I am not sure if this is an open letter or if I just need to share my journey? Either way, here goes nothing..
To start, becoming a teacher was something I chose to do because I found an early passion working with kids during my high school years. As a student studying art in college, there were only a few routes to go if I wasn’t planning to be a starving artist. Digital art was still up and coming as a career choice and I didn’t really find the same joy in that art form as I do working with my hands to create. Some of my decision to go into education was due to the fact that my oldest brother is a high school music teacher. In fact, I remember having a conversation with my brother about the pros and cons of being a teacher (this was around 2007 during an economic recession and job...
Education
As an American growing up in in a pure white suburb of Cleveland, I never met or even saw a Chinese person until High School when I became friends with our only Chinese student. I remember how surprised I was when he just seemed like all of my other friends and enjoyed playing the same sports and games as myself. He even liked cheeseburgers too! All along I thought Chinese people only ate noodles! I was living proof that youth is the mother of ignorance. His dad was a doctor, and his mother a nurse. But we were just friends, and I was glad that we were. He told me about this Chinese guy named Confucius, who he claimed was "the smartest man in the world". I was so impressed with stories about this fellow, I decided I wanted to meet him. My friend failed to mention that this wise man died...
2,082
Monday 2 May 2022
Dear Professor Ryan
RE: Arts Refresh Process
As staff members of the School of Arts, we understand that ACU needs to ensure that its offerings are financially sustainable. As a School, we have demonstrated our commitment to the School and our willingness to engage with this requirement through our energetic participation in the extensive “Arts at ACU: The Way Forward” process in 2021. We are, after all, those who care about it most.
At last Tuesday’s Town Hall, you presented Arts staff with a new consultation process, titled “Arts Refresh”. We have serious concerns about this process, which we outline in full below. Unless our concerns are addressed, many staff will not be comfortable participating in another consultation which fails to...
1,010
Dear Ms. Stuart,
The current system of classroom management is inefficient and does not serve the best interest of University of Virginia students. Instead of locking classrooms in the evenings, select classrooms should stay open throughout the night. This would reduce the number of students crowding inside libraries, offer alternative places to study, cater to students who don’t like studying in libraries, and also help students study more effectively.
The 2030 Plan is a set of goals and initiatives to make UVA “the leading public university”. In the 2030 Plan, President Ryan writes, “If I am correct, colleges and universities in 2030 will be judged by the quality of their classroom and residential experiences and how these contribute to the future success of our students.” I agree...
1,097
Many Nigeria students in public University have been left with no hope to when the strike will be called off, so that students can return to the class room. A lot of students in Nigeria public University have lost interest in education and their future, leading to depression, while some have indulge themselves into things that can jeopardise their future and yet the FG and ASUU are not taking into consideration the consequence of the strike action, since they have nothing to loose but they have forgotten that, the both parties have the responsibility of bringing up the leaders of tomorrow. It was noted that a 300 level student, Henry Ehis, of the department of actuarial science, faculty of management science, University Of Jos, committed suicide due to the ASUU strike action during the...
967
Zak Thamae,
Like it or not, but as the Dean, you did fail to retain another Full Professor, and then you quit. That is obviously your ‘under-’ or ‘non-performance’, but the more serious part is that in my case, you misused your position and office. All because of your own jealousy and well-known hatred against expatriates, and also because of your short-sightedness and unprofessional attitude. Besides, you were also blinded by your ring-master Taele’s hate-speeches. It is not difficult to understand that your actions were driven by your selfishness and to some extent, your fear and low self-esteem. I had given you a chance, which could have helped you stamp your authority over all these sick, immature and poisonous minds, but you failed to grab it! What a pity! I could have explained...
1,788
Mopeli Fabiane,
The most unfortunate part of my story is that someone whose mind blanks out at the beginning of a lecture, someone who seeks attention with the false stories about his health (that there are blood clots in his veins), someone who had nearly lost his job after slapping a lady at KayCee Bar, is trying to tell me that I was irrelevant and my work doesn't have any impact! Mopeli Fabiane, you are mentally unstable. You have been found at odd places in odd hours by many people in Roma, you have often been driven home heavily drunk… Your stories are famous all around the valley but not because you are a top scientist!
You needs help, and urgently. And this is something many people in and around NUL say about you, not just me.
I don't know what wrong I have done to you...
3,089
Kedves jövőbeli Sapientipotens,
kérlek-kérlek-kérlek, ne kövesd el azokat a hibákat, amelyeket mágus-tanáraid elkövetnek most, amikor te is diák vagy. Tudod, mennyire megkeseríti a mágiatanulást az, ha folyton pálcát suhintanak a füled mellett, azzal fenyegetnek, hogy kalózképzőben végzed ha így folytatod, esetleg varázslóinas sem lesz belőled. Kérlek, ha majd te is híres mágus leszel, növendékeidet inkább bíztatással neveld és ha hibáznának, akkor ne büntesd a hibát, hanem segíts nekik azt kijavítani.
Educatópia,
Cognitio király uralkodásának 15. éve
Sapientipotenske, a mágus-jelölt
1,464
Dear Future Student,
You’ve made it! Welcome to the best four years of your life, as they all say. Be prepared to realize that what you heard about university, isn’t as true as you may think. Throughout this process of getting your degree, you’ll not only learn from your program, but you will also learn from your peers, your environment, and yourself. Here in university, you are responsible for your own learning. Professors will remind you about upcoming due dates, but it is your responsibility to make sure you don’t fall behind. And let me tell you, it is really easy to fall behind.
Going to university comes with many new experiences: parties, relationships, and freedom. This new sense of freedom and independence is your first step into adulthood but taking advantage of this...
1,666
Notes:
1. This picture was taken from the now deceased student's daily writing log during the 2019-2020 school year, collected as evidence of his mistreatment by a certain teacher. While blurry, the part that can be read is particularly disturbing: "...all this work it's for nothing, no matter what I do..."
2. Some important names have either been omitted or abbreviated for the purpose of this letter. A long version of this document, including those names, will be sent to the ACSD1 School Board.
*****
To whom it may concern,
On November 1st, 2021, a young man in our community took his life. He was 15. A few weeks prior, another student at Laramie High School sought to end his own life as well. Fortunately, his attempt at this most permanent and heartbreaking act was...
2,317