whack, and I want to be a good example to my children in all areas of my life so I need to fix this.
A goal that I have for myself for all of my classes is that I would like to finally get my Moodle courses organized in such a way that I don't feel the need to revamp them each quarter/semester. I spend too much time doing that, and time is something I don't have nearly enough of. If I accomplish this, I'd have more time to do other things to help my students learn more.
I have two goals for school. One goal is for the school I teach. I would like to write a curriculum map for my English class based on the work of Richard DuFour. This will be a challenge as it is something else I need to find time for. However, once I have done that, I believe my English curriculum will be much stronger. I have another goal for the school I attend. I am currently in my Master's program, and my goal is to finish all of my work for the program by the second week of June, even though the program doesn't end until the second week of July. I want to spend my summer with my boys, not doing school work.
A major goal for my personal life is to try to put my life in balance. Right now, I spend way too much time at school and not nearly enough time at home with my children. It's not healthy to have my life so far out of whack, and I want to be a good example to my children in all areas of my life so I need to fix this.
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