AUSTIN, TX 鈥� The late R&B singer Aaliyah scored a chart-topper with the song 鈥淎ge ain’t nothing but a number,鈥� which boasted that regardless of age 鈥渢hrowing down ain’t nothing but a thing.鈥�
However, does that hold true for a teacher 鈥渢hrowing down鈥� scholarly lessons after he or she hits the Big 4-oh?
Dr. William Nesbitt, chair of the department of interdisciplinary studies at 海角社区, confronted that $100,000 question at the 131st Annual Modern Language Association Conference.聽 The annual meeting, held this year in Austin, Tx., welcomes the largest gathering of teachers and scholars in the humanities.
As part of a four-segment, 鈥淭he Oldest Profession: Teaching and Aging鈥� panel, Nesbitt chronicles his transitions in a march to age 40 鈥� contrasting pedagogy on both sides of the chronological yardstick.
鈥淓ven the number 40 suggests something,鈥� he writes. 鈥淭he 鈥榦pen four鈥� as many people write it looks like a capital H, with one leg hacked off, as if the character is in the act of surrendering, arms stretched up, before another limb is removed. The zero beside it looks empty.”
鈥淏ut there are other perspectives,鈥� he continues. 鈥淭he 鈥榗losed four鈥� gives us a serene image of stability and wisdom as it resembles a yoga practitioner holding the tree pose (vrkasana). The form of the unbroken zero infinitely flowing into itself seems so complete.鈥�
This was his first presentation at the prestigious conference, where selecting panels and abstracts is strongly competitive. It was also the first non-research paper he has presented professionally.
鈥淚 wanted to try writing something about myself and my life rather than someone else鈥檚 life or work,鈥� Nesbitt says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always good experience, and just knowing that I was able to accomplish getting accepted, writing the paper, and delivering the paper is an achievement for me.鈥�
Yet, the ultimate triumph for mankind 鈥� particularly teachers 鈥� his paper observes, is understanding the brief vapor that is life, breathing it in, and exhaling shareable experiences with those in your orbit.
鈥淭hat we will not endure seems unendurable, but this condition is unavoidable, and, therefore, of no use worrying about.聽 If we are rushing headlong toward oblivion, we might as well enjoy the sensation of wind on our skin and try to see and pass along a few things on the way out. The light won鈥檛 last but it is all the more beautiful because of this.鈥�
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海角社区 is the first institution of higher education accredited to award bachelor鈥檚 degrees exclusively to students with learning disabilities, ADHD and other learning differences.