The Ugly American

Ugly. The ugly American. Heard of it? It has been some time since the read and even longer since I have heard a reference to it but I find myself using it more and more. Why? Simple. The novel gives us a meme for its time and it sends a lasting message.

The Ugly American expects everyone to act and everywhere to be just like everything he knows.

Think about it. The stranger in a strange land. Not Heinlein or Iron Maiden. Not the Alien.

but close.

What's that you have there, pal?

The teacher, like the student, brings to the classroom every experience they have ever had. And let us be honest, it is much easier to force those in your care into shining metal boxes. So much easier to push, file, stamp, index, brief, debrief, or number than to plan, listen, adapt, rewrite, prepare, adjust, learn, flex, redirect, and so on.

It is important that we acknowledge who we are and what we bring to the situation so we may set it aside and teach from a more neutral space. Not everything that we teach requires connection to our own lives. It does not need to be shown through our lens nor does it require a frame in order for appreciation to occur. Surely, our desire to explain and expound–to mediate through language–often reduces experiences.

I am reminded of my time standing for hours at the edge of the Grand Canyon. In my life to that date, I had never witnessed so much nature and expansive views at one time and decided to spend my afternoon in one spot to take it in rather than to keep moving with a group who had ventured down into the canyon itself. For one rare moment I was without words as every descriptive I could access seemed inadequate. A gentleman walked up beside me. He sighed. His arms folded and unfolded. His limp hands slapped against his thighs as he let them drop. He looked directly at me for a minute or more before he said, “Isn’t it just neat?”

Sigh.


Assessment Pt. 1: You’re doing it wrong

The human mind is in a constant state of assessment. While most of it is autonomic as an efficient process running under the surface, it is happening. Multiple redundant processes. In the spring of 2006 I was diagnosed with a rare condition that required the repair of a hole in the superior canal of my


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What I want to say most to start this off is, “Who came up with ten thousand hours, anyway?!” except I know where it came from and to be honest I am sick of hearing about it. Ten thousand hours has become common. Journalists have reduced it to nothing. They have beaten it to death. Even


Early Expertise: Gumming up the Works

As parents, teachers, and mentors we have a strong influence on children. In their pre-adolescent years, parents are the single most significant influence on the lives of their children. Beyond that, there are competing influences of teachers and friends. Once adolescence kicks in, we all lose out to peer influence. It is arguable about whether


Building The Place Where You Learn

Many years ago, in another life, I had the distinct pleasure of working as a musician for a dance company. We traveled west to a place called Arcosantiin the Arizona desert not far north of Phoenix close to the semi-well known ghost town of Jerome. For 10 days or so we lived, danced, hiked, and


Assessment Pt. 2: Problems of Scale

Measurement is a curious thing. Everyone is talking about it. A lot of people are doing it. With all that talk and all that measurement, it causes even more people to do it. I mean, it must be important, right? Contagious shooting. Offsides. They jumped first. We all jumped. Strong words. Actions. Open doors. Imply


The Myth of Reflection?

Think… Do you believe that you are capable of objectivity? Do you believe that you can answer that question objectively? Reflection is something that is expected of the educator. Expected to the point that it may be impossible. For the most part, reflection is discussed more than it is taught. Discussed far more than it


What of the Prodigy?

“Interested, valued, encouraged, supported, trained.” In the case of “prodigies,” this usually ends with “bored. quits.” Or leveled out–regressing to the mean. #Expertise It seems that when someone wants to argue Expertise, they bring the prodigy to the table. What of the prodigy? They argue. The Prodigy did not practice for all these hours. The Prodigy


Deliberately on purpose

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Value added Interest

Every parent wants their kids to be something. Right? When I was younger I asked my mother what will I be. Will I be pretty? Will I be rich? In my post about Athletic Expertise, I covered interest and its effect on activity and thinking. Where there is interest, there comes some pleasure and some