Careless replies

[Elena Gapova]

> As a member of academe, I categorically disassociate myself from this
assertion.
>
> We are entrusted with young people to educate and enlighten them. If one
has such as attitude toward their charges, perhaps one is in the wrong
profession.
>
> Salam,
> Walt Comins-Richmond
>

I don't think that I am in the wrong profession. I know the (very rare)
elation (which may not happen with every group even) of an intellectual
discovery made together. I also have students' letters and evaluations.

My pragmatic intention was to smooth over the reaction to the previous
sender's remark which might have made him feeling awkward. Besides,  I can
understand the feeling behind his message. I also remember a colleague who
was teaching a course largerly analysing discourse in a certain society last
year, while one of the students came from hardcore sociology - and how,
according to my colleague, her reaction to all those "discourses" was one of
"what are you talking about here" (in her world, what's true is based on
very different evidence). My colleague, when preparing her classes, had in
mind that one student mostly -with what argument to persuade her - and was
thinking that it didn't work, and was speaking (with me) about the situation
a lot (she was feeling as if her professionalism was not taken seriously)
etc.

We do react to our students. They are a part of our lives.
EG

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