[Marxism] FW: [Messages] A Classroom Exercise

["Craven, Jim" <JCraven@xxxxxxxxx>]

-----Original Message-----
From: messages-bounces@xxxxxxxxx [mailto:messages-bounces@xxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Craven, Jim
Sent: Saturday, October 02, 2004 11:19 AM
To: *MESSAGES at Clark College
Subject: [Messages] A Classroom Exercise


Message to the Campus Community: 
 
In response to an inquiry about my upcoming pedagogical exercise and
application of the campus-wide abilities,  one of our colleagues made an
inquiry that I am posting on the message list only because others might
have the same question before deciding to attend this function and, of
course, as a matter of "efficiency" about which I, as an economist, am
always concerned. 
 
Thanks to all for their inquiries and interest in this exercise. 
 
Jim Craven
 
 
 Hello Jim,
I'm a little confused.  From what specific position/party/philosophical
position will you yourself be debating?  That would help some of us know
whether we would want to attend.  Thanks,  [name deleted] 
 
Response:  
>From the position of application of the basic campus-wide abilities:
Effective Citizenship (which I define as "the ruthless criticism of
everything that exists without fear or favor and not participating in
the "choice" between the lesser of evils or the evil of lessers);
Critical Thinking (which I define as thinking about--and systematically
examining and exposing--the quality--adductive/deductive/dialectical
reasoning--of one's own thinking and argument as well as that of
others);  Global Multicultural Awareness (appreciation of the fact and
implications that the U.S. is not the center of the cosmos or even of
the world and being able to fairly and critically examine and draw
lessons from other cultures, nations, faiths and philosophies); Lifelong
Learning (essential rules and sources--along the appreciation of the
imperative--for continuing to expand and update one's own knowledge and
skill base and sets); Communication (learning how to use various media
and devices to communicate what you mean and what you mean being
understood by diverse audiences, as well as understanding what others
mean as they communicate through various media and devices--and meaning
what you say); Info-Tech Awareness (learning about how to effectively
use various existing and emerging information systems and sources in
research, life-long learning, effective citizenship, critical thinking,
effective communication, global multicultural awareness and struggle).
 
As for the specific position/party/philosophical position I would take,
well it is that of an unabashed and unashamed "radical"--derived from
the Latin word "radix" which means "root"; in other words, getting to
the "root" of the issues, positions, sources, information, assumptions
being advanced--and not advanced --by the other candidates.  Since we
are supposed to be teaching the campus-wide abilities (many of which
have not been defined and/or have been ill-defined in my opinion), of
course without any regard to the fact that probably none of us is really
qualified to teach in all of these areas just because we may or may not
be qualified to teach in our own respective disciplines, I thought that
I would actually PRACTICE some "Effective Citizenship" (as I am able to
define it for myself), along with some of the other campus-wide
abilities, so that my students might learn and perhaps see that the old
aphorism of G.B. Shaw--"those who can, DO, those who can't TEACH"--might
not always be true. 
 
I hope that answers your question. Personally, as a connoisseur of
rhetoric and a student of the ways of the human mind,  I am interested
in any and all positions (even those beyond the packaged and contrived
menus  of "choice" of the so-called "two-party system" and would be
happy to attend any parallel pedagogical exercise no matter what the
particular position/party/philosophical position being advanced.
 
Thank you for your inquiry and interest in this upcoming pedagogical
exercise and application of the campus-wide abilities in my own
teaching.
 
Jim Craven
 

        Next week, on Wednesday, in my Economic Geography class from 1
pm to 2 pm, I will be running the recent Kerry-Bush debate and will be
debating both Bush and Kerry. We will run Kerry's answer to a given
question and then I will respond to Kerry in the allowed debate response
time (one of the students will keep time to 90 seconds) to be followed
by Bush's response. The same will apply to Bush: I will give Bush's
response to a given question, followed by my response in the allowed
response time followed by Kerry's response. This will be filmed for use
in other classes.
         
        Anyone wishing to attend, please RSVP prior to Monday in order
to determine if a larger room is necessary. The same exercise will be
repeated for the next two scheduled Bush-Kerry debates and will also be
done with the upcoming Edwards-Cheney vice-presidential debate.
         
        Jim Craven
         
         
        James M. Craven
        Blackfoot Name: Omahkohkiaayo-i'poyi
        Professor/Consultant,Economics;Business Division Chair
        Clark College, 1800 E. McLoughlin Blvd.
        Vancouver, WA. USA 98663
        Tel: (360) 992-2283; Fax: (360) 992-2863
        http://www.home.earthlink.net/~blkfoot5
        Employer has no association with private/protected opinion
        "Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the
present controls the past." (George Orwell)
        "...every anticipation of results which are first to be proved
seems disturbing to me...(Karl Marx, "Grundrisse")
        FREE LEONARD PELTIER!!
         
         

_______________________________________________
Marxism mailing list
Marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism