7 Principles in 7 Days: Part Four

In honor of the created holiday "Chalica," I'm doing a series of posts on the Seven Principles this week. This is my late night post for Thursday.

Day Four: A free and responsible search for truth and meaning.

Tonight we had our community forum/outreach committee meeting. This is the principle we hold before us on the committee the most as we plan our forums. It's also a principle near and dear to my heart. Right now, in particular, I'm trying to instill this principle in others through teaching at the community college.

I was raised with education as a primary value. I come from a long line of educators, with two parents with education degrees, and three out of four grandparents who worked in education. In my family, my husband and I both teach college, as well as my father. My mother and one sister work for the University of Michigan, and one brother-in-law for Michigan State University. My other sister teaches in Detroit public schools, and my other brother-in-law is a student at Wayne State University. You could say we're all in education in one way or another. Clearly this value goes deep in my family.

When I'm teaching, I'm aware that it's not just about conveying certain facts. It's also about conveying a love for knowledge.

In our religion, our search goes beyond the search for knowledge, although it includes that. It also includes this search for meaning. We take the facts and interpret, look for the deeper answers to the deeper questions. I'm proud to be part of a questioning, searching church.

In honor of my sister, Cathy Schrock, and her many years of promoting education in one of the most difficult of settings, todays donation is to National Head Start.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Hey Big Sister! I just thought I'd point out that actually five out of our five grandparents worked in education: three elementary school teachers (one also a principal), one university Dean, and one secretary to a university Dean. Carrie
Good point. I wasn't counting the secretarial, but it was for education, so you're right. And, strangely, I wasn't counting our biological grandmother Landrum, but rather our step-grandmother Landrum. I stand corrected.

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