What's really important, Rewards, Learning vs Education, and Struggles with teaching styles...

First off, Ts'ui Pên's Garden of Forking Paths reminds me of the movie The One with Jet Li.  Jet Li discovers that there are other 'hims' across the universe in similar worlds.  In each setting, though he is the same person, he is has chosen different paths and are therefore leading much different lives.  The main conflict is when his Criminal character illegally travels between worlds and kills off all but one version of his character.  Each elimination of a Jet Li makes the other Jet Li's more powerful.







What's really Important:
There have been a few really good class conversations that have made me think about things in a different light.  I've taken pages of notes and made several cross connections with how I generally view the world around me.  The pendulum theme of class swinging between meaning- and feeling-based cultures made a lot of sense and helped outline a basic historical pattern.  Lacon's totality theory on objectivizing those around us in order to cause them harm... Candide's unique and stirring view on optimism...

Struggles with Teaching Styles:
On the other hand, when we'd analyze paintings and other pieces of art, I felt like we would analyze the joy out them.  Occasionally I think that it's appropriate to hold a 2 hour discussion on how a few things make me feel - but maybe it's only a small part of what we could be studying.  Why don't we take a dive into technique...?  We could explore the materials available at different times, ingenuity in creating paint canvases, brushes and inks, making additional prints, the modern printing press, etc.  We could look at the evolution of musical instruments or the ever changing wardrobe fashions...  Each student could give a 5 minute oral presentation on an ancient author and present evidence on how their presence has influenced modern works.  Doc Mack could prepare a lecture on the different architecture found in LDS temples... the alternative possibilities are endless!

Rewards and Accountability, Learning vs Education:
I was really frustrated with the midterm test.  It was lengthy, had technical glitches, involved a great deal of memorization that I found irrelevant, and I wasn't nearly prepared enough for it.  To reign in my distaste, I had to take a few steps back and really analyze the situation.

1. I still had a chance to save my sinking grade with the remaining 800 points available.  Even if I fail the final in a similar fashion, the remaining 600 points will push me into a passing grade.  
2. I find it funny that the grade has been my first concern.  I think that a lot of us are here just for the green-light status on our MyMap academic plan.  With no offense intended for those that are, I'm not a humanities major.  I don't necessarily thrive on this kind of stuff - to me it's just one more GenEd course that I need to take in order to graduate.  I do realize, however, that there is importance in getting a well-rounded education that includes such things that are outside of my immediate interest.  
3. A letter grade is a result of the student satisfying the teacher's requirements.  Grades are objective and don't directly represent significant learning and positive change.  I want good academic marks because it's a reflection of my hard work and opens up doors of opportunity.  On the other hand, I want to remain a life-long learner and not just be satisfied with the a checkmark of completion.  
4. And finally, whatever happens in this class - can potentially be for my good. :)