2025 Readings 55

 As you know, I've been including Great Courses in this list, which, I would argue, is only mildly cheating. Earlier I had listened to Professor Elizabeth Vandiver's lecture series on the Iliad, and yesterday I finished her series on the Aeneid. Yes, part of this relates to my own writing project, but it's also just so lovely to listen to brilliant people discuss brilliant topics. One of the great flaws in Champlain's Core curriculum from the beginning has been the decision that we weren't going to lecture (or give tests, but that's a different problem). We had folks, usually ineffectual teachers in their own right, speak dismissively about the "sage on the stage," and instead we pushed for a more organic discussion with our students; creating knowledge, as compared to sharing it. On the one hand, I get it: teaching the students to think and interact with ideas and texts should be more valuable than simply filling an empty vessel. However, I think back when I more traditionally lectured, I didn't traditionally lecture. If we were discussing Islam I would pick out a couple passages from the Qur'an and we'd discuss what those texts told us about the faith. I don't think I ever just came in, turned on the tape in my head, and then turned it off when the bell rang. However, it was also a Ph.D. taking a leading role, as compared to simply facilitating a discussion, which is where we seem to have ended up (partially because our curriculum has been interdisciplinary and you were, by definition, almost never working within your own discipline). And, truthfully, there's only so far that a bunch of nineteen year old kid, talking mainly about how they "feel" about a subject, can take you. It's a sad state of affairs when you're a college professor and you're dying for some sort of intellectual encounter. This is probably why I'm turning more and more to writing. Do I really think that this book will get published? Maybe? Mainly, however, I think I enjoy love the process of learning and challenging myself.