ALL ABOUT

MENTORINGA PUBLICATION OF EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE Issue 34 • Fall 2008 ALL ABOUT MENTORING ABOUT ALL

Issue 34 • Fall 2008 Fall • 34 Issue

Two Union Avenue Saratoga Springs, NY 12866-4390 518 587-2100 www.esc.edu For Morris Keeton At our 1984 All College Meeting, Empire State College honored Dr. Morris Keeton ALL ABOUT with a Doctor of Humane Letters. The citation concluded: “While some teachers saw the classroom as their world, you saw the world as a classroom. Today experiential learning extends richer educational opportunities to people of all ages MENTORING and backgrounds because you perceived the promise in such learning and worked to ISSUE 34 see it fulfilled.” FALL 2008 Keeton, the founding president of CAEL (now The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning), spent 30 years at Antioch College and, in the 1990s, was Alan Mandell College Professor of Adult Learning senior scholar at the Institute for Research and Assessment in Higher Education and Mentoring at University of Maryland University College. He is the author of many books Editor (including Learning from Experience, 1987; Employability in a High-Performance [email protected] Economy [with Sheckley and Lamdin], 1992; and Effectiveness and Efficiency in Higher Education for Adults [with Sheckley and Griggs], 2002). In all of these Kirk Starczewski Director of College Relations writings and in an extraordinary professional life, Keeton has continued to push Publisher us to grapple with the most basic questions about who can learn, where and when [email protected] learning takes place, and (as he put it) “What is a college education? What for?” Gael Fischer In this issue of All About Mentoring, now a quarter-century after his honorary Director of Publications doctorate was awarded, we return to some of the themes, questions and problems Designer that Morris Keeton has encouraged us to take on, especially those related to college Hope Ferguson credit for experiential learning. As Keeton said in receiving his award: “The ‘ivory Senior Writer, Office of College Relations tower’ and the ‘ivied walls’ used to be awe-inspiring symbols. So they were in the community of my childhood. Who today thinks that a monastic setting or a rural Debra Park enclave is the most productive site for scholarly research and student development? Copy Editor Yet even though our old images of where best to learn are crumbling, we cling to the idea that the norm for the places for advanced learning is the campus cluster of PHOTOGRAPHY classroom buildings, laboratories, libraries and faculty offices.” Cover photo by Lee Herman We, again, thank Morris Keeton for continuing to remind us of what we “cling to” Photos courtesy of faculty and staff of and what new “symbols” of learning we need to nourish. Empire State College.

PRODUCTION Jerry Cronin Director of Management Services Ron Kosiba Print Shop Supervisor Janet Jones Keyboard Specialist College Print Shop Central Services

Send comments, articles or news to: All About Mentoring c/o Alan Mandell Empire State College 325 Hudson Street, Fifth Floor New York, NY 10013-1005 646 230-1255 [email protected]

Special thanks to Cathy Leaker, Morris Keeton with Pamela Tate, president and CEO (left) and Margaret Souza, Richard Bonnabeau, Diana Bamford Rees, associate vice president (right) of CAEL. Nan Travers, and Diana Bamford-Rees, and to Kelly Williams and Lynn Nichols for their contributions to this issue of All About Mentoring.

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Table of Contents

Editorial – Credit by Evaluation: Only Half the Story...... 2 Faculty Voices: A Cinderella Story at the PLA Ball ...... 60 Alan Mandell Nan Travers, Office of Collegewide Academic Review Bernard Smith, Center for Distance Learning A Learning Experience with Rural Teachers in Argentina...... 4 Joan Johnsen, Northeast Center Silvia Chelala, Long Island Center and Paul Alberti, Office of Collegewide Academic Review Center for International Programs Kameylah Hakim, Niagara Frontier Center Experiencing Dewey on Experience: A Conversation...... 9 Bhuwan Onta, Metropolitan Center Xenia Coulter, Center for International Programs Elizabeth Webber, Hudson Valley Center Alan Mandell, Metropolitan Center and Walking on the Mild Side: Adult Learning and Mentoring Mindfulness in Personal Risk Management ...... 65 Julie Shaw, Center for Distance Learning Anne Breznau, Office of Academic Affairs Wayne Willis, Genesee Valley Center Lucy Winner, Metropolitan Center Thoughts on Credit by Evaluation...... 69 David Porter, Professor Emeritus, Hudson Valley Center Notes from a Reformed Literary Drill Sergeant ...... 15 Steve Lewis, Hudson Valley Center Essential Elements of PLA Programs: Institutional Perspectives ...... 71 The Liturgy of Pedagogy ...... 17 Gabrielle Dietzel, Vermont State Colleges Katherine Kurs, Eugene Lang College Henriette Pranger, Eastern Connecticut State University, The New School for Liberal Arts School of Continuing Education Reflections on Learning and Educational Planning ...... 25 Carleen M. Baily, Thomas Edison State College Frieda Mendelsohn, Niagara Frontier Center Maryanne R. LeGrow, Charter Oak State College Ruksana Osman, WITS School of Education, Playing with PLAI: A Discussion with Barry Sheckley ...... 31 University of Witwatersrand Nan Travers, Office of Collegewide Academic Review The Mind-Scrubbers...... 73 The Importance of Being on Time for the Robert Congemi, Northeast Center Bus and the Threefold Nature of Tears ...... 37 Carole Southwood, Niagara Frontier Center Street Smarts: An Experiential Learning Vignette ...... 81 Viktoria Popova-Gonci, Long Island Center The Role of Experience in Adult Learning: Positive or Negative? ...... 41 Two Poems...... 82 Nancy Gadbow, Genesee Valley Center Heidi Nightengale, Central New York Center

Rock, Snow, Trees and a Cow...... 45 Making Time – Time Management and the Sociocultural Photography by Lee Herman, Central New York Center Construction of Time: A Collage ...... 83 Eric L. Ball and Diane Shichtman Found Things: Ten Out of Thirty ...... 49 Center for Distance Learning Ernest Palola and Paul Bradley, Empire State College Office of Research and Evaluation What Really is “Magical Thinking”?...... 92 Margaret Souza, Metropolitan Center On Learning to Play the Cello at 60: A Study in Polyphony...... 54 Core Values of Empire State College (2005) ...... 94 David Starr-Glass, Center for International Programs

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claim, especially because it threw into institutions would have to experiment with EDITORIAL question the sacred belief that all knowledge pedagogical practices, try out new ways worth knowing was born in and the to engage students, set them off to work property of the university. with problems and on projects to see and question (opportunities to be found literally So when in 1974, Empire State College, anywhere and everywhere) that could help along with representatives from New them grapple with issues and play with College of the University of Alabama, ideas. In effect: forget the authority of the Thomas Edison State College, Framingham expert lecturer (no matter how smart), State College, Antioch College, Florida the traditional reading list (no matter how International University, San Francisco savvy), and the final exam (no matter how State College, El Paso Community College “objective”). and Minnesota Metropolitan University founded the Cooperative Assessment of And here’s where the learning contract Experiential Learning (CAEL), which comes in. In important ways, its promise became the Council for the Advancement was that previously unimagined “learning of Experiential Learning, which became activities” could become the heart of new the Council for Adult and Experiential experiential learning. Instead of lectures, Credit by Learning, these social reformers – gently why not have conversations, and not only guided by Morris Keeton (who was then between a student and a professor, but Evaluation: provost and vice president at Antioch), between a student and other informants experience came front and center. inside or outside the academy? Instead of a meticulously constructed bibliography, Only Half From its beginnings, Empire State College why not let the students pursue questions embraced experiential learning through about their experiences that could lead to its commitment to “credit by evaluation.” the Story a search for a wild range of resources – Others institutions (indeed, many other people, books, observations and practices ur history is rich. Empire State institutions) came to this belief either of all kinds? And instead of exams, why not College was part of a burst because they knew it was only fair to let students have the opportunity to present of critical pedagogy, part of acknowledge that learning could be gained O their own work in their own ways and to a powerful social movement of the late just about anywhere, or because the adult discuss it seriously with their mentors? Isn’t 1960s and 1970s, which tried to do two market was just too sweet to pass up. But this a better, a more authentic way to see things: it wanted to push the academy to Empire State College (along with those early what a student has actually learned? Indeed, recognize its deep ties to destructive social CAEL institutions) was out ahead: prior this was the vision of a new university truly and economic practices of all kinds (for experiential learning was serious learning; without walls. And how interesting: the example, to vast inequalities of race, class, it didn’t even have to be evaluated through prior learning portfolio and the learning gender and age; to a colonial war thousands standardized examinations, nor did students contract were to be tied at the experiential of miles away). And, at the same time, it have to twist their knowledge into the hip. sought to experiment with new forms of pre-fab boxes of already existing courses. education that could re-imagine and, in so A portfolio of prior learning became the So what happened? It seems to me that we doing, re-invent what we assumed teaching usually not so neat, time-consuming, got scared. Empire State College and the and learning could be. Our legacy is one of expensive, but often so fascinating place other CAEL institutions had taken a big risk criticism and change. that a student could tell us what he/she in championing the portfolio and claiming had learned. that a student’s past experiential learning One essential element of this history was could have the intellectual weight of a the recognition that students – adult But there’s more. When, 40 years ago, college course. Could we experiment with learners of all kinds – come to university Morris Keeton and others argued that new experiential learning at the same time, with enormously complex lives, with higher learning had neglected experience, listening to student questions, pushing them job histories, with connections to their had truly misunderstood that the out into the world, and creating new studies communities, with skills gained on the experiential was at the heart of all learning, at every turn? But if we did, wouldn’t we streets, in basements and kitchens, on he was not only urging us to take seriously have to surrender our cherished faculty shop floors and with neighbors. That is, what students had learned in the past. He authority? What academic standards could students themselves come to us with ideas, wanted us to reconsider how we taught we use? What would happen to quality? competencies, understandings and often and how students learned in the present. In taking up this experiential adventure keen insights gained far from the walls of In effect, prior learning was only half the that could throw wide open the world of the academy. This was indeed a radical story. A true learning revolution meant that learning, wouldn’t we just lose control?

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What, we worried, if a student had never as seriously as the starting point for new I wonder if we have a chance to resuscitate learned theory? What, others argued, if study-construction as it was for recognizing the experiential spirit of the learning a student lacked scholarly concepts or college-level past learning. But even if this contract and thus remember the whole hadn’t read this or that? What if a student, were the case, it’s my sense that pretty soon, story? Such discussion and experimentation regardless of the depth of his/her past our concerns shifted: we started debating seem far from our current institutional practices in the community, in business, in about whether a learning contract was priorities in which even the language of the painting studio or dance space, had no “canned” (that is, before doc-pak-“libraries” “learning contract” has slipped into talk sense at all of the academic context in which took hold, pulled, intact, right from the of “courses.” But if we returned to what that learning needed to be placed, let alone mentor’s desk) or whether it was sufficiently people like Keeton wanted us so much was able to informatively write about it? “individualized.” However, whichever it was to see about the limits of any kind of We just couldn’t take those chances. Our (probably, I’d argue, in most cases, it was learning, we also might be more willing to academic legitimacy was at stake. Of course, a little bit of both), the learning contract’s wonder about what an institution very much then, yes, of course, the learning contract real experiential edge was pretty dull, and in the world and dedicated to criticism and would have to at least approximate what remains so right now. That is, I’d bet that change might look like today. students might find in any good course. today, most learning contracts are filled with book titles, scholarly research projects It may be that in the early years of the and other quite academically proper writing college, experiential learning was taken Alan Mandell assignments.

Are you experienced? Ah, have you ever been experienced? Well I have

– J. Hendrix, “Are you Experienced” (1967)

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A Learning Experience with Rural Teachers in Argentina

Silvia Chelala, Long Island Center and Center for International Programs

n the winter of 2007, I was I approached with an unusual offer from the director of outreach, Dr. Adriana Corda, from the National University of Tucumán, Argentina (my alma mater). Together with the director of alumni activities, they were thinking of developing a program designed to improve the skills of middle school teachers in Tucumán, located in the Northwest of Argentina. They were interested in knowing if I would be willing to conduct some activities in the program called Maestro 1, 2, 3 (Qué es el Proyecto Maestro) Meeting with colleagues aimed at improving the skills of teachers working in marginal rural areas in the changed me considerably, so I was not sure State College study groups on Personal province. I was intrigued. Teachers working how I would fit in again to an environment Writing: Autobiographies, Memoirs and in those areas have traditionally been that was not mine anymore. I was intrigued Testimonies. In my attempts to prepare for ignored by faculty development activities. It and excited about this challenge. my trip, tape recorders became an issue. I made a plea to my Long Island colleagues was an interesting challenge for me, since it I started thinking about what I could offer and Barbara Kantz came up with three would allow to me teach at the university them. I realized that I had been involved machines. Those, plus some I had obtained from which I had graduated and thus in working with narratives of one sort or from other sources, became my stash. Some repay in part the education that had been another since graduate school. I began of my friends raised the issue that airport generously given to me, since tuition at state looking into oral histories since I had done security could be suspicious about someone universities in my country had been free extensive interviews with subjects for my setting out to travel carrying multiple tape when I attended. qualitative study on text construction recorders, so I decided that I could send that became my graduate thesis. My I had long been meeting with people from them along in my checked luggage. Mel Empire State College colleagues, John the university on my yearly trips to see my Rosenthal gave me a useful introduction to Andrejack, Amy Ruth Tobol, Yvonne family, but I had no idea what the result of digital cameras. I was all set to document Murphy and KD Eaglefeathers were of that conversation with those officials of the the experience. There is nothing that great help with suggestions, and Amy Ruth National University would be. The situation replaces our spirit of cooperation in the recommended a book that gave me the evoked conflicting emotions. In a way, it Empire State College community. was going back to a place and some of the tools to think about oral histories in a new people from my student days. But I also felt way (Yow, 2005). I also looked at what And then, nothing happened for three that my life and experiences abroad had I do with students in one of my Empire months.

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Being realistic, I knew that projects can be derailed through bureaucracy so, in the middle of June, I sent an e-mail to follow up. I got an answer: it had taken the officials until the end of May to obtain approval from the local ministry of education so that teachers could attend the workshops. We firmed up dates, and I got an invitation. At the end of July, I left for Argentina. The preliminary idea was that I was to conduct some sessions in the province’s capital city of Tucumán. Teachers from rural areas were to come to the city for the training. My proposal for the content of the workshop with bibliography and a list of activities had been approved. My host was concerned that we would not have many participants as this was a new program – she predicted maybe five. However, because of a strike by administrative workers at the university, I only had one student for the Library and kindergarten in village school initial session. Although my disappointment was great, even greater was my hosts’ who asked them if they would be interested in made a great number of Xerox copies and wanted this kind of workshop to be used as what I had to offer them. They were very was ready for the new workshop in just two a model for further activities. interested, particularly if it could be done days. It was designed for two, eight-hour days as the ministry regulations required. Undaunted, the organizers of the workshops in two instead of 10 days, since for them made several calls. They spoke to school it was rather difficult to devote such a The first group did not have five principals and people in the ministry. long time to a course. Here is where my participants; it had 50! Although some of Finally, when I had lost all hope, I was training at Empire State College came into them live near the rural school where they invited to address a group of rural teachers full swing. I went home, restructured the teach, for many others travel is extremely who were in the city for another training. I material I had prepared, added, pruned, hard. After traveling by bus to a small village near the school, they have to travel on horseback for several hours through mountains and rivers to reach the school. Therefore, they live there. They go home about once every month during the school year. In many schools, children who live several miles away, live in the school buildings with the teachers. These teachers cook for them, bathe them, take care of them when sick, as well as teach them and help them with homework. Men and women live in dormitory-type rooms with shared facilities in very basic conditions. Art and science teachers in particular may be itinerant. They rotate and teach in a school for a week before moving on to the next one. These professionals may work in up to four schools. Because of distance and cost, rural teachers have very few opportunities to attend faculty development workshops or courses. These development activities are very important as they are assigned “value Outdoor bread oven points” by the ministry, which, in turn,

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in their communities. All involved intensive interviews by the children. Some examples of the topics included: investigating the possibility of an after school program so that children with untapped talents could be tutored by the teachers; designing a small museum of rocks and plants in the area and having children study them; investigating the use of medicinal plants in their community; looking into the issue of water pollution of mountain rivers which are used for washing, drinking and waste removal; and recording the history and process of a ritual by which a bull and a cow are “married” in the spring as a fertility ritual. The supervisor offered his project: from his post, he would support individual school efforts in their proposed research. Teachers filled out evaluations of the workshop and a short paragraph on how they see themselves as professionals and what it means to them to work in such School in Colalao del Valle with the motto: Educating for Freedom isolated places. teachers need in order to secure permanent types and ethical concerns. I shared some While I was involved in this endeavor, jobs and obtain better pay. Even facing such questionnaires and we looked at samples of I was asked if I would offer the course impediments, these teachers are happy to what some schools in the United States have in a mountain area called the Calchaqui work with the students they have, for whom done to preserve traditions by involving Valleys. There I could work with other rural they show real concern and interest. school children in interviewing community teachers who could not come to the city for members (Huellas del Pasado, Footprints professional development. I accepted. Again, We had a wonderful time. We read an from the Past). my experience at Empire State College came autobiographical account by a Cuban in very handy. The town where I would slave (Autobiografía de un esclavo by Juan As Maestro 1, 2, 3 had been designed as a deliver the workshop, Colalao del Valle, is Francisco Manzano) and excerpts from three-year project, the district supervisor, at approximately 5,955 feet above sea level. Pablo Neruda’s autobiography (Confieso who also participated in our workshop, This village is about a four and a half hour que he vivido). We discussed literary thought that a research project by each bus ride from Tucumán. The university issues of the genre. Then we proceeded to school would be a good activity for the had never “gone out” to meet the students discuss oral histories: theory, methodology, teachers at the start of their academic year. before; it had always expected students to After discussing travel. The shift was very rewarding for the quantitative and students as well as for me. It was decided, qualitative research, then, that I would travel to their area and the group split into conduct approximately the same workshop smaller groups by as I had facilitated in the city. school and generated a question or topic One of the school principals went with me. that their school We were very involved in a conversation would investigate about the meaning of education for the in 2007 - 2008. Argentina of today when I started to feel The topics were sick. The bus was climbing a winding varied, but one road up the mountain and the height was great advantage was affecting me. When I could not hold out any that some schools longer, my companion asked the driver to had their principals stop the bus so that I could get out and get a already participating, breath of fresh air. He readily agreed. When so the support was I felt better, we proceeded to the next town built in. All projects where I was served a tea made with coca were tied to needs leaves, a popular medicine in high altitude Lunch-time: members of the course places. I felt well taken care of.

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Birth of a musical instrument Vineyards in village

Our destination was Colalao del Valle, themselves were predominantly members basic requirements. It had a simple but which means “the town of the chief” or of indigenous groups and so were their new building, painted and finished by cacique in the indigenous quichua language. students. Their ties to the community were parents, students and teachers. It had 12 It is a sleepy village considered the center of strong. computers, but no access to the Internet the Calchaqui Valley. It was founded in the (because there are no telephone lines in With this group I used more or less the 18th century when Spanish families moved the village aside from one public phone). same content as with the last group, there after the Spanish conquest of those It had tape recorders and a video player. but concentrated more closely on the regions from the indigenous populations. It had clean facilities, a place for children methodology of oral history, having them At the end of the 19th century, it became to play basketball, a small vineyard and a interview each other, transcribe tapes and a summer place because of its dry weather. classroom where children learned how to make oral presentations of what they had The main activities of this area are the make wine, bake bread (in a mud oven) learned. Meetings also started at 8 a.m. but production of walnuts, spices, folk art and make musical instruments. It had we broke at 10 a.m. for coffee and at noon and home-made wines. It is in a corner an entire small building dedicated to the for lunch. We all ate together at a long table, of Tucumán province close to Salta and library. The principal was finishing his elegantly set by the cook and her help. We Catamarca, in the northwest part of the doctorate in education and he was energetic, all contributed to the expense of the food. country. Staying there was a trip into the resourceful and a good supervisor, according The atmosphere was festive with jokes flying past. There are no restaurants except a bar to the teachers. However, according to around and people sitting with friends and where I went with the principal for dinner the participants, as far as facilities were colleagues. My desk in a corner of one of the first night. There is one telephone (which concerned, this school was the exception. the rooms had a small glass with flowers does not work most of the time) and one from the garden. Here the teachers were As I sit and reflect on this experience, I can bakery that sells the most delicious white happy to get a bibliography and the same say that my work at Empire State College and whole wheat breads. There are no sample work of community documenting where we have to create new learning paved streets except the four blocks around projects (Huellas del Pasado, Footprints contracts on short notice for almost every the plaza and the main road. There is only from the Past) just like the first group. Some student who sits with us, was one of the one hotel, where I stayed. would have wanted more academic training best trainings I could have had for this Everything had been arranged for my in oral history, but with a varied audience project. Our philosophy of taking the meeting with workshop participants the and only two days together, that would have students at whatever stage they come and next day in the only school, conveniently been difficult. Their projects focused on how respecting their experiences and creating located across the road from my hotel. This they could use interviews and oral histories activities relevant to their life histories and group of about 35 participants was different in their classrooms and for community interests and goals, allowed me to listen than what I had experienced in the city. needs. to participants’ needs and honor them. Their needs were slightly more focused on These teachers work under such different In terms of material resources, this the issues of retaining oral traditions. They circumstances than we do, that it would school in Colalao del Valle had all the

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Traditional bread oven Village baker be difficult for us to imagine ourselves in reminded me that I should never pre-judge References those situations. But I had to try to imagine the quality or level of participation of a those circumstances and work within them group. Although I was prepared to meet Huellas del Pasado, Footprints from the in order to create something that might be teachers who would be disinterested in Past. Davis Bilingual Magnet School, relevant to them. change, for example, I found intellectually Tucson, Arizona.http://www.elearn. inquisitive minds ready for discussion. I Arizona.edu/huellas/toc_span.html. One of the issues that came up frequently learned that they were grateful that someone Retrieved 7/12/2007. in the teachers’ descriptions of themselves had taken the time to listen to them and as professionals was isolation. This sense of Manzano, Juan Francisco. Autobiografia to work with them in their communities. isolation springs from being in a rural area de un esclavo. Bilingual edition: I learned that they were hungry for new with limited contact with other people and Autobiography of a Slave. Introduction information that was delivered “with isolated from the bureaucracy in the city. and Modernized Spanish version by clarity” – meaning without jargon. I learned Another topic was marginalization of their Ivan A. Schulman. Translated by Evelyn about being accepted as a transitory member students and of themselves as conveniently Picon Garfield. Detroit, Michigan: of their community, eating and joking with “out of sight, out of mind.” Their lack of Wayne State University Press, 1996. them, as well as working with them on access to professional development not only serious academic subjects. I learned that Neruda, Pablo. Confieso que he vivido. makes teachers fall into ruts, but it also has although material resources are important, Buenos Aires, Argentina: Editorial financial repercussions. Not having access to willingness to learn is even more important Sudamericana, 2003. these activities does not allow them to earn for vibrant schools. points needed for higher pay or more secure “Qué es el Proyecto Maestro” at http:// employment. In an important way, the sense of www.irinnews.org/about.aspx. community to which I referred with respect Retrieved January 5, 2008. Posted in I had heard so many negative things about to those Empire State College colleagues http://alumnos.filo.unt.edu.ar/joomia on rural teachers before I went to Tucumán that who helped me prepare for this project May 4, 2007. I did not have high expectations of what also was very prominent among teachers was possible to do there. The teachers and Yow, Valerie Raleigh. Recording Oral and school administrators with whom I everyone associated with the school proved History: A Guide for the Humanities worked in rural Argentina. The students at me wrong. They had tertiary degrees, they and Social Sciences, second edition. the workshops claimed that they learned loved their students, they had creativity, but New York: Altamira Press, 2005. a lot from me. But I consider the whole some had lost it because the bureaucrats experience a gift that the university, the demanded accomplishment measures that hosts, the teachers – my students – and were inappropriate for their students. They school administrators gave to me.

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Experiencing Dewey on Experience: A Conversation

Xenia Coulter, Center for International Programs Alan Mandell, Metropolitan Center and Adult Learning and Mentoring Julie Shaw, Center for Distance Learning Wayne Willis, Genesee Valley Center Lucy Winner, Metropolitan Center

What follows is an edited version of a It’s not just something you think about. It’s Coulter: So we have a plan in mind, a plan phone conversation that took place on not just sitting in your office and talking. that might even be devised with the help of April 9, 2008. Mentors Coulter, Mandell, the students. But here’s my question: Is this Willis: But, of course, sitting in your Shaw, Willis and Winner examined John “a” plan with goals that can be established office and talking with your student is an Dewey’s thought through an interpretation for a group of students. Or is he suggesting experience. of his seminal Experience and Education that there is a plan for each student because (1938). (All quotes below are from the 1963 Mandell: Dewey is clear here: “It is each student is different? Macmillan edition of Dewey’s classic text.) not enough to insist on the necessity Willis: I would say that he is actually trying of experience, nor even of activity in to think about both levels. There is that Mandell: Why don’t we begin with Dewey’s experience. Everything depends on the notion that you have to work with students understanding of “experience”? quality of the experience which is had” (27). to determine the interests and the purposes Willis: His focus on experience is consistent Shaw: He talks about educative experience: of their learning, and purposes need to be with his philosophy of progressive all experiences lead to the control of future appropriate and authentic. At the same time, education. For him, one of the things that experiences. And that the quality of an separate “traditional” and “progressive” educative experience is one that fits in with education is this emphasis on beginning “progress” – it’s about continuity, progress … you have to work with with experience. Traditional education is and growth; it’s about purposes and the rooted in traditional ideas about appropriate making of meaning. students to determine the subject matter and goals. Experience is at Coulter: The teacher’s role is to modify interests and the purposes the core of his sense of what progressive and modulate so that experiences go in education is about. of their learning, and the “correct” direction. It is not simply Coulter: Upon re-reading the book, I “planless improvisation.” purposes need to realized that what Dewey is writing about Winner: Dewey thinks the teacher has a be appropriate and is not only starting with experience, but sense of where it’s moving. That’s where also creating new experiences from which authentic. the teacher’s “selecting” is so important. learning takes place. That’s the piece that So it’s different from saying that after an we ignore with adult students. It’s not a experience we try to figure out how to use problem to start with experience, but it’s the knowledge from that experience and he also is very critical of the way in which quite difficult to think about how to create transform it in some ways so that it is useful the progressive education of his time is only experiences in the ways in which he is in another experience. concerned with individuals. It can, from his imagining. It’s the kind of thing that we view, become a kind of an anarchic mess. So don’t like to do. Shaw: So the educator has the sense of the he wants to try to coordinate the interests, continuum of the educative experience in Mandell: He certainly assumes that there the purposes and the goals, of individual the past and also into the future. can be badly chosen experiences; there students so that they can form a kind of are “good” and more “problematic” Mandell: Yes, it’s a double thing – past and democratic, cooperative, school community educational experiences. It’s not just any future. But, in addition, he continues to with each other and with their teachers. And experience. use phrases like “principles of growth;” he that’s then also the link, so important to assumes that he knows what this “growth” him, between the school and society. Coulter: For Dewey, “experience” is is and the principles it’s built on. something that you do; it’s something that is Mandell: When he uses phrases like empirical – that sense-wise you experience. “democratic social arrangements,” it’s

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 10 exactly that point. I think he is arguing that Willis: I think that given what Dewey is school. And they were experimenting with democratic social arrangements promise saying he would see that much of our work progressive education when I was there. more worthwhile experiences. at Empire State College is not consistent And one such experiment I remember is a with his ideas. Our dealing with our math class, which for an entire year was Winner: He’s always reminding us that we students is too isolated for him; we work a room filled with games that had various need to be thinking about “interactions” in with our students in too individualized a things to do with math. And no teacher “situations,” about transactions between way. Yes, we do try to work with students involvement at all. The teachers just sat in individuals and the environment. So, for from their experiences and help them the background and charted what we were him, as he puts it, “interaction is going on form their plans of study and put together doing and there were shelves of puzzles between an individual and objects and other something that is meaningful to them. and games and we could do whatever we persons. The concepts of situation and of That aspect we do pretty well in a pretty wanted. And, I think I remember this: none interaction are inseparable from each other” Deweyan fashion. But this whole idea of of us learned anything. (43). having students think about themselves as Coulter: I continue to wonder about the Shaw: I think that this is exactly how part of a community, as part of a society, difference between the child or the young he gets beyond the dichotomy between of working to form collective-cooperative middle school student you are mentioning, progressive and traditional education. For activities with each other – the college is Lucy, and the adult student and the teacher’s Dewey, progressive is more concerned with just not set up in a way that succeeds or involvement in that education. Dewey a student’s internal state, and the traditional even tries to do that much in that way. And writes, “For example, a child who learns more concerned with the external state of Dewey would say that this is a limitation to speak has a new facility and a new society and the need to fit students into that we have had, and that maybe a more desire. But he also has widened the external certain realms by preparing them for social traditional classroom-based education conditions of subsequent learning … . But roles. But he wanted to get beyond that. actually affords more opportunity for it. if a person decides to become a teacher, Let’s look at the interaction between the lawyer, physician or stockbroker, when he student’s internal state and the context executes his intention he thereby necessarily at a given point in time. For him, it’s not determines to some extent the environment an either/or. He wants to get beyond the And what we have are in which he will act in the future” (37). And dichotomy by focusing on the process. He what we have are adults who already know wants us to look at how things actually adults who already how to read; they are already in a society, work. know how to read; they they already have a community, they already Coulter: You start with a child’s experience are already in a society, have all of those things that a child, Lucy, in – with the classes’ experience, and you your middle school math class, just doesn’t create experiences that are meaningful to they already have a yet have. So do we really need a classroom them within their own context. And then the community, they already situation for those adults? It seems to me lessons you draw are tied to the curriculum that we need exactly the contrary: we need that we think they ought to learn. That’s have all of those things individualized instruction to open up an where you bring in the “traditional” that a child … just entirely new ‘life of the mind,’ so to speak, education: you don’t let them do whatever that they don’t already have in their lives. they want to (which, for example, probably doesn’t yet have. Mandell: But look what Dewey says next: does not include learning how to divide!), “He has rendered himself more sensitive but you figure out experiences in which and responsive to certain conditions, and division becomes something important for relatively immune to those things about him them to know. Winner: Dewey also is drawing lines that would have been stimuli if he had made between levels of engagement of the teacher. Mandell: I think that Dewey is defensive another choice” (37). You can think of this in terms of the range here. He’s trying to make an argument of ways in which faculty at Empire State Coulter: So you want a child to be as for progressive education as not meaning College engage with their students in their responsive to as many different stimuli as out of control, i.e. you can do anything work, from ‘come in and tell me what you possible, but as an adult, maybe not at all. and everything you want – Wayne’s earlier want to learn and also tell me how you description of the “anarchic mess.” He Shaw: We shouldn’t forget something that want to learn it,’ to ‘this is the syllabus for wants to find some middle ground. He’s Wayne said earlier about Dewey’s ideal this individualized study; it’s a well-worked being stereotyped as arguing that anything learning situation, which involves the out plan.’ There are significant differences is OK. He just doesn’t believe that. In this importance of community. When I have here. sense, he’s trying to work out a position thought about that, I’ve of course thought that is different from the stereotype of the Here’s also a personal example. Both Xenia about Lucy’s fantastic project in Lesotho progressive and probably, too, the stereotype and I went to the laboratory school of the [South Africa]. It seems to embody exactly of the traditional. University of Michigan – I did in middle the kinds of things that Dewey might favor.

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Winner: Yes, it’s one of the reasons that still experientially significant to them. For own town, their own neighborhood; it’s Dewey is so interesting to me. In keeping example, this is an election year. Most of also really important for children to start with his spirit, one of the things we’re our students are going to vote. That’s not with imagination, for example, to start with trying in the Winter-Summer Institute [WSI] why they’re in school. They didn’t come history that is totally unimaginable to them in Lesotho is a constantly folding over of to college to figure out how they’re going and then move back to how that connects to experience and theory as they exist within a to vote in 2008; nevertheless, it’s part of their own experience. very specific community. their experience that can enter into their Willis: What we’re all getting at is that in education. Shaw: There’s also the concept of progress, many ways Dewey is talking about the and of educational experiences that have Coulter: I wonder. I think about my learner being transformed through the continuity into the future and that have grandchildren who just had to vote for “the learning experience. Children are going value to the participants in addressing AIDS; best child in their classroom.” That’s an obviously through all sorts of development, the interactions with the community that experience that a teacher can put into the whether or not it’s happening in some relates to the situation you find there; and, classroom out of which interesting lessons formal learning context or otherwise. of course, the strong purpose of the work can be drawn. So, for example, you can And it’s true, by the time we see our adult for everyone involved. All of these qualities ask the children: “is there another way that students, yes, they are more formed people. of the WSI project reminded me of what we you can pick this child?” And right there But I’m a little bit troubled by the notion have been discussing. you can have a long discussion about what that they are “stuck” and that they need us democracy means and who chooses and to get them “unstuck.” That’s a judgment Mandell: Yes, Julie, I agree; it is directly why. Or you can use that activity to ask: we are making about them. Yet, from their connected to Dewey’s argument about what “how else have these decisions been made perspective, they may be relatively happy he calls “the progressive organization of in history?” Suddenly you’re into history. with who they are and relatively content subject matter.” Look at what he writes: Or you could graph the responses and with their formations of their world view. “Anything which can be called a study, make a table. And immediately you have Too often I think there is some sense that whether arithmetic, history, geography or a math lesson. I’m just not so sure adults the “transformation” that is supposed to one of the natural sciences, must be derived are prepared for these discussions and this occur is the one that is considered desirable from materials which at the outset fall work. by the “transformative educator.” within the scope of ordinary life-experience. In this respect the newer education contrasts Mandell: I immediately think about the sharply with procedures which start with so-called “transformative” theorists of facts and truths that are outside the range adult education, people like Brookfield and I think there are huge of experience of those taught, and which, Mezirow. What they are coping with is advantages in working therefore, have the problem of discovering that one of the difficulties for adults is that ways and means of bringing them within experience is not so fluid. In fact, people with adult students experience” (73). Adults are coming in are stuck: they have very well formed ideas because they can with this astonishing array of “ordinary and feelings about things. So the issue of life experiences,” much more than children what will unstick a person becomes a bigger articulate, or they can could ever bring to their studies. question for adults. Many of our adult be aware when they are students come in with experiences that have Willis: My reaction to reading Dewey this been stultifying, that have frozen them into not articulating, or they time is that it’s actually much easier to do a a particular world view that’s not especially Deweyan progressive type of education with can question. educative. Finding situations that will help adults than it probably is with children. My them question their experiences becomes son went to what was probably considered harder. such an elementary school and the results Shaw: I want to play devil’s advocate were very good. He learned a lot. But in Winner: And I think that’s one of the here and suggest that the nature of the visiting the school frequently, I was often problems with Dewey beginning with interaction with adult students has more struck by how difficult it was to try to children and with experiences that are potential in some way. With adult students, construct learning projects, to construct proximate, that are so immediate. It’s we have a bit more understanding of meaningful interesting activities, when important to be able to have an experience their inner workings, of what Dewey is you are trying to take into account the – and here is a connection with our project referring to as the “internal states,” than experience and the state of impulsivity of in Africa – that is very much outside of you do with children. Children may be a bunch of five or seven year-olds! That’s one’s environment and then to have to work more open to experiences, but that doesn’t very difficult. When you’re working with to make the connection back to one’s self necessarily mean that they’re more open to adults, they’re much more formed people; rather than always starting with self and being restructured. I think there are huge they have a wide range of experiences that working outward. In some of the more rigid advantages in working with adult students have settled into them. And, at the same Dewey-inspired experiments, there was the because they can articulate, or they can time, there are things in the world that are idea that children had to start with their

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 12 be aware when they are not articulating, who are learning at a given time” (45). It’s or they can question. And with kids, it’s a all about “particular individuals.” In our bit of a guess. With adults, I think there is Empire State College context, it’s about I wrote on top of one of more out in the open and thus there is more learning contracts and individualized degree the pages of the book: potential to change concepts that a person programs. has and thus possibly change habits. “These expectations are, Shaw: And it’s also about the sensitivity Coulter: I do want to say again that it’s of the students themselves to where they in practice, impossible!” probably more complicated. It’s easier for are and to what they understand about us to deal with people who are like us and themselves. As I said earlier, adults are just (the Coulter point) and to environments (the think like us. It isn’t so easy to deal with better able to articulate these dimensions. Winner point) that is amazingly difficult. people who are quite different. And the The teaching and learning process can just whole concept of critical thinking – certainly be much more dialogical, a real back and Coulter: I wrote on top of one of the pages part of this so-called “transformational” forth, with adult students. of the book: “These expectations are, in learning – is to rethink things that you practice, impossible!” Willis: It seems to me that to take what have always taken for granted. And that’s Dewey is saying there seriously and to try Willis: They’re probably “impossible” for a huge issue with adult students. They to apply it to our context would mean that most students most of the time. But when it have an already well-put together view of for each individual student there would happens, it’s not the typical student. It might the world. And people are arguing that have to be an awful lot of developmental only occur when students are in a kind of we have to unsettle that view because our work going into the planning of each searching state of mind so that they are lives are changing right under our feet, that component of each study and, of course, receptive to trying to work with someone to we have a whole different world here and each degree program. As we know from our develop a plan for themselves in a way that we can’t just retreat and rely on what we experience, that’s extremely difficult and Dewey is suggesting. always relied on. We have to question our time consuming for the mentor and for the own assumptions. And many people are not Coulter: This does go back to what Julie student. And, of course as well, sometimes prepared to deal with changes in that way. was saying about what the adult brings to that kind of maximum sensitivity is not It’s exactly Dewey’s point about the basis such a situation. With an adult, we have what the busy adult student expects or is of a so-called traditional education that much more of a chance to find out from even looking for. “assumed the future would be much like the them what they’re thinking and what they’re past” (19). It just isn’t. Coulter: And I think that’s also an important interested in doing – much more than with point for distinguishing between a child and a child. Willis: But that kind of thing can occur in an adult, especially for our students who an incremental way without being a plan Shaw: And the particular student who might have other responsibilities. A child does not on the part of the educator to transform be “open” to such an exploration now may have many other agendas; so if the teacher the student. In American history, the area not have been as open to it five years ago, of the child explores with them and finds in which I work with students all the time, or even three years ago; but whatever may experiences from which that student can a student’s view of what American society have happened five years ago that may not learn new things, the child is much more is now or has been often becomes very have appeared as open may have led to amenable to going along with than an adult unsettled as a result of simply doing a very what is happening now. And this particular who says: ‘well that’s all fine and good but I standard study of American history. And event may lead to something in the future just want to get the study done.’ But having this doesn’t happen because I’m out to where that student may be less amendable to said that, I want to couple it with my own change their perspective. There’s growth that redirection, but may have found a direction experience, again with my grandchildren, can occur that’s embedded in the inquiry that guides the rest of his or her life. twins, I am supervising. One of them is very itself. open to new experiences. The other one is Mandell: If it’s the case that some of our Mandell: The transformational question is impatient. So even with little children, there experiences are not educative – for example, really important, but I also don’t want to are differences. There are some kinds of kids we think of ourselves as “receptors” and not lose this tension between the individual and who, it seems, are willing to go along with as “active learners,” then might it not be the the community that we also have continued some open-ended exploration and others case that people need different opportunities to discuss. I think that Dewey doesn’t want who just are not. to re-experience what school can be in us to forget the cognitive strengths and such a way that it is more in keeping with Mandell: There are many times in this book limitations, the values, the ideas and the what Dewey is describing? Yes, it might where Dewey tells us just how difficult all experiences of the individual student. In be that we are closed off to new ideas or of this is – a “more serious” and a “harder order to figure out what kind of American experiences because of our personalities or business” are his phrases. In effect, he wants history study might be meaningful for that our socialization, but most adults come to his readers to know: ‘Don’t ever let anyone particular student – as Dewey put it, it is our us with a notion of school that has little tell you that this is easy work.’ He’s talking “responsibility” as educators to understand or nothing to do with Dewey’s sense of about a kind of receptivity to personalities “the needs and capacities of the individuals the learner’s participation in his/her own

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 13 education. How can we expect anyone to do dissonance because it may not be so relevant Coulter: You’re presuming that you as this, quite literally out of the blue? in a situation that he himself defines as the educator feel as though you know the including an educator who is much more student’s “purpose” better than they do. Winner: But this is another thing that mature and much better able to see and The student comes with a stated purpose isn’t so either/or. And it can have its own understand what is going on than any and you are saying that’s really not your progression. There can be a moment in student. Even at Empire State College, many purpose! There is a hidden assumption work with a student that is more externally faculty believe that because they are faculty, here – and Wayne was talking about this structured that becomes a more receptive/ they are more mature than their students. earlier – that you want to take the student responsive moment and really does integrate Perhaps we retain that attitude with adult some place else. That’s contradictory. On the student’s own experiences and desires students inappropriately. the one hand, you say that you want to take into the work. And this isn’t planned. It’s seriously what a person says they want – to so important to recognize these moments Shaw: But it’s also the case that when listen and be attentive to the individual; and, because without acknowledging that they do students feel a dissonance themselves, it can at the same time, you don’t believe them. happen, the work becomes as “impossible” propel them, and if they can somehow share as Xenia suggested. We have to think about those feelings with us in any way, it’s part of Shaw: When I am talking with my new the significance of those smaller moments. the interaction that can lead the mentor to students on the phone, and because I work provide things that are especially fruitful to with students at a distance I never even Mandell: Dewey does have this sense of a the student. physically see them, I can ask something “continuous spiral” – for him, it’s never a like: “And why is it at this time that you one-time event. These experiences build on Willis: When Empire State College was want to learn or do this or that?” And each other and that if someone does have a founded, there seemed to be an assumption sometimes, over time, things come out little moment of having a voice in dealing that a lot of students who were going to find that the student had not identified at with topic A, there’s a spiraling effect that the college were those who were in the state the beginning. It’s not a question of not could influence how the student thinks of disequilibrium that we’ve been discussing, believing them. about and participates in topic B. It’s an and that they would be searching for this accumulation, maybe, importantly, for both very open kind of educational experience Mandell: We don’t have to agree with him, the student and the teacher. exactly because their state of disequilibrium but Dewey does have a set of assumptions wasn’t helped by being in very traditional about what “freedom” is. And he thinks Shaw: I think there’s something that Dewey educational environments. Yes, that’s that there are some “purposes” that are didn’t bring up that I think is crucial here true for conventionally-aged college more intrinsically worthwhile, maybe – and these are ideas that have emerged with students who chose to attend experimental something like ‘more reflective of our people like Piaget since his time – and it’s the institutions; and it’s true for a smaller potential as free human beings,’ than other power of being in a state of disequilibrium, number of older college students, too. But ones. where there’s some kind of dissonance. That over the years, those who have come to dissonance between what had existed in a Willis: Dewey gets around this by never, Empire State College and probably to most student’s previous framing and what they’re exactly, specifying what these intrinsically adult programs have been a more ordinary learning can be very powerful and can lead worthwhile purposes are. So, throughout population of adults for whom these Dewey- to new learning. And the student also can the book, he tries to avoid being prescriptive inspired questions about participation and come to recognize that it is in such a state about what the ‘correct’ life objectives transformation have not been relevant. At of disequilbrium, however uncomfortable it should be either for an individual or least they did not come here because of might be, that she learns so much, so that collectively for a society. Yet, anyone who them. We’re wrong if we believe that they she can actually seek out experiences that looks at Dewey’s life and his many other do. challenge her existing beliefs. writings can clearly see that he has an Mandell: I see that in some way, Wayne, but interest in the society moving in a very Mandell: Actually, part of the basis of I still believe that so much of what Dewey particular direction, something close to a the transformative theory that we were is writing in this book is relevant for what democratic socialist model. He clearly has discussing earlier is that it’s more likely we’re doing with our students – even those a politics. So the tension is right there in for adults than younger students to be in who are the most pragmatically oriented. Dewey himself: on the one hand, there is situations in which their taken-for-granted I think there’s a kind of hope in the way a reluctance to say that, as educators, we assumptions are highlighted and thrown into that Dewey writes, and the hope is that should be trying to propagandize or socialize disarray by life problems of all kinds. Adults if there is this new experience of what he our students; on the other hand, in his life, are literally pushed into these situations of calls “cooperation,” people do respond in a he certainly values some things much more disequilibrium where openings are provided way that might be different from he would than others. And, of course, at the time of for reflection and rethinking, and thus for call their “purpose” – that is the purpose this writing, Dewey was very concerned new learning. that brought them to us in the first place. about trying to protect the educational from Coulter: And thus, the argument goes, this is That’s why his chapter in Experience and being defeated by the power politics of the less likely to occur with children. But maybe Education on “The Meaning of Purpose” is day. Dewey doesn’t mention disequilibrium and so interesting to me.

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Mandell: All of us have said this in one way whose end we don’t care about. Dewey if we claim we want to, it’s not so easy for or another during this time together: there just didn’t believe that. I don’t think we do us to change our ways. In this sense, our is a tension in all of this – including in the either. accumulated experiences as mentors can ideas of the transformation theorists who actually weigh us down. Coulter: All of us have assumptions. That’s we have come back to any number of times why conversations like this one need to Shaw: When we talk about teaching, we, of in this discussion, about claiming to focus happen and should help us, in one way course, are talking about our own beliefs on engaging our students in what Dewey or another, become more aware of our and standards – what Dewey calls “criteria describes as “a process of formation,” and practices and what our specific assumptions of experience” for teaching. A belief of calling for, or at least hoping for, specific really are. But, as we learned years ago this college is that one of the most central ends, particular goals of that same process. when we videotaped our mentoring sessions “criteria” for student learning experiences Winner: Do any of us not have a set of with students and discussed them with one is so-called life-long learning. And isn’t it assumptions about where we hope as another, first, we are very often unaware interesting that Dewey emphasizes that too: teachers and mentors we desire our students’ of what Dewey refers to as our own “The most important attitude that can be learning should ultimately go? It can’t just pedagogical “habits” and say things that formed is that of desire to go on learning” be about some abstract experiential process we surely don’t practice; and second, even (48).

It was stated at the outset, that this system would not be here, and at once perfected. You cannot but plainly see that I have kept my word. But now I leave my cetological System standing thus unfinished, as even as the great Cathedral of Cologne was left, with the crane still standing upon the top of the uncompleted tower. For small erections may be finished by their first architects; grand ones, true ones, ever leave the copestone to posterity. God keep me from ever completing anything. This whole book is but a draught – nay, but the draught of a draught. Oh, Time, Strength, Cash and Patience!

– Melville, Herman. Moby Dick (1851/1981, p. 148) quoted in Greene, Maxine. The Dialectic of Freedom (1988, p. 128)

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Notes from a Reformed Literary Drill Sergeant

Steve Lewis, Hudson Valley Center

Overheard recently at The Bakery in New a letter grade and a two-word comment had a part-time job washing dishes at Mama Paltz: “That (expletive deleted) professor scribbled in red. Brava’s on State Street – and had a girlfriend doesn’t understand that I’m taking three with the exotic name of Sasha? Which was when I willfully stopped English classes, two other courses and time traveling (and eaves-slurping on So what did I do with all that “learning”? I’m working part time. I mean, how can I the caffeine-driven conversation at the Well, the shame of it is that I learned possibly do all the reading, get some sleep next table) and for the first time in a my lessons well, went on to grad school and still have a life?” long career in education did some basic and emerged a shaggy-behind the ears academic accounting: during those halcyon English instructor. And in my formative aybe it was the Costa Rican undergraduate days my English classes teaching years before I came to Empire dark roast, but upon hearing would normally assign 8 - 10 major works State College (via lots of Freshman Comp M that plaintive wail, I was sucked and American Lit survey classes, creative up into some kind of H.G. Wells’ vortex, writing workshops, a gig as an AP English calendar pages flipping backward like in instructor), I, like any well-hazed fraternity 1940s movies, and moments later dumped hazer or a beaten survivor of boot camp, in creaky, cranky overheated Bascomb Hall continued the cycle of abuse by assigning at the University of Wisconsin, 1966 … more reading and writing for my poor eyelids drooping, head listing, my unshaven students than any adolescent could hope chin slowly falling to my chest moments to accomplish in two or three years in a before whiplashing upright to the sound of monastery. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea my name, “Mr. Lewis … ,” only to find that maxima culpa. the professor was referring to Sinclair, not It’s tempting to look back at my time as a Steven. literary drill sergeant and call it academic That term I had enrolled in “The American machismo, but as it seemed to have known Novel,” (nine novels plus …) “Shakespeare’s no gender bounds, machismo works just Histories” (10 plays plus …) and an as well. And as the exasperated coed at unforgettably forgettable Scandinavian the next table reminded me, very little has Literature course (six novels, six plays, lots changed in our English departments over the of characters named Lars), plus two non- past 30 or 40 years. Steve Lewis English courses I frankly didn’t care about. Nor, it seems, is it substantively different Indeed, I remember now that one of my first in other disciplines. In fact, I observed insights into understanding the concept of of literature. At a reading rate of 25 - 30 similar kinds of workload mistreatment literary subtext was the realization that it pages an hour (the pace for careful reading when my son Danny was a history major in wasn’t humanly possible to read everything enjoyment, not scholarship), it would take Madison and once had to write five research assigned to me each semester. me 12 - 15 hours to read the typical 400 papers due after Thanksgiving; when my And so I also remembered how I page literary novel – just once – and that daughter Addie, who barely survived an “managed” the subtext that term – and wouldn’t include the associated critical Exercise Science major at Penn State (which the ones to follow: skimming, Cliffing, material – or the work on the five page of course left no time for exercise), found cramming, scamming, copying and – the paper due in a few weeks – or the midterm herself taking 24 credits per semester in English major’s best friend – BS-ing my way – or that big term paper due at the end of her first year in chiropractic school; when through too many of those insulting (to the the semester – or the final – or even the my son-in-law Jeffrey barely survived the authors) passage identification questions, three hours of lecture each week. That standard issue sleep deprivation foisted on those insulting (to the students) multiple adds up to a conservative 20 - 30 hours per first-year law students. To quote my pal guess questions, those wearying compare week per course. And that’s before I would from Ecclesiastes, “Then I looked on all the and contrast essays, those bogus end-of- begin work on four other courses taught by works that my hands had wrought, and on semester 15 page research papers that were professors, each of whom clearly operated the labour that I had laboured to do: and, returned, if they were ever returned, with on the principle that theirs was the only behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, class I was taking. And did I mention that I and there was no profit under the sun.”

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Which brings me back to the bloodshot- assigned workload, the more engaged and Before that happens, perhaps we need to eyed coed at the next table. Or, better still, more receptive they will be in the learning sit down with our center colleagues, roll up the bleary-eyed adult students we see daily process; and the more interesting, thoughtful our sleeves, put on the visors and do the at Empire State College trying to juggle jobs, and original the work I will receive from real world accounting. How many hours per children, relationships, a miserable war, a them in return; and, in turn, the more week should we reasonably expect a student sinking economy, global warming – and elevating and engaging will be my job. to spend on one of our studies? How long everything else that goes along with being should it take in real world hours to read Yet, at the risk of being labeled an an adult learner in this already tired old any text or passage and understand the academic cream puff (I’ve been called much new millennium. I can’t begin to tell you – material? What is the actual function of an worse), I worry that as this college moves well, yes I can – how grateful I was that I assigned essay and how many words/pages inexorably toward the look and feel of stumbled into a college where real learning should it really take to demonstrate that a traditional walled institution with our is valued over the appearance of learning. learning has taken place? How many hours, grades, our terms, our newly emergent And yes, my gratitude has grown contract days, weeks should any student schedule confusions between teaching and mentoring, by contract, CBE by CBE, unique student in a busy life to work on a research project and our mind bogglingly insistent by utterly unique student along the ever- in order to emerge with something of true quest for consistency (about which the challenging way. value, not just the same old shuck and jive aforementioned Sinclair had a few good that the student at The Bakery was going Over nearly two decades as a mentor at words to say), we will leave ourselves to submit to her (expletive deleted) English this “college without walls” my students vulnerable to being imprisoned in a similarly professor? have taught me – one by one by one – that abusive culture. the more realistic and thus moderated the

“learners and … adult educators … might want to practice some … moderation or balance when it comes to our oft-repeated slogans like LIFELONG LEARNING or LEARNING NEVER ENDS … [T]here are often, in addition to the Teachable Moments, Non-Teachable Moments, Non-Learning Moments. A life spent in the never-ending pursuit of learning would be very narrow and probably impossible. When would there be time for feeling and doing? If LEARNING NEVER ENDS, then living never begins! We really don’t need to continually lay such Puritan guilt trips on others and on ourselves.

– John Ohliger. If “Learning Never Ends,” Does Living Ever Begin? (from a talk given at the Second Annual Conference of the Illinois Adult and Continuing Educators’ Association, March 1981)

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The Liturgy of Pedagogy

Katherine Kurs, Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts

“The liturgy, like the feast, exists not interested me greatly, but about which, in classes that considered Jewish and Christian to educate but to seduce people into truth, I knew very little.3 perspectives on the afterlife. participating in common activity of the First, I began an online search to determine What this research accomplished was highest order, where one is freed to learn what sorts of courses were being taught significant. First, it provided an extensive things which cannot be taught.”1 on death and mourning at both the bibliography in a relatively short period undergraduate and graduate levels. What I of time. To be honest, it was rather like ear the close of the spring term of found was vast and overwhelming. There being back in graduate school. If a text or 2006, during that liminal period were graduate seminars in thanatology, article came up more than once, I got hold N when classes have just ended, palliative care and the hospice movement. of it without delay. Secondly, it made plain grades are dutifully being logged, and Pastoral theology practica on responding to the kinds of courses that I did not want to graduation is still a week or two away, my teach by virtue of my interest or academic department chair gave me the green light to background or their suitability for an upper- develop a new course for the spring 2007 level undergraduate seminar. Next: the array term. Our department of religious studies at of syllabi I saw online was simultaneously Eugene Lang College is very small and we’d reassuring and terrifying. The sort of course been waiting for this opportunity for some I yearned to teach on death and mourning time, but as the years (yes, years) passed, (inchoate though it was at this stage) did the prospect seemed more theoretical than not seem to exist in any department, and probable, hence I had done very little this reoccurring sense of something being concrete research beyond identifying an area missing, of the possibility of yet another of study that was of interest to me and to way to consider this subject, compelled me my students.2 A suddenly available budget to articulate and sharpen my own focus and line, along with the demand for another to risk creating my own approach. upper-level religious studies seminar, turned “Oh, it must be so depressing to read all a remote possibility into a reality almost that stuff about death!” opined various overnight. friends and colleagues when they learned To placate the gods of the New School what I was working on. But they were University computer system, I submitted Katherine Kurs wrong. a title for the new course: “Death and The six preparatory months that I spent Mourning in the Religious Imagination.” I grief and loss. Psychology classes focusing reading about death and mourning neither wanted the broad scope that this wording on melancholia and depression. Courses depressed nor horrified me. And though would afford me as I pursued my research. on ethics and death that dealt with assisted certain themes and images seeped into my Nevertheless, this was tantamount to signing suicide, euthanasia and the right to die imagination by day and my dreams at night, on the dotted line and the reality of what I movement. An examination of disease they were not the stuff of nightmares or had agreed to was now upon me. and the disposition of corpses in the social horror flicks. What I read filled me with The spring term ended. My department history of medicine. Literature electives immense awe, beholding what Kenneth chair waved good-bye and went abroad on that traced the history and development of Burke called “the symbol making, symbol a year’s sabbatical. The temperature rose, the elegy. Anthropology surveys of death using” capacity of humankind as we seek to my many pairs of sandals beckoned, but I in cross-cultural perspective. Sociology and respond to the profound mysteries of being. became obsessed with death and its rituals, cultural studies seminars on the changing And when I turned to the fundamental and instead of heading to an idyllic vacation trends in the funeral industry. Architectural epistemological and pedagogical question spot, I went to the library, to the Internet assessments of the design of cemeteries and as I prepared to create a syllabus: What did and to amazon.com. The course would mausoleums. Historical theology training I want my students to know and how did begin at the end of January, and I had six its interpretive lens on medieval eschatology I want them to know it? – awe in the face months to create a syllabus, ex nihilo, of and concepts of heaven and hell. Biblical of the mystery and inevitability of death 50 hours of class time on a subject that studies courses on the resurrection of the and awe as a response to the symbolic dead and immortality, and religious studies

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 18 vocabulary created to attend to it – was with their multiple levels of meaning in the medieval world; Jonathan Parry on what I hoped to transmit. and rich symbolic content; the economy of death in Banaras; Gary Laderman on the cultural significance of all • the careful attention to the ordering Creating a Context for Awe those 1950s cinema zombies and revenants; of these elements as well as to the and Philip Soergel on the afterlives of “The people who weep before my pictures,” over-arching concerns to which this monstrous infants in Reformation Germany. said the painter Mark Rothko, “are having endeavor ultimately yearns; the same religious experience I had when When mid-December arrived, I declared a • a receptivity to experience that resides painting them.”4 moratorium on further reading. Over the at the interpenetration of “worlds” or following two-week period, I had everything Along with his paintings, Rothko’s multiple dimensions and an awareness Xeroxed that might possibly make its words, which I first read more than 20 of the fissures that sometimes occur in way into the syllabus course binder, and I years ago, captivate me because, among linear time; reshelved everything that was not relevant or many other things, they testify to the • unimpeded access to the places in one’s compelling. Because I had no commitments nonverbal transmission of states of being, inner being that have been imprinted or obligations on Christmas day and unbounded by linear time or particularity of with (and by) the experience of awe; distractions would be at a minimum, I had circumstance. Certainly I had experienced reserved it on the calendar for the creation what Rothko described. When I beheld his • and the ability, coupled with the of the syllabus. paintings, especially his late work, created in willingness, of the one who “professes” the darkening years leading up to his suicide to simultaneously be completely full Fifty books and 93 articles sat on my dining in 1970, my entire body felt bathed in red and utterly empty, to surrender and be table in piles and categories, awaiting a ochre, submerged as if descending into a suffused; and to decant, as it were, her winnowing process. A friend and colleague Neolithic tomb. own being-in-response-to-mystery into who teaches religious studies at Fordham the learning space. One cannot teach awe of this kind, of course. But one can endeavor to create Presiding from this place means that one a context, even in an entirely secular, no longer talks about something, but rather academic arena, within which those embodies the kind of relational speech-act … it is “experiential gathered are “freed,” as Aidan Kavanagh that enables something (or, more properly, immersion,” and for me, has noted, “to learn things which cannot be Something) to be summoned, manifested, taught.” Facilitating the sort of pedagogical called forth, transforming the one presiding it is the way in which experience that transforms the classroom and those with whom she shares a sense of the students and I share into a sacred, permeable place, conducive “address.” In other words, it is “experiential to an encounter with awe, is akin to the immersion,” and for me, it is the way in substance of what it process by which liturgy and other kinds of which the students and I share substance means to know together. rituals are created and enacted and involves: of what it means to know together.6 This is indeed tremendously intimate, undeniably • a willingness to incorporate the risky and profoundly distance reducing – in aesthetic dimension, and to engage as every conceivable direction, but interestingly, many of the senses as possible; University (and, who, like me, is a product there is no sense of a free-for-all, no quasi- of both Empire State College and the • a deliberate focus on the body – ours group therapy “sharing of feelings.” The Harvard Divinity School), generously offered and those whom we study – and the sacredness of the endeavor is palpable, both to be present as I sorted through it all. He physical dimensions of learning; in the quality of silence that sometimes came prepared with mechanical pencils, emerges, and in the “perfect pitch” of the • the creation of community as well a ruler, lots of moral support, and a very students’ comments and contributions. And, as the praxis of hierarchy; mutatis elegant and unusual pad of horizontally- like the vast freedom that is often possible mutandis, Kavanagh has written, of the oriented graph paper which I’d never before within a highly structured and regulated one who leads liturgy, “He [sic] presides seen the likes of and, which I must confess, form (I am thinking of counterpoint and the not over the assembly, but within it; he delighted and inspired me with its promise fugue, for example), the meticulously crafted does not lead it but serves it … .”;5 of order and a new perspective on the task syllabus I rely on keeps us safe as we soar. at hand. • the utilization of a range of As fall gave way to winter, I had authoritative sources and traditions that As we walked around my dining table and accumulated a wealth of resources on speak to the ultimate questions and I introduced him to what I had collected, it death and mourning, among them Loring yearnings of a people over time/history; was clear that no matter which books and Danforth on the ritual exhumation of bones articles I ultimately selected, students would • the selection of text(s) and textual in rural, contemporary Greece; Caroline be required to demonstrate formidable elements, variously construed, that Walker Bynum on the issues of material skills of interpretation, analysis and a close engage and challenge the participants continuity that preoccupied theologians

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 19 reading of texts. Yet I knew that reading body of her adored Roshi reduced to ash; or in nothing save a white linen shroud. We alone would not suffice. to undertaker Thomas Lynch, who, along encountered bodies that were intact at the with his brother, follow in the family time of death and those who were disfigured We could not just read about death, I told business and solemnly, tenderly, embalm or violated by disease, poverty, violence. my friend, as he stood by, graph paper at the their father’s body in preparation for Roman We encountered the bodies of the sick and ready. Catholic burial rites – enabled us to begin to the well, the suddenly dead and those who We would have to welcome death into the create a vocabulary of the ritual symbolism died before they could even be born. Bodies classroom. surrounding death. that were lynched, embalmed, exhumed, cremated or fashioned into effigies. And then there were our dead, the ones we Listening to – and Learning Bodies ready for resurrection or bound had lost: relatives, young friends, beloved from – the Dead for other realms. We also considered the pets. The first writing assignment, due for social implications and range of meanings For 15 weeks, the dead were with us.7 the third class, brought them back to us associated with tending to the dead: in other And it was the syllabus, structurally and once more: words, who was entitled to do what and to syntactically informed by principles drawn Write an essay (four pages) detailing whom, further sensitizing us to issues at the from the theory and practice of liturgics, your most significant encounter with intersection of race, class, economic status, which simultaneously invited and contained death and the issues and questions it gender and religious practice. our encounter with death. raised for you. Be sure to include an Music marked and framed the boundary Liturgy, through its form, syntax and awareness of your own body in that of our class time and signaled that we were content, accomplishes several important encounter, along with a recollection of entering into a different sort of learning tasks. Its individual elements as well as its sensations, thoughts, impulses, sights, experience. When I first began to envision overarching trajectory continually remind smell, the context and surroundings, this seminar, I had hoped to incorporate art. participants of the ultimate purpose for etc. I dreamed of images arising and dissolving which they have gathered. Liturgy attracts Each essay was read aloud and we heard silently, seamlessly, on the classroom wall and attenuates the charged encounter with how these dead, the old and the young, met while we discussed the assigned readings, the uncontainable mysterium tremendum their end: tragic accidents; sudden illness; but alas, the undergraduate I hired to do et fascinans and provides a set of necessary incremental, inevitable decline. Our dead, the research didn’t come through, so I had protective “guardrails.” The linear, and the authors’ dead, began to teach us. to content myself with the music made presentational structure of liturgy, combined for death. At the beginning and/or the end with a carefully considered sequencing of its Death was never abstract to us, and the of each class, I pushed the “play” button discrete yet interconnected elements, allow deliberate focus on the polysemous nature on our little CD player and we listened participants to move gradually and safely of body and its particularity – never just any together: a New Orleans funeral marching back and forth between the “part” and the body – was central throughout the term: band, festal and magisterial; lugubrious “whole;” the micro and macro dimensions This seminar explores selected religious Appalachian folk songs; the ecstatic, spirit- of numinous experience. rituals and practices associated with driven rhythms of Afro-Cuban drumming; Distinguishing between the function of signs death and mourning, with particular the terrifying “Dies Irae” from Verdi’s and symbols, liturgical theologian Aidan attention to the human body as a locus Requiem contrasted with the angelic “Pie Kavanagh has written that “ … symbols, of sacrality and dread, redemption and Jesu” from Fauré; shimmering Vietnamese being roomy, allow many different people contamination, and the repository of Buddhist temple music; a keening El Male to put them on, so to speak, in different individual and collective memory … . Rachamim, intoned in Hebrew; Billie ways … . Symbols coax one into a swamp The visibility – or invisibility (read: Holiday singing “Strange Fruit.” of meaning and require one to frolic in it. marginalization) – of certain dead Liturgy requires, among other things, the Symbol is rarely found among the inactive, bodies and the way in which they meet attentive participation of those assembled, the obtuse, the confused or the dull.”8 their death (blacks in America, the led by an appointed or agreed-upon presider Though the dead may be dead, they are Disappeared in Latin America, victims or president. As professor, this was, of hardly dull. And the readings assigned in the of 9/11, et al.) also will be of concern course, my de facto role, but rather than first “liturgical unit” of the syllabus, “Will to us; thus, issues of race, class and have students be subjected to my teaching the Circle Be Unbroken? Encountering gender will be woven throughout our style unremittingly for an entire semester, Death,” summoned into our midst the dead discussions. once registration settled down after the and those who cared for them, and, in turn, Though death is sometimes called “the great two initial shape-shifting weeks of term, lured us into the symbolic sea in which equalizer,” all bodies, we soon realized, I instituted a sign-up process, indicating the dead swim. Half a dozen very diverse were not equal in the way that they met which classes were available for student personal accounts – ranging from Jewish – or were treated in – death. Some, we presiding. This offered them the opportunity Buddhist Natalie Goldberg contemplating learned, were returned to the earth in to stand inside the text(s) and master a emptiness, loss and impermanence as she bronze caskets; others, in a plain pine box portion of the material, develop and exercise sits outside a crematorium, watching the

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 20 leadership skills, foster community with traditions that offered a considerable their peers, reduce the hierarchical distance amount of contrast and complementarity between my place at the seminar table and This offered them the in terms of their ritual practices and tropes. theirs, and to establish another kind of Also, and of equal importance, these pedagogical rhythm. They tackled these opportunity to stand practices had been imprinted within my responsibilities admirably, with significant inside the text(s) and body, and I wanted to be able to trace my attention to detail coupled with what I can way back to sensory-infused moments as I only characterize as hermeneutical gusto. master a portion of the taught. material, develop and As a minister, I knew what it felt like to The Syntax of the Syllabus exercise leadership skills, anoint the forehead of a dying woman with As Kavanagh has noted, “Liturgy is a consecrated oil, to recite a litany that, with ritual language, embracing far more than foster community with each repetition, carried her further away words and texts alone. One who would put their peers, reduce the from this world; to gaze into an open burial a liturgy together cannot stop merely by vault, intoning that seemingly impossible getting straight the things to be said. Things hierarchical distance but steadfast proclamation from The Book also to be done must be considered, when between my place at the of Common Prayer: “[E]ven at the grave we they are to be done, and how they are to be make our song, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.”10 done.”9 Each “liturgical unit” of the syllabus seminar table and theirs, As a Jew, I knew what it felt like to sit was another gate that we passed through, and to establish another shimrah in the middle of the night, to reach taking us more deeply into relations with into the earth with my bare hands on a the dead in a range of historical and kind of pedagogical bitterly cold, New England December day contemporary socio-religious contexts. The rhythm. to cover the grave of my beloved rabbi aforementioned introductory unit, “Will and teacher; to sit shivah for a week, but the Circle Be Unbroken?,” concluded with never on Shabbat when, even in the face “Death and Memory: From Santa Maria del memory nurtured and passed on? How do of immense loss, we are commanded to Monte to Miami Beach,” a lengthy essay by we respond to the attenuation of tradition? rejoice. I knew what it felt like, six months anthropologist Ruth Behar, from her book, later, having just returned from the cemetery The Vulnerable Observer. A Jew from Cuba In terms of its content and location in the where I’d buried my father, to kneel at the of both Sephardi and Ashkenazi ancestry, syllabus, Behar’s essay served multiple threshold of my apartment door and pour Behar is occupied with fieldwork in a remote functions within the overall context of the cool water over my hands. The pitcher and village in Spain when she learns of the death liturgy of pedagogy. Read at the end of bowl had been left there by an anonymous of her cherished zayde, her grandfather, in the second week of term, it encapsulated member of the chevra kadisha [the burial Florida. Behar knows the religious rituals and foreshadowed a number of significant society] of my synagogue, expressing and customs of the Spanish Roman Catholic themes that we would revisit throughout the highest mitzvot [good deeds] of the villagers with whom she has lived and the sweep of the semester. It also provided tradition. studied extensively, but her sense of loss is a transition or bridge to the next section exacerbated when she realizes her ignorance of the syllabus: the first of the three I knew, too, what it felt like to sit motionless regarding the mourning practices of her own religious traditions that we would study in a small, dilapidated boat in front of family, her own people. in depth, Unit II: “The soul is Yours. The Marnikarnika ghat, the burning ground body is Yours. Deal with us according on the banks of the Ganga, watching ashes Moving back and forth between an to Your Name.” Death and Mourning in from the funeral pyre cascade into the urbanized Miami and the rural Santa Judaism; followed by Unit III: “Rama river, the Supernal Mother. I had wandered Maria del Monte, Behar utilizes her nama satya hai!” Death and Mourning at through the labyrinthine alleyways above own experience in order to introduce a the Great Cremation Ground; and Unit the ghats of this ancient Indian city that constellation of socio-cultural, economic and IV: “Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, also is the abode of Shiva, the Lord of religious issues: What are the implications trampling down death by death.” Death and Death and Rebirth. I’d seen the hostels for of modernity on caring for the dead? What, Mourning in Christianity. the dying and for their families who tended in fact, does it mean to “care” for the them during their final hours. I’d seen the dying and the dead? For Spanish Roman Seeking an Experiential funerary wares for sale: sandalwood paste Catholics? For diasporic Jews? What is the Epistemology to anoint the dead, cloth of red and gold result of the “medicalization” of death? to wrap them, head to toe. I’d heard the How does the role of the family differ in Early on in my preparatory reading – and bells ring in countless temples, awakening these settings? How do we learn to grieve, in reaction to some of the syllabi I’d the gods to their sacred task. And I saw the to mourn? What are the obligations of the seen online – I had decided against the dead, shrouded and garlanded, borne on living toward the dead, and vice versa? In “cafeteria”-style, world-religions survey bamboo ladders down to the river by men what ways is individual and communal approach. Instead, I selected three religious chanting “Nam Ram Satya Hai!” – ”The

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Name of God is Truth” – while the doms torture. Los Desaparecidos. Displaced Venturing Beyond Written Texts chopped the wood and stoked the fire, ready Chicanas/os. The fallen of 9/11. How do we to receive them. mourn when there is no body in our midst? As compelling as the many books and Or when it is distorted beyond recognition? articles we read were, we did not only This kind of knowledge, the imprint of Or regarded as utterly marginal to the larger, interact with and learn from written texts. experience, loss and memory, needed social body? We read testimonies from the We took in Gayle Ferraro’s hypnotic to come forth from my own body and African-American church and community. documentary, Ganges: River to Heaven, “decant” into the learning space. We contemplated the commemorative uses that I’d first seen a few years earlier at of photography and “memory pictures;” the Margaret Mead Film Festival, a filmic of memorial walls and urban shrines. portrait of death in Banaras so intimate … equal importance, Understandably, the unit that followed this that we could almost smell the incense and marigolds commingling with the smoke of these practices had been one, “Why Do Your Eyes Not Run Like a River?, offered a brief, cross-cultural, the cremation pyres. imprinted within my comparative discussion of the socio-religious Andre Solomon-Glover sang to us. “Steal body, and I wanted to dimensions of crying, tears and other public Away.” “Go Down, Death.” “Ride on, King expressions of grief. Jesus.” His bass-baritone voice saturated be able to trace my way Throughout the term, we analyzed and our space and shook us to the core with back to sensory-infused compared “thick descriptions” and the its power. Having very nearly crossed over Jordan himself a few short years ago – a star moments as I taught. layers of symbolic meaning embedded in religious practices, and we exegeted on Broadway and the international opera and interpreted primary texts of ritual stage when he suffered a sudden, massive procedures and proscriptions involving cerebral hemorrhage – the unaccompanied Utilizing Multiple mourners and the dead themselves. And spirituals he offered us for nearly two Authoritative Voices we asked many questions: Do the dead go hours, interlaced with commentary on their through stages? How long does it take to provenance and meaning in the black church In this course, we benefited from multiple “get dead,” and in what ways do the living in which he’d grown up, were, for him now, authoritative sources: ourselves, the dead, assist the dead in this process? Where are a proclamation of what he had seen and mourners. We added to this the scholarly the dead headed? Who is allowed to view known. work of historians, philosophers and the dead, to attend them, to prepare them? social scientists and the pastoral, reflective Listening, we wept. Why does water figure so prominently in teachings of clergy and theologians. rituals involving the dead? Is the body of the When Myriam Abramowicz, the daughter Beginning with Unit V: Dead and Buried in deceased to remain inviolate and intact? Or of Holocaust survivors and the founding 19th and 20th Century America: Making does fragmentation of the body at the time member of the chevra kadisha [the burial Sure the Dead Stay Dead, we moved into of death (such as in the case of relics) confer society] of Congregation B’nai Jeshurun, a wider context and explored a range of benefit to the living and/or guarantee unity removed the contents of a large box issues pertaining to social anxiety and in another realm? imprinted with Hebrew writing that she’d boundary-maintenance between the living placed on the seminar table – a pristine set What is the relationship between the and the dead, largely through the lens of of handmade white linen burial shrouds – I body of the mourner and the body of the historical and cultural analysis. We traced could sense the collective pulse shift, the deceased? Are mourners permitted to wash? the rhetorical development of early 20th coolness that hovered at the edge of the air. To shave? To cut their hair? To engage in century American religious and public sexual activity? Are these rules different for In the days before her visit, we had poured health tropes that addressed the disposition men and for women? What do mourners over the highly detailed instructions for of the dead, with particular attention wear? What do the dead wear? Do the dead performing the taharah, the ritual washing to the popularization of cremation, the require nourishment? What is the symbolism and dressing of the dead, but Myriam professionalization of the funeral industry, attached to the food that mourners demonstrated how she clothed the met [the and the establishment of psycho-normative consume? How are the dead known – by deceased] with utmost modesty, ritually patterns of mourning and bereavement. the living and by other dead? Do they still tying the knots of the garments, veiling Memory and marginalization, the erasure retain their names and other markers of the face, carefully slipping on the trousers and (re)-creation of identity, and violation identity and status? What is the role of the whose feet had been sewn shut. And then of bodily integrity were central themes in clergy or other religious authorities – of she handed the shrouds to us. One student Unit VI: The Invisible Dead. The death we blood relations? of the community? – at the stroked the linen against her cheek. Another encountered here was raw, untimely and time of death and afterward? Is there an pressed them to his face, breathing in their impossibly cruel; stalking, capturing, its “economy” of death? What are the times of scent. victims in the open: lynching and ghetto the year when the dead are commemorated? “Ask Father Duffell,” became our refrain carnage; roadside tragedies; terrorism and How is death itself understood? each time we encountered a point of arcane

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 22 medieval Catholic theology that we couldn’t of the world and “never simply write Don’t let urban life harden you. Don’t unravel. But when the day of his class visit them off as useless. Nothing is useless hide yourself away from the world or arrived, John Duffell, a Roman Catholic to the purpose of spiritual growth.” Be shut yourself off from other people. priest and a colleague of mine from the West safe if and when you choose to engage Remember the importance of art and Side Clergy Association, surprised us when in explorations of consciousness.11 beauty. Try to do good in the world. he said that those doctrinal conundrums Repair mistakes. Engage in self- Combine patriotism with social about death, resurrection and the afterlife reflection. Be forgiving. And regarding activism. Practice nonviolence whenever did not preoccupy or concern him. Opening death: “Let yourself come face to face possible. Read Hesse. Study Taoism. his worn, black leather-bound funeral mass with this most fundamental of human Remind yourself of John F. Kennedy’s book, its pages yellowed and crinkled, fears.”18 vision of the future. Understand he explained, from all those graveside the privileges of your birthright and committals that he had performed in the Teaching Death and Mourning “stretch for something all-inclusive, all- rain, he uttered not a word of dogma. encompassing.”12 “As does any art form, the liturgy Instead, he told us stories woven from the gives enlarged room for imagination, New Testament gospels and the lives of Don’t forget to wash regularly, keep for investment in and appropriation of those whom he’d loved and then buried: your room neat, have a kind word for values, and for freedom.”19 countless parishioners; his best “dinner and others, even and especially on the days drinks” buddy; and finally his own young, As a liturgy advances, it accumulates handsome nephew who was in the Trade symbolic actions into a final, culminating Center that morning when the planes hit. moment, and for our seminar that was And we learned the last project unit: “The Committal: And we learned from one another. from one another. The Death and Mourning Fair.” When I Jake, a religious studies concentrator, would put together the syllabus and projected to often schmooze with me while I was getting the end of the term, I could not imagine settled before class. reading – or requesting that students write – research papers. Rather, I wanted them to “This is very burdensome, Katherine,” when you don’t feel like it.13 Travel. demonstrate their fluency in the symbolic he remarked one day while I was taking Explore other cultures. And don’t shy language of death through a creative form attendance. away from trying new foods!14 that would best convey their ideas to those He was a first-rate student and not one to assembled in the flesh – and in spirit. Know the value of asking questions, complain, but hearing the gravitas in his of learning from children. And never Since this is a very reading-intensive voice, I knew at once what he meant. The stop learning – period. “You will be course, the final project will offer you second written assignment was due soon: young forever if you always pursue an opportunity to approach the subject In a conventional will, we bequeath knowledge.”15 of death and mourning in the religious our worldly goods. In a living will, imagination through other forms/media. “My first goal in life … is to come face we make known our wishes regarding The last two class meetings … will to face with myself … . As well as I can medical issues and intervention. In the be devoted to a Death and Mourning see, relationship cannot exist without Jewish tradition, there is an additional Fair. At the fair, you will have the self-awareness. Without self-awareness document known as an ethical will, in opportunity to present your final there can be no true compassion, no which an individual discusses the ideals projects. true love, no true communication, that they have lived by and wish to no communion, no common unity. Some possibilities regarding form: transmit to their friends and family. For Without self-awareness there can be no this assignment, write your own ethical • film/video trust, no sharing, no relating … . When will (not less than four pages, not more • CD engaged in relationship, we share in than six). We will share and discuss • photo essay the weight of each other’s experiences, them in class. • performance piece we are in a constant state of returning, • other art form/media (I will entertain He – and the other students – knew me well turning back to each other’s experiences all reasonable proposals.) enough to know that this was not an “as and our own.”16 … and content: if,” “let’s pretend” assignment. This was an Avoid alienating your family and feeling • liturgy/ritual opportunity for them to mine and articulate alienated from them. Work with the • music (your own or a compilation) the wisdom of their own experience. And complexities that come with family; • interview/oral history/narrative they did just that: “the model of the perfect family is • a contemporary ars moriendi Cultivate relationships and a spiritual false.” Family is “my heritage, my “manual,” based on your own practice. Live “in constant pursuit of blood, my link to the chain of human research the spiritual ideal.” Study the religions history.”17

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• sacred space or memento mori Parry’s Death in Banaras pertaining to Amelia and Aria were both drawn to the creation. the ritual construction of an effigy that is commemorative aesthetic. Amelia, who cremated on the funeral pyre in cases when has a long-standing interest in the role of In addition to your creative project, a person is missing and presumed dead. the body in religious practices and rituals, everyone is required to hand in a paper With a little guidance from me, James created a compendium of Victorian-era (due on the day of presentation) that tracked down and obtained the original text, “memory pictures” culled from her archival discusses each of the following points: composed in Sanskrit, from the library at research: sepia-toned images of stalwart, • the rationale for your choice of genre; the University of Chicago, then arranged for grief-stricken parents cradling a stillborn • the goals/intention of your project – it to be translated in its entirety. baby, dressed in a christening gown; families what you set out to achieve; surrounding their loved one who appears We gathered round as James set to work. • how well you met your goals: merely to be asleep. your assessment of the strengths and The creation of the effigy is a highly detailed Aria, an artist who was concurrently weaknesses of the final product; and delineated process. Each part of the studying techniques of welding, created • the way(s) in which the material body (which itself is understood to exist an interactive shrine. On the day of her from the course informed/inspired in more than one dimension/level) has presentation, she spread paints and paper your project and the way in which its symbolic correspondent in the natural and pieces of fabric before us on the seminar your project fits into the course (this world: fruits, vegetables, particular kinds of table, leading us in a process of recollection will require you to analyze, interpret grasses and so on. and re-creation. We told stories of our dead, and contextualize your project); “I dribbled honey over the entire body spoke their names, crafted spontaneous • the sources you consulted in order to to form the blood,” he explained to us, mementos from the materials she brought, do this project. indicating when he needed to improvise and then placed them inside the shrine or At the end of the first week of term, I – not all the required elements could be fastened them to its structure like little distributed a project proposal form that found in New York! “A coconut for the prayer flags. In the paper that accompanied asked students to identify: head, eggplant for testicles, wool for hair. her presentation, Aria wrote: Mud represents muscle fat, whereas sesame • first and second choices/ideas for Shrines not only act as places in which paste is for [the] joints, and barley flour is in their project; the dead and living may commune; the place of flesh.”21 A representation of an • learning goals; they also seek to shape and reinforce unknown person – a primordial man – took • how they thus far understood their a particular narrative about a shape before us. project to fit into the themes and foci community’s history and sense of self of the course; Several students elected to trace the … . Because I tend to learn through • how they planned to go about evolution of a death-related image or doing, touching and seeing, I thought researching/creating their project; interpret a symbolic system. Jake looked that the making of a shrine would be • and whether they wished to work at the range of meanings associated with the best starting point … to investigate alone or as part of a team.20 the death card in the Tarot, while Roslyn these themes … . The wire that I used focused on the religious and cultural reminds me of a chain-link fence; I accepted all proposals on a rolling basis, significance of vampires and revenants in an extremely mundane, utilitarian effective immediately, but no later than contemporary and historical perspective. object that is nonetheless able to be the start of spring break (essentially, the Ariella came to her presentation outfitted in transformed into a living site of grief, semester mid-point). Every few weeks, we Death Metal gear and analyzed song lyrics memory-making and communion. had periodic “check-ins” when students and accompanying artwork. Deftly avoiding I had been worried about … the offered updates on their projects and New Age clichés, Sophie took us on a transformation of raw material into solicited resources and feedback from scholarly tour of the underworld, presenting sacred material. Where the shrine once me and from their peers. This process the death rituals and religious beliefs of appeared stark and barren, it is now, encouraged a shared investment in each the ancient Egyptians. Danielle, who was ironically, colorful and full of life. I feel other’s ideas and a sense of heightened interning at the Metropolitan Museum of that every piece of paper and clothing expectation and excitement as the fair drew Art and had a passion for medieval art attached to it is a sacred object which near. Following a schedule that we had history, utilized illuminated manuscripts and has been entrusted to my care … . agreed upon early in the term, students Books of Hours to explore the influence of Shrines seem to become necessary when presented and discussed their work during the Black Plague on religious and secular the death feels most “unnatural,” when the final two classes. depictions of death. Ana put together the rupture caused by it is most severe, When the first day of the fair arrived, James a PowerPoint presentation of Puritan most irreconcilable. … Shrines often was already assembling his materials as we gravestone art filled with winged skulls and act as spaces in which the collective entered the classroom. During our unit on angels and cherubim, heralding another identity of a community is constructed death and mourning in Hinduism, he was world. (or reconstructed) in the aftermath of intrigued by a passing reference in Jonathan tragedy.22

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 24

Gala’s presentation was the last, inspired Endnotes 11 Paraphrase and quotation from the by an essay that we read by Ariel Dorfman ethical will of Jacob Krueger. (All direct 1 on the political and existential uses of Aidan Kavanagh, The Elements of Rite. quotes are cited with permission of photography to affirm and reclaim identity New York: Pueblo Publishing, 1982, their author.) in the face of state-sponsored violence and 28. 12 Paraphrase and quotation from the terrorism. 2 Eugene Lang College The New School ethical will of Jacob Krueger. Gala turned off the lights and turned for Liberal Arts is the undergraduate 13 Paraphrase from the ethical will of on her laptop. An image appeared on college of the New School University, Danielle Shimkus. the projection screen. Thousands upon located in Greenwich Village in New thousands of bodies, a massive “lie-in,” York City. Our students are traditional 14 Paraphrase from the ethical will of each one surrounded by a chalk outline on college age (18-25), largely from outside Roslyn Avent. the streets of her native Caracas, and in of New York. Many are especially 15 Paraphrase and quotation from the neighborhoods, at sites, where murders and drawn to writing and the arts, and they ethical will of Jacob Krueger. kidnappings had taken place. Narrating for welcome the prospect of engaging with more than 20 minutes without notes and the diversity to be found in an urban 16 Quotation from the ethical will of without pause, Gala flashed one harrowing context. James Marks. photograph after another, taken not by the 3 This seminar would meet twice weekly 17 Paraphrase and quotation from the “official” press, but by private citizens of for 15 weeks, each class lasting for 100 ethical will of Jacob Krueger. Venezuela who used their bodies to mirror minutes. the dead and to protest the upsurge in 18 Paraphrase and quotation from the 4 violent crime. Mark Rothko, 1957. ethical will of Jacob Krueger.

5 When she finally turned off her computer Kavanagh, 13. 19 Kavanagh, 54. and turned on the lights, no one spoke. 6 This term was helpfully offered by 20 All ultimately elected to work In silence, we departed. Dr. Alan Mandell in a telephone individually. conversation, January 30, 2008. 21 James Marks, final project paper, May, The Dismissal 7 Lang seminars generally cap enrollment 2007. Liturgy, like the syllabus, which frames and at 18 students. The first time that this 22 Aria Boutet, “Spontaneous Shrines and engages ultimate questions, paradoxically course was offered, there were 11 Communal Memory-Making,” 5 May offers containment and freedom within enrolled. This term (spring 2008), the 2007. bounded space and time. And when it course has an enrollment of 20. ends, it must finally return those gathered 8 Kavanagh, 5. back to the world in some way renewed, 9 strengthened, freed and perhaps even Kavanagh, 58. transformed. 10 The Book of Common Prayer, The Katherine Kurs, a 1983 graduate of Empire State College, also has a M.Div. from the The dead once knew our language. In Church Hymnal Corporation and the Harvard Divinity School and a Ph.D. in those 15 weeks that we spent together Seabury Press, 1977, The Burial of the Philosophy from The Royal College of around the seminar table, we tried to learn Dead: Rite Two, 499. Art (London). their language, to speak the language of death, but now it was time to bid the dead farewell. The spring was upon us. The final presentations had come to an end. We threw open the windows. A warm wind passed us by.

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 25

Reflections on Learning and Educational Planning

Frieda Mendelsohn, Niagara Frontier Center

egree program planning colleagues. When I reflect on my approaches Over the years, I’ve attended faculty is at the heart of Empire now, however, it is clear to me that my meetings, workshops, regional and college- “D State College’s educational academic and professional background and wide meetings, and discussed educational philosophy and embodies the college’s ideas experiences, as well as the students with planning with a wide range of mentors. In about student-centered education.”* It also whom I’ve worked over the years, also addition, for the past three years, I worked is the most challenging process for mentors have made significant contributions to my with new mentors in their orientation to the and students to learn. In my own case, I’ve understanding. college. Not only have I learned from others been working with students in this process more experienced than I, but my work with for about 25 years and I’m still learning. Learning from Mentors new mentors always teaches me something by seeing the process from new perspectives. In the next few years, an increasing number I was introduced to educational planning of new mentors will join us at the same time by my “buddy mentor.” After reading Learning from our Academic and that our most experienced colleagues will college materials and discussing them with Professional Backgrounds leave the college (and take their knowledge him, he invited me to share a student. with them). Meanwhile, the college is in the We interviewed the student together and Each of us comes to Empire State College process of creating and developing a new discussed the results after each session; in with our own academic background; we Center for Mentoring and Learning. This effect, I was mentored in the process. After each have been taught habits of mind, seems a good moment to think about what that first student, I did much of the research which lead us to define problems, organize we know, how we learned it and how we’ll I asked my students to do (at the time, this information and reason through to solutions pass it on. In this essay, I discuss the ways meant getting hard copies of college catalogs in a particular way. My observations in which I’ve learned, as well as from whom as well as contacting relevant professional at various workshops, meetings and I’ve learned. I then describe the blended, organizations for printed material); I discussions have led me to the conclusion guided independent study Educational consulted with my buddy, other faculty or that our academic disciplines greatly Planning ANGEL project I started during the center assessment person when I had influence the way we each approach my reassignment to the Mentoring Institute questions; and I served on center assessment educational planning. For example, a writer (RIP) in 2006 - 2007, and show how committees where I learned from my might use autobiography as a way into the visualization of the process helps students colleagues how to think about and evaluate study, while a psychologist might start with comprehend the complexity inherent in the results of the educational planning “learning about learning.” In my own case, it. Finally, I call on all of us to both share process that each student’s portfolio my academic background is in economics; what we’ve learned and develop new, presented to us. in addition, my professional interests have collaborative ways of continuing our own led me to the study and practice of design, Each center’s processes for assessment development as mentors. usability and accessibility of web sites. committees vary somewhat. At Niagara Frontier Center, an assessment committee HOW I LEARNED consists of three primary mentors. Each of I gained my introduction to educational us reads each of the 8 - 10 portfolios before As an economist, planning through college materials and the two-hour meeting; at that meeting, we I think of degree program as a result of conversations with my discuss each case, come to a shared decision about the program and accompanying planning as an exercise materials, and draft language to explain in economic decision our decision to the student. During our * Degree Program Planning and discussion, we explain our reasoning, making. In economic Educational Philosophy, Mentorsite, refer to policies, and ask questions of each decision making, the goal Mentoring Institute, Empire State other. It is an excellent opportunity for new College. http://www.esc.edu/ academic employees to be introduced to is to optimize something esconline/across_esc/mentorsite2. degree portfolios and, as many of us have given available resources nsf/3cc42a422514347a8525671d0049 learned, to the core of academic work at f395/df73a78a287c4e9285256ef8006de Empire State College. subject to the constraints. 7dd?OpenDocument.

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 26

As an economist, I think of degree program framework works for the user only if she students as they plan, how to interpret and planning as an exercise in economic decision shares a common understanding with the translate what students bring me from their making. In economic decision making, the designer. For me, the organizing framework research (or whom to ask to help me do so), goal is to optimize something given available for educational planning is quite clear: and some specific knowledge about various resources subject to the constraints. In first we identify the preferences, then we fields that has come through my own and degree program planning, the “something” identify the constraints, and then we identify my students’ reading and our conversations is the student’s preferences regarding the the tradeoffs and decision points so that together. I also know that I need to continue future. What are the student’s goals? What the student can choose the best option for to work on my interviewing and listening would the student like to learn? Why? herself. skills and strive to give students time to ask “Resources” available to the student are their questions and answer my questions. Oddly enough, however, my students don’t the mentors and adjuncts across the college see degree program planning as a problem and the added resources that I can bring What is useful for in economic decision making! Nor do to the student through tutors and adjuncts students to know? they have a clear idea of what this study as well as through cross registration. entails after reading my four-page learning Clearly, students also need a wide range of Other resources are the credits available contract. The question remains: How can knowledge to be successful in educational from transcripts and potential credits I help students navigate their individual planning. This knowledge ranges from the from experiential learning. Finally, the educational planning journey, given the nuts and bolts of how to plan the degree “constraints” are imposed by the student, degree of complexity and ambiguity of the and enter it in DP Planner, to the self- in the form of time and money available process? knowledge needed to articulate one’s goals. to pursue this degree; by the college, in the While I can explain the general education form of numbers of credits of various sorts, Learning from Students requirements to them or show them how to depth and progression of the concentration, use DP Planner, I certainly can’t explain their etc.; by SUNY, particularly by the general A lot of what I’ve learned about educational own goals to them (although my reflection education requirements, and by external planning has come from my interactions of their goals back to them is frequently audiences, such as potential graduate with my students. They’ve shared with useful to their self-knowledge). schools, employers and/or professional me the results of their curricular and expectations. professional research, their experiential Students generally do not come to learning, and their knowledge of a variety of educational planning with knowledge careers and workplaces. of what makes a good curriculum, how knowledge is defined in academia (as Not only have these experiences with For me, the organizing opposed to the workplace), nor with the students helped me learn about life vocabulary of academia in general, and framework for (I’ve come to know a lot of interesting Empire State College in particular, that people I would never have met and had educational planning they need to interpret what they find conversations about areas of life that have through their research. On the other hand, is quite clear: first we enriched my own), they also have given me many students come to this study with a richer background on which to draw in identify the preferences, significant knowledge of the workplace my conversations with succeeding students and its expectations, with a vocabulary and then we identify the as they have engaged this educational way of thinking based on their professional planning process. I have learned a great deal constraints, and then we experiences, and with an understanding of about various subjects (both by supervising subject matter about which I may know identify the tradeoffs and the credit by evaluation [CBE] process and nothing. decision points so that by reading the resulting evaluator’s reports). I have found that this knowledge is both While some students come to educational the student can choose interesting in itself and useful in working planning with a good sense of what they the best option for with other students as they develop their want to accomplish and what new academic own degree programs. experiences might help them accomplish herself. their goals, other students need to work What do I know? through various activities to learn this about themselves. Overall, while I can’t answer Educational planning is a complex process In addition to my background as an these questions for them, I can support their requiring a range of knowledge and skills. economist, over the past several years, attempts to answer these questions with It seems to me that what I know can be I have studied web design, both as a resources, learning activities and on-going generalized as follows: I know college practitioner at the Center for Learning and conversation, whether face-to-face or online. policies and procedures (either I know them Technology (CLT) and as a mentor working For me, this kind of support is at the center or know how to find them), how to find a with students. One of the “rules” in of educational planning. variety of kinds of information relevant to designing web sites is that an organizational

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 27

BLENDED LEARNING IN My Center for Distance I could put pre-written explanations of the EDUCATIONAL PLANNING Learning (CDL) Experience nuts and bolts of educational planning (e.g., how to use DP Planner). I wanted each Educational planning is a complex process In 2005 - 2006, I was asked to teach student’s experience in educational planning with a steep learning curve for mentors and “Exploring the Disciplines: Information to be individual; however, I also wanted to for students. I can only accomplish so much Systems” (Exploring IS) for CDL. This reuse materials when they were appropriate, in my face-to-face meetings with students. course, originally developed by Diane as well as collect all of our conversations in Even if they listen to what I say and take Shichtman, Joyce Munro and Betty one place. careful notes, even if I do my best to listen Lawrence, is one of several 2-credit options to them and to every question and concern designed to be companions to CDL’s they raise, meetings two to four weeks “Planning and Finalizing the Degree,” also apart are not much support for their work. 2 credits. As part of this mentor assignment, I consider myself a resource in the work of I was asked to bring what I know about … I wanted the site to planning the degree, crafting CBE requests educational planning to strengthen the support my individual and developing readiness for learning. Other course. As is true with all learning, the resources exist (student planning guide, experience also gave me new ideas for my work with students workshops from the Office of Academic work with students in educational planning rather than become a Review [OAR], etc.); however, for me, the at my home center. foundation on which all of this rests is a pre-written learning The learning objectives of Exploring IS are sustained “conversation” between mentor (1) to learn how to learn about a discipline experience. and student. and how that disciplinary knowledge is But what is a sustained conversation? Is related to other fields of knowledge as well it a meeting every two to four weeks? On as the workplace; and (2) to learn about what does the student rely between those the various fields in information systems Version 2: ANGEL with meetings? Are the printed materials and the and technology. This course implemented “individual folders” college’s web site sufficient to support their a systematic strategy of moving from the In January 2007, the college converted to work? student’s comfort zone (job descriptions) the ANGEL learning environment. This through related fields, to the roles of liberal Over the last two years, I’ve been working change in technology platform gave me studies in supporting their understanding of on a project to use online resources to the opportunity to design a new model to their field. Students with whom I worked support my individual work with students in support my work with students. This time, in this course seemed to develop a real educational planning. This project is based I designed a site where each student’s web appreciation of the potential for liberal on the premises that space would be different, but I would be studies to increase their understanding able to easily add the appropriate learning • educational planning requires a of workplace issues. I wanted to include activities and resources as the student and I sustained conversation between the this strategy in my face-to-face work with worked through the process. This all made mentor and student; students. a great deal of sense in the abstract: each • this conversation works best for me student would see only those materials that Version 1: CourseSpace when it is face-to-face; supported her particular study; I would Building on the Exploring IS experience, I be able to write something once and use it • this conversation works best for developed a CourseSpace database for the many times. students when there are opportunities fall 2006 term. I wanted to incorporate for continuing contact, as well as clear This was not a successful experiment. First, the materials and strategy I learned from written materials, available between the attempt to add resources during my Exploring IS; however, I wanted the site meetings; meetings with students was distracting for to support my individual work with both of us; it interrupted the conversation • contact can be managed, recorded and students rather than become a pre-written and confused both of us. To make supported with online resources; and learning experience. What resulted was a things worse, I didn’t have a standard set of activities, which looked very much • each student’s path through educational organizational scheme, so that we both had like a course. This was not at all what I planning and, therefore, through difficulty figuring out where I had literally had in mind! Instead, what I wanted was those online resources, depends on the “put things” on the student’s web space. It a space where we could work together specific goals, background, objectives, was clear that I needed to reorganize the between meetings, where I could put a etc. for the individual student. site. link (to their own DP Planner, to specific curricular guidelines, etc.), where I could have a discussion with the student, where the student could turn in drafts, and where

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 28

Version 3: The Concept Map page and specifically referring to sections of is incorporated, either as self-contained it throughout the site, were not enough. “handouts” with attribution or as One of the little-known “perks” of a approaches that I learned from others over Mentoring Institute (RIP) reassignment was Epiphany! the years. the monthly conversations among the two recipients and Alan Mandell. We usually Finally, I realized that there was no need How is it working? I certainly cannot say met by telephone; however, in May 2007, for the site to stand alone; instead, since the that every student finishes the contract the three of us were able to have breakfast site was always intended as a support for during the term. I can, however, say that together (with Internet access) when our our face-to-face meetings, there must be a those who see me on a regular basis do travel schedules synchronized. Sometimes way to put all of these pieces together. To bring the concept map with them, that telephone conversations just aren’t enough; my surprise, the answer to navigating this it’s clear that they use it to navigate the in this case, the fact that we were able to complex site turned out to be a copy of the site, and that, above all, the visualization view the web site and discuss it together led concept map printed on 11” x 17” paper. of this complex set of information makes to an important breakthrough: Julie Shaw a difference to their understanding of (the other recipient that year) suggested that What I do now: the entire process. Most important, the complexity of the map helps students I use a “concept map” to visualize the web At our first face-to-face meeting, I give the comprehend that the process is, indeed, site. student the learning contract. This is four- complex. For many students, this pages long and has a variety of options The concept map was a significant visualization of educational planning reduces in it, which we discuss after the student breakthrough. First, it helped me rethink the ambiguity and, therefore, the anxiety of has read the contract. While the student is my understanding of educational planning, the study. the various resources and activities I use reading this document, I give her access to the web site; after the student asks questions with students, their purposes for student SHARING WITH, AND LEARNING about the contract, I hand her a copy of learning, and the connections among them FROM, EACH OTHER all. The requirement that everything belong the concept map. We discuss the map, the somewhere in the concept map required me connection of the map to the contract, and As we’ve all heard many times, a to not only identify my reasons for including the connection of both to the web site. significant portion of our full-time faculty is “seasoned;” in other words, in 10 years, activities or resources in this study but also My next “ah hah” moment came when I many of us will no longer be mentoring at to specify the connections. realized that I could write on the student’s Empire State College. While some of what copy of the map! Rather than relying only For example, in the educational planning we have learned over the years may not be on the student’s memory or notes from our work, I had included two different kinds of useful or appropriate for the college in 10 or meeting, I could write on the map (using library tasks; this process made me realize 20 years, we like to think that what we’ve a different colored pen at each meeting) to that there was a distinction between the learned will still be available, as appropriate, indicate just where the student would be library and skills assessment work that to future generations of mentors and working until our next meeting. It is this students do to enhance their readiness for learners. learning and the library work they do to handwritten note on a paper copy of the develop professional resources that they’ll map that helps the student easily navigate Having said that, we’re still here and we can use throughout their lifelong learning. Both through the web site and the entire study. continue to learn. We can learn from our the student and I needed to understand more experienced colleagues, we can learn both the differences in the activities and The site from our newest colleagues, we can learn from the literature and we can learn from the different purposes they served in an As you can see from figure 1, I have broken our students. educational planning study. down the tasks in educational planning After I mapped the content for my site, I to looking backward to identify potential In order to do that, however, we need to be spent some time writing and arranging the prior learning and looking forward to able to easily share what we do and what various pieces. The plan of the site was now identify goals, research ways of reaching we know. We need a space to share our clearer to me, and I could use the map to those goals, assess readiness for learning materials and we need space to support explain the design and to map a path for (with an emphasis on online library conversation. We need ways of both getting each student. Still, the site was complex and, skills and documentation), and prepare recognition for the ideas we have and for no matter how I tried, I couldn’t come up for lifelong professional development. I the suggestions that we make. We also need with a navigation scheme for the web site also have left room for what I hope will regular opportunities to continue developing that met my criteria for web site usability: eventually be links to other mentors’ work our work using what we’ve learned from it was just too easy to get lost among the (e.g., in independent learning strategies and others. learning about learning). The map shows various folders and pages (there were too With ANGEL, we now have the technology that some of these sections are more fully many “clicks” to get to the information). to build a “Mentor Learning Object developed than others; what you may not Even including the concept map on the front Repository (LOR)” – a space where we can see is how much of my colleagues’ work demonstrate our work to everyone who

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 29 EDUCATIONAL PLANNING: AN ORGANIZING FRAMEWORK ORGANIZING AN PLANNING: EDUCATIONAL 1 Figure

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 30 has access to the space. Some of the items that we could share are articles, exercises, materials and other “learning activities” that individual mentors have developed and/or used with their students. Such an LOR could serve as a resource for training new mentors as well as a way to publish our work with credit that people deserve. But having the technology isn’t enough. We need both the desire to share our work and the skills and time to make that happen. One incentive that might increase our desire to share would be the recognition of internal publication of our work in the personnel review process. But even with increased desire to share and to learn from the work of others, we still need instructional design resources available at all of our locations and, above all, time – time to think, to reflect, to learn and to share. It is through our collaboration among ourselves and with our students that we will continue to learn.

Spontaneous sketch by Gerry Lorentz, Northeast Center, at the All College Conference, 2008.

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 31

Playing with PLAI: A Discussion with Barry Sheckley

Nan Travers, Office of Collegewide Academic Review

What follows is an edited version of an of energy invested in constructing new interview with Barry G. Sheckley, The connections. At day’s end the brain has Neag Professor of Adult Learning in the added size and energy – it’s almost as if the Neag School of Education at the University brain has expanded from a Beetle into a of Connecticut. Over the last 25 years, Hummer. It’s actually grown in size, energy Sheckley has written extensively on the and power. But if that growth continued areas of adult and experiential learning and every day, the brain would literally outgrow offered workshops dealing with learning the skull. So what happens? As we sleep, in the classroom and in workplaces of all the brain literally tidies up; it maintains the kinds. Among many honors, Barry Sheckley same relative strength among synapses but received the Morris T. Keeton Award for it gets rid of – prunes – ones that are not Contributions to the Field of Adult and necessary. So when we wake up the next Experiential Learning in 2003. morning we’re no longer a Hummer, we’re a Beetle, but one that is more finely tuned. Travers: Would you begin by talking about This happens on a day-to-day basis. how adult learning theory is becoming When people get into professions and as shaped by what we know about how the they age, they start spending all this time brain works? Barry Sheckley on what they do best, instead of learning Sheckley: It’s interesting you mention new things and having new experiences. The kids and adults. Think of kids when they are “adult learning theory.” I wonder about brain uses existing connections. New ones young. They play. They’re always exploring this phrase: “adult learning theory.” As far are not formed. When they do not engage and trying to acquire information to solve as I can tell, there really is no one “theory continually in new experiences – when they the puzzle of how to live in the world. As of adult learning.” There are numerous stop playing – the growth of the brain and they start to accumulate that understanding, perspectives on this phenomenon – including their learning can stagnate. they get good at things. Somewhere in their perspectives on why adults participate in lifespan – as they get better and better at Travers: So new experiences are crucial for formal learning programs, what motivates doing things – they stop exploring and they learning. adults to learn, transformative learning, just rely on doing the things they’re good learning and development, characteristics Sheckley: Yes, for vitality, individuals at. We could think of this as a continuum of adult learners and related topics. These have to keep the brain engaged in new where, at one end, young kids are in a many different perspectives are necessary experiences, in acquiring new information as constant information acquisition stage and, perhaps because adults are such a widely opposed to just reaffirming what it already at the other end are seniors who may spend heterogeneous and diverse group of learners. knows how to do best. This is a PLAI issue: their time doing what they’re good at. In They cannot be shoehorned into one theory. how to keep the brain constantly engaged in doing so they spend less energy acquiring learning – how to keep it vital by inquiring Back to the brain: I’m finding that the information. In a sense, they’re a polar into new ideas, by making sense of new emerging research on the brain provides opposite of young kids. They’re not playing. experiences. a great window into the adult learning Travers: And this “continuum” is linked to process. Anyone who reads this research just The other thing that research on the brain brain activity? has to be awed. The brain is so incredible. tells us is that, because the brain is always Actually no one really knows what goes on Sheckley: What happens when a person reinventing itself, learning has to be a in the brain. The process is fascinating and stops playing – stops actively exploring constant process. A one-time data dump mysterious. The research on the brain has the world? The brain actually will start to does not work. There has to be constant led me to think in terms of an acronym, decrease in size. Researchers tell us that each revisiting, constant engagement and constant Professional Learning as Inquiry or PLAI. day the brain “reinvents” itself. Let’s think play with this information. of this: when we wake up in the morning, Why play – or PLAI? The research on what The second thing research tells us is how our brain is like a Volkswagen Beetle car. happens over the lifetime in the learning neurons are actually strengthened – this By the end of the day through experiences process highlights a great difference between is a key idea. The only way neurons are or thoughts and events, there’s a great deal

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 32 strengthened is through direct experience. Sheckley: There is a third issue that’s it; if you don’t give it back to me, that Over and over in the research you’ll see intriguing about the brain. It’s the says you don’t know it.” this phrase: neurons that fire together wire mystery of how the brain self-organizes. In addition, there also is a misunderstanding together. The process begins with direct The best description I’ve found on this of the “file.” There’s an interesting experience – an event that makes neurons is one from Tononi who uses the term discussion in the research about a fire. This is the only data that the brain “neural Darwinism.” Selectivity derives “grandmother” neuron. Is there one neuron has to work with – the firing of neurons, from attention, or what the brain deems that, when grandma walks in the room, an event that records what happens to the as important enough to attend to at any just fires? Is there a one-to-one relattionship body. point in time. According to this idea, there between what happens in the world and are billions of synapses all competing for Here we have the marvel of consciousness: what happens in the brain? A great deal attention, and somehow one collection – one the brain takes the neural impulses from of our education is built upon the idea network – emerges perhaps because it has direct experience and converts them via that there is a “grandmother” neuron. As more “strength” at that moment. Think of coordination among several different this idea is translated into practice it takes a small stage in an auditorium and think of systems within the brain into consciousness. this form: “we’re gonna expose you to billions of people trying to get on this little We really don’t know how that happens, information that you’ll put into your brain; stage. Who gets the spotlight? The strongest but we know that there are several different it’s gonna be recorded down in one neuron; set of actors gets the stage. systems within the brain that are involved. and when you have to recall it, that neuron’s We also know that experience is the The marvel of the brain is that at any one gonna fire.” foundation of the whole process. You could moment in time the brain optimizes the life Travers: Is the “grandmother” neuron say that the brain is an organ that only of the body by selecting for attention the theory true? “learns” from direct experience. pattern of neural impulses that are going to be the most adaptive. In effect, the brain Sheckley: No! Grandma can walk in the at this point figures out what is the most room and she can have a scarf on, she can optimal. There’s no algorithm in it, there’s have makeup on – there can be thousands We also know that no preprogramming in it. The selection of different variations of grandma, and yet experience is the seems to be based on the brain’s ability to the brain is able to still recognize grandma link current situations with past experiences. – and differentiate her from pretenders. foundation of the whole The process seems to be based on analogical So how does this amazing feat happen? The reasoning – how is this situation similar process. You could say process is simple, yet elegant. Whatever we to, analogous to, a prior situation that was “represent” in the brain is not represented that the brain is an organ optimal? by just one neuron – or even just one set that only “learns” from Travers: Education then is about selectivity. of neurons. Instead ideas, events, notions, experiences are recorded and “represented” direct experience. Sheckley: When we think about education, as networks of networks of networks. For we have to figure out how to enable this example, we may have one network that selectivity process. There are two things represents grandma as we generally see we have to do: we have to build up the What happens to the body (experience) is her. One part of the network may record experiences that contribute to a reservoir of what we convert into knowledge. Research features of her height. Another may record patterns that can be recalled, and then we actually shows that there are changes in features of her face, a third may record have to work with individuals to help them the neural synapses, in the neural receptors features of her movements, a fourth may understand how to make selections – how to and in the RNA of a nucleus when the record features of her speech, a fifth may optimize selections from among the billions body encounters a powerful experience. In record features of her hand gestures, and of possibilities that are available in any one other words, unless you have the synapse so on. So if she comes into a room with a second. A great deal of our education is set firing, the strengthening is not happening. scarf on and sunglasses on, the networks on the idea that goes something like this: Experience is the basis of strengthening a representing her face and hair might not synapse. In turn, the strengthening of neural “We’re gonna teach you this fire – or respond. But the other networks synapses is a fundamental component of information, it’s gonna go into your will fire. We’ll “recognize” – literally the “memory.” And, in turn, memory is an brain. You’ll store it in something like re-cognitize – grandma because of the aspect of the learning process. The message an Excel file. It’s gonna stay there combination of networks responding to her here is that experience is essential for forever exactly as I just taught it to you, pattern of movement, her hand gestures, learning. and when I ask you what you know, her speech patterns, and so on. Because you’re gonna be able to give back what of the sunglasses and scarf, there may not Travers: There’s acquisition of information; I taught you, and if you give it back to be a perfect match. But because of the there’s experience. But is it about me that way, that tells me you know redundency among the networks, the pattern experiencing anything? Will any experience that is attented to or selected from a million do?

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 33 other possibilities – the one with the greatest In any event, we always have these ideas in Perhaps this phenomemon is linked to the strength – is the pattern associated with the our mind that are mental models of how phrase “grumpy old men.” concept “grandma.” the world works. These models enable Travers: So these models include everything selectivity. We use these mental models to set Travers: So do the most used networks, the that we know? up expectations. When we enter a situation, almost “perfect matches,” continue to get based on our prior experiences, we set up Evidence is that we’re really only aware of selected? expectations and see how well the pattern probably 30 percent of what we know: 70 Sheckley: The brain has a great ability of events within the situation are aligning percent is tacit or nonconscious. This idea to compensate for its shortcomings. For with our expectations. To make sense of the is shown over and over in the research. example, when confronted with a task – situation, we try to select from the pattern of For example, one of the latest studies I was recognizing grandma with sunglasses and a new information that’s coming in that best reading on this topic focused on surgeons scarf – it has less than perfect knowledge of fits with the models that we already have in in a medical hospital. Researchers were the situation. It also has a limited capacity place. To accomplish this fit, we constantly filming them as they were teaching students to process via the so-called “working adapt our models to the new information or how to do surgery. The researchers then memory” all of the information available the new information to the models. watched the surgeons actually do surgery. to it as grandma walks into the room. (To Surprisingly, the researchers found that Travers: So as we age, are there just more give you an idea of how limited working while the surgeons were doing surgery, they models that are in place? memory is, some estimates say the limit is were actually doing things that they hadn’t three to five bits of information at any one Sheckley: What happens when people age is told the students to do, or what they did time.) Because of these limits, the brain has they often tend to depend on their existing was contrary to what they told the students evolved to compensate by forming “models” models and ignore contrary information. to do. When the researchers replayed video of how the world works. This is a very This is sometimes referred to as the law tapes of the surgery, they stopped the tape adaptive feature of the brain. of large numbers. If a pattern – or set of at these points and asked: “Why are you expectations – has been confirmed by doing this? You told the students to do this When grandma walks into the room 2,000+ prior events, it has credence. differently?” The doctors responded: “I with sunglasses and a scarf, we have this wasn’t aware that that’s what I actually did mental model of grandma based on prior If we can get adults into the playfulness in surgery.” In their interviewing they asked experience. Armed with this model, we do of learning – get them to engage in rich, the surgeons, “Well when you’re talking to not have to process every bit of information new experiences, then they may encounter the students about what to do in surgery, that is coming into the brain about this situations where their expectations – and how do you get this information?” And the person in sunglasses and a scarf; all we mental models – are violated. In turn, such surgeons responded, “Well I try to make this have to do is “pattern match.” Does the violations can prompt them to incorporate picture of watching myself while I’m doing pattern that is presenting itself for this new ideas into their mental models, or this.” person with sunglasses and a scarf provide change their mental models to build from a workable match with our mental model the new experience. of “grandma?” If so, all is well. We proceed When the adults engage in this process of to greet grandma, lovingly. If not, then we playing with new experiences, inquiring … there is a great deal search for, and select, another pattern that about how to handle situations differently, provides a better match. of what we know that the brain is awash with chemicals like At any one point in time, we have to do adrenaline, dopamine, serotonin and we use as the basis something, we have an image or a model in oxytocin that literally tune the brain, make to make a selection our mind of what it should look like. We it vibrant and alert. During this learning continually compare our performance to process, the whole body lights up, there is among the millions of what is modeled. When we do something a radiant vitality that permeates a learner’s neural impulses that are like bounce a ball, or hit a golf ball, or entire being. Little kids have this aura about make a pasta sauce, we’ll watch what them – they’re curious and open, you can happening at a point, so happens, and if it happens to go really well, actually see the vitality in their lives. When much so, that we’re not we think, “yeah, that’s how it’s done.” you contrast that to someone like the older Repeated experiences of this nature serve to person who is taking in information but aware of most of it. consolidate, to expand, and to add breadth using the existing model of how it works to to the model. use as a filter, and saying “I only will take in stuff that agrees with this pattern, and If something doesn’t go well, however, we But the point is this: there is a great deal the rest I’ll ignore,” the adrenaline and the say “well that’s not what I want.” These of what we know that we use as the basis oxytocin don’t flow. We lose the vitality experiences also add to the mental model. to make a selection among the millions of because the brain just isn’t as “alive.” neural impulses that are happening at a point, so much so, that we’re not aware of

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 34 most of it. It’s information and knowledge These bits of knowledge get assimilated new information into a model that they are embedded in the mental model of how into a neural pathway and stored as a taking for granted. the world works, how we want things to photograph or as a neuron or as a computer You can see one example of the shift in happen based upon the experiences that file. And then when the right time comes mental models in a project where we we’ve have. And through those experiences, (e.g., the final exam), all learners have to worked with teachers who wanted to learn we learn a great deal of knowledge implicitly do is find the folder name or the right index how to get students to do the homework – knowledge that was literally tangled and pull the information out and use it. that was assigned. I began by asking them within the experience. This knowledge is Our assumption is that all teachers have to draw a concept map of all the factors embedded in neural networks as tacit, or to do is to load the mind up with all this they thought were related to the task of nonconcious knowledge. This is the 70 information and then students will be able completing homework. Only one of the 29 percent of our knowledge that’s of this type: to recall it at a later time. maps had the word “teacher” on it. The we have it, we use it, but we’re not aware of Travers: But from what you’ve said, other 28 maps indicated that homework having or using it. This is just another of the that model of teaching and learning isn’t completion was a problem of the student. many marvels of the brain. consistent with how the brain actually If I had started my work with these teachers Travers: What happens when we do find works. by talking about issues like “mastery” versus ourselves in a new situation? Sheckley: Right, this model just doesn’t fly. “performance” learning, or allowing choice Sheckley: This is another fascinating feature If we were going to set up an instructional for students in homework assignments, of how the mind works. When we come program that aligned with how the brain the would have likely replied: “Why are into a new situation, we literally remember actually worked, this program would have you talking about me and my homework it as a past experience. This process is three key features. assignments? Why aren’t you talking about adaptive. For example, when students come how to motivate students? They are the First, the learning process would be constant into my classes, I’ll tell them the first night, problem.” because the brain rewires itself every day. “Right now you are remembering me as an So I first had to figure out how to change amalgem of professors you’ve had in other Second, learners would be comparing new their mental model about effective teaching, classes. I could stop right now and you ideas with their existing mental models. The about students and about homework. That could give me the script of how this night’s comparative issue is important because a is where the comparison process came in. I going to go and how the rest of the course new idea will not typically be assimilated had to say to them: is going to go: we are going to review the unless it’s compared with a learner’s current syllabus, it’ll have a bunch of readings, there expectations of how a pattern will unfold “OK, here’s an idea. What if on your will be a midterm, a final, you’ll have to in some kind of practice experience-based next homework assignment, you set up write a paper. The script is already there, situation. For this reason, I always start a elements of choice?” you’re ready to play it out. That’s very course by finding out the students’ ideas of “What do you mean choice, what kinds adaptive for you because now all you have how the world works as this model relates of choice?” to do is pay attention to how I deviate from to the ideas we’ll cover in the course. In a that expectation.” course on adult learning, I may start off “You tell me: What choices could you with the question: “How does learning give?” Using the mental models it has derived happen? What is the process?’ I’ll have them from prior experience, in new situations, Somebody said: “Well the only choice actually draw a map that illustrates the all the brain has to do is be aware of the we could give would be about what day process. deviations from the expectations it has of the week the homework is due.” for the situation. When everything falls Travers: So, you’re not beginning with “That’s a start, can you try that? What into place, it’s very adaptive to have this information but with questions. would happen if you just built that in?” remembered present. When you engage in Sheckley: Whatever the situation, I always a new situation, you don’t have to process So I pushed them to basically compare begin with a question about their mental every bit of information about the situation. their idea of how the world works with a models because I want to see how the You just have to look for the deviations. different way of working with students. students are thinking; then I know how I wanted to engage them in a different Now, let’s go back to the issue of how we they’re “remembering” this situation. I do pattern, a different experience. help people learn. The often-used model of my best to start with their mental model as the brain as a computer, a device composed a given and work from there. If I present In this case, many of them came back with of “grandmother” neurons, or a device them with information that doesn’t fit great surprise because they thought that that takes and stores pictures as if it were with that model, if the gap is too wide, when they put this choice out there, the a digital camera – says all we have to do is the information is too discordant, they’re students were going to blow it off. But take information and put it onto PowerPoint going to throw it away. So I have to figure actually the students said: “You know this is – all we have to do is organize key bits of out how to start with their own mental really wonderful, because I was afraid you knowledge and present them to students. model and how I’m going to weave this were going to have it due on Wednesday

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 35 because on Tuesday night I have this, or arena. The content became a means to the Thursday I was going to go here.” All end of building up this mental model that of a sudden homework went from a 60 would give them options on the selection … by putting them in percent completion rate to a 90 percent issue. Put in another way, by putting them rate as a result of that little change. The in multiple experiences, I built up their multiple experiences, I opportunity to compare a theoretical idea reservoir of possibilities. The breadth of this built up their reservoir of – choice enhances learning – with an actual network that they “fired” in the mind would experience using the idea enhanced their be bigger, and because it was integrated into possibilities. The breadth learning. They experienced the positive one model, it was more coordinated. of this network that results first hand. The selectivity process has yet another they “fired” in the mind I had to then make the comparison process feature. The mind has a tendency to think constant. So I gave them another idea, one based on surface features. To continue would be bigger, and related to self-regulation. They compared with this homework assignment example: because it was integrated this idea to actual practice. Again the results because homework is an assignment that were positive. To enhance their learning, goes home, an assigment that does not go into one model, it was I engaged them in process in which they home is not “homework.” On a surface more coordinated. constantly compared ideas from research level, an enrichment activity after school is and theory with specific applications in technically not “homework.” I asked about practice. I tried to engage them in playful the similarities between the after school Only by getting these teachers involved in process of inquiry in which they explored enrichment activity and homework. Might an inquiry about their pratice – a situation how ideas based on theory and research the learning process in the enrichment where they actually had to use this idea in played out in practice. activity be similar to the homework practice, could they start picking up the assignment? In many cases, the teachers had Travers: It seems that the content seems less sense, the feel, the timing, the nuances, the compartmentalized the enrichment activities important than engaging them in a process contextual features about how to adapt this as different from homework. They didn’t that builds complexity into their mental idea to practice. see the structural links. Once I got them to models. see that there could be a structural feature Travers: So what you’re saying there is that Sheckley: My intent the whole way was of the enrichment activites that they could by doing constant comparative inquiry about using the content as a way to expand transfer to homework, they began making you’re actually enhancing the patterns that the mental models that they used to guide different selections for the homework issue. are in the mental model, which, in turn, their practice. Basically, I know that the increases tacit knowledge. So using the constant comparative method, I mental models that learners use are the used content to build up the breadth of their Sheckley: Right. The debriefing of that ones that they are going to resort to when mental models, and then worked with them experience becomes very important and selecting a way to address problems or on increasing their ability to make selections this is where the word “reflection” comes issues. If I can help them build complexity based on the structural features of different in. I’ve tried to stay away from using the into their mental models – complexity in experiences. word reflection beause it’s such a nebulous terms of using a broader array of lenses term – it’s amorphous. When you really to view problem situations – when they Travers: What’s obvious here is that you’re try to dig down in the literature to find out encounter problems, and they have to always asking your students – in this what somebody means by reflection, you “select” the best option to address the example the teachers – to think about their usually can’t find it. When I’ve debriefed problem, they would have a wider set of practice. these kinds of experiences, I’ve tried to choices from which to view the situation. Sheckley: Yes. The other feature of using practice the idea of structural mapping. I In the case of the teachers, by the end of this comparative process – in fact, this is really try to get people to understand – and the project they had a number of choices the third key feature of an instructional this is why we use the comparative process to use in viewing the problem: “Do I want program that we were just talking about, – that to develop this structural mapping to look at this homework problem as a is that when they’re comparing an idea to skill you need to make a well-formed performance issue? Do I want to look at practice, they are actually building up their analogy between a new experience and a this as a mastery issue? Do I want to look tacit knowledge via a process of implicit prior experience, and make it based upon at this as a choice issue? Do I want to look learning. The strange thing about implicit structural features versus surface features. at this as a self-regulation issue? Do I want learning is that the tacit knowledge that So when I debrief situations, I really try to to look at this as a standards issue?” I was results cannot be taught explicitly. It has to put people in a sitation and intentionally trying to build choices into the selection be acquired implicitly from the experience. say: “Go and try out this concept or process. I was trying to help them build up This is another wonderful feature of the idea.” Then I will debrief it around their the breadth and complexity of the mental brain – its ability to pick up the patterns understanding of a structural feature or a model that they use to make their selections that are embedded in complex experiences. or choices of optimal behaviors in this

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 36 conceptual feature that lies at the base of the go with another question, for example, how Travers: We’re back to the role of experience. is homelessness an economic issue? How is experience. it a political issue? Travers: Can you give an example of this? Sheckley: When we put people in At the end of the semester, the researchers experiences, there is a great burden that Sheckley: The best study that I’ve found on looked at the papers members of the two rests on the instructor, or the person who this was at Wellesley College, where they groups had written. A lot of the papers is helping the learning, to constantly build had two groups: one group of students written by students reflecting on their service up the conceptual ideas that the instructor was in a social work program and the learning took the tone of victimization and wants to have embedded in the experience. other students were in the undergraduate blaming. On the other hand, students in the And then the challenge is to help build up program involved in a service work activity. social work program came back and saw the structural links between that idea and Both groups went into the North End of the situations through multiple frameworks. the experience, so that when the experience Boston to work in homeless centers and If we take this from a political perspective, is debriefed, we are able to help students soup kitchens. The service learning group here’s how we’re going to have to think gain a richer understanding of a structural basically had to log X number of hours in about it; if we see this as an economic issue, dimension of the experience and thereby this soup kitchen or this homeless center if we see this as a social issue, if we see this help them develop broader and more per week and write a paper at the end of as a communal, if we see this as a dynamic complex mental models that they can use the semester about their experiences. The of complicity, here’s what’s going on. They to make sense of situations and guide their social work program students went into had all these different lenses with which to efforts to resolve problems. That’s really these experiences each week with a specific think about theory and practice. Because how the whole thing works out. idea. For example, while they were in they debriefed their experiences in terms of the homeless center one week they were the structural features present, their mental asked to try to understand the complicity models were much better structured than * Special thanks to Dareth McKenna, that existed between the community and the students that debreifed their experiences who created an initial transcription the homeless individuals. The social work within an amorphous notion of “reflection.” of this conversation. students returned to their groups to discuss this issue. Then the next week they would

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 37

The Importance of Being on Time for the Bus and the Threefold Nature of Tears

Carole Southwood, Niagara Frontier Center

verybody said that Sister Gonzaga fast!” Anthony looked bored and disgusted. game I played with myself, how long it looked like a turkey. Her real name, As usual, a portion of his shirt was sticking would take before Anthony picked his E Martha Morgan Buglehorn, became out of his pants in the back. nose: to the count of 10? To the count of revealed yesterday in the boldfaced heading 20? And then he went and grabbed himself Gonzaga wondered aloud if before going of her obituary. It lent some retroactive and scratched his head instead. I knew on he couldn’t try to make the sentence, personhood to what now seems her benign this meant that Anthony had to go to the good as it was already, more interesting and existence. lavatory, and I had to go myself, and the colorful. Anthony stood blankly looking at thing of it was that two people in succession Everybody also always said that even the board and shifted the weight of his body were not allowed to be excused. It was though she looked like a turkey, at least she from foot to foot. The nun, touching her only the power of suggestion for the second knew enough to use her hanky instead of chin with her index finger and rolling her person, once a first person asked, and before her fingers to pick her nose, unlike some eyes around, wondered aloud what would you knew it everybody would have to go is people, we would say, looking askance happen if Anthony changed the personal what Gonzaga explained to us the first day and making reference in his presence pronoun she to a proper name. She asked of school. to Anthony Fly. Anthony Fly never got the question as if she could not, in her the hint though, because his practice of wildest dreams, even begin to imagine what After she repeated aloud the sentence Sister picking his nose, at least by comparison would happen. Gonzaga drove the car down the street, to that of Sister Gonzaga, was apparently Gonzaga asked Anthony again what color Anthony picked up the eraser, erased the an unconscious one. I will never forget that car was, and again, if an adjective personal pronoun, she, put the eraser Anthony Fly nor Sister Gonzaga, for they preceding the noun car wouldn’t help down, picked up a piece of chalk, and were both instrumental in my learning the to make the sentence a more lively one. wrote Sister Gonzaga at the beginning of importance of being on time for the bus and Anthony must have wanted to get it over the sentence. Everybody laughed, including the threefold nature of tears. with and so he said that the car was a red Gonzaga, who laughed partly from the and black Chevy and that the name of the The source of the learning was English. embarrassment of having become the street was Oak Street. I felt anxious and Gonzaga, as we called her for short, was subject of the sentence, but mostly from the uncomfortable, waiting for an opening or at about to review how to diagram a simple delight of having gotten a little creativity out least the nerve to ask to go to the bathroom sentence and asked for a volunteer to write of Anthony Fly, as well as, I suppose, the before he did. one on the board. Nobody offered so she certainty of everybody else’s attention. called on Anthony Fly. “You there, Anthony. Gonzaga was pleased with Anthony’s I also laughed, but not so hard that I cried. You come on up here and write a simple answer to her question. “Wonderful At least not yet I didn’t. sentence on the board for us,” she said. Anthony!” she exclaimed, in almost a Anthony got all the way back to his desk, whisper, and made the adjustments on Anthony Fly went to the blackboard and but Gonzaga called him back again. She the board while this time Anthony stood wrote the sentence, She drove the car down wanted to know if he didn’t think the where he was. I watched as he confirmed the street. He turned to go back to his desk, sentence would be even more interesting my suspicions about his having to go to but Gonzaga stopped him. “Not so fast, if the car Sister Gonzaga drove down the the lavatory, for he was making vigorous Anthony! Get back here,” she said. “What street – as though the subject of the sentence back and forth movements with his knees. did Anthony forget to do, boys and girls?” were in reference to some generic Sister Go on, I coaxed myself, ask her now, but He forgot to put a capital letter at the Gonzaga and not she – had an adjective I couldn’t get myself to do it because I felt beginning and a period at the end. “No preceding it. embarrassed to raise my hand and ask a capital, no period, no capital and no question irrelevant to the lesson, especially Right then, I saw Anthony put his right period,” we were all saying. Back at the when it had to do with something so hand between his legs. He squeezed himself, blackboard, Anthony put a period at the personal as going to the bathroom. then brought his hand to his head and end of the sentence and replaced the small scratched. Oh no, I said to myself, don’t Gonzaga finished making the adjustments, first letter with a capital S. He tried to go tell me he has to go to the bathroom too. so that now the sentence was this: Sister back to his desk again but again Gonzaga All along I was watching and waiting for Gonzaga drove the red and black Chevy stopped him. “Whoa,” she said, as if she Anthony to pick his nose – a little guessing down Oak Street. She asked if everybody were speaking to a moving horse, “not so

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 38 could see how the person driving the car of the bathroom sink, cutting some gauze, didn’t realize I forgot the bobby pin until it was now a real person, the car a real car, folding it into a square, laying it over the was time to fasten the doily to my hair just the street a real street. I don’t think anybody unguentine on my blister, and securing it before Mass. Luckily, a seventh grader, Kay could see that, but okay, the nun was beside with the strips of tape. My mother would Irene Delzoppo, was able to lend me a large herself with pride in her English lesson and have been helping me, but of course she hatpin with a pearl at the end of it. Kay with Anthony Fly. When she told him he was cleaning up the grape juice. If neither of Irene said she stole it without permission could return to his desk, that is when he those events were taking place, she wiping from her mother’s dresser tray in order to asked if he could go to the lavatory. “Are up the floor and I attending to my burn, play some kind of trick on Lydia O’Sullivan you sure you have to go? Are you telling I would have been spending this time, as and that I had to promise to give it back or the truth?” All she had to do was notice the usual, leisurely waiting for the bus before she’d be in big trouble. I promised. I told way he was rubbing his knees together to suddenly remembering at the last minute her I would give it back right after Mass see that yes, he really did have to go. In any that, oh my God, I needed to bring a bobby and when the Mass was over, right before case, there went my chance to ask if I could, pin to school! English was when I realized I had to go to and I’m the one who had to go first. I had the lavatory, but I didn’t because I was busy It was always the same story, my almost to go to the bathroom before class even. looking for Kay Irene. I couldn’t find her, so, forgetting the bobby pin, because I only for safekeeping, I pinned the hatpin into the It occurred to me to take my chances needed it once a month for First Friday top right-hand side of my jumper, and now and ask permission anyway, even though Mass and so I didn’t have much of an here I was sitting in English class wearing he asked first, but on second thought, I opportunity to develop the habit of the hatpin with the point side up and the said to myself, no. I would have been too remembering it. Sometimes the bus would be pearl side down. embarrassed if Sister Gonzaga accused me out in front of the house, yellow and large, of lying, or even worse, of imagining I had intimidatingly full, faces looking out the Even though Gonzaga liked Anthony Fly’s to go because of Anthony Fly having to windows, the bus driver blowing the horn. sentence Sister Gonzaga drove the red go first. It would have been humiliating to Suddenly remembering the bobby pin, I and black Chevrolet down Oak Street, have had my need subordinated to the need would be running into the bathroom getting she explained that for the purposes of of a person who picked his nose and didn’t one while my mother, in her bathrobe, diagramming, she was going to make the know enough to tuck his shirt all the way would be holding open the front door as a sentence more simple, so she changed it, in. And besides, I reasoned, I only have signal to the bus driver to wait a minute, just for the time being, to Sister drove to go number one. So it wasn’t as if I had that any second I would be running out, and the car down the street, writing the new a stomachache or anything like that, so I soon enough I was. It was embarrassing but sentence on the board in addition to the talked myself out of asking and I resigned I always had my bobby pin. complicated colorful one, not in place of it, myself to holding it. The day wasn’t good and then alongside it she drew a fairly long, As it turned out on this particular morning from the start though, and it was about to horizontal line. though, the bus had come while I was get even worse. trying to tape the gauze over my blister and She called on Judy Spula for the subject of That morning, I had almost missed the bus I forgot about the bobby pin altogether, the sentence, and Judy Spula said “Sister because, at home, a whole can of thawed and in addition to that, I was unsuccessful Gonzaga” and Gonzaga said “good” and grape juice concentrate spilled on the floor. at covering my blister because I had to use wrote Sister Gonzaga on the far left-hand While I was helping my mother clean it up, my left hand and I am right handed and the side of the horizontal line. the gauze patch on my arm became stained blister was on my right arm down close to Next Gonzaga drew a vertical line just and she said to hurry up and go put on a my wrist and the gauze patch kept falling to the right of, and right alongside Sister, new one and that she would finish cleaning off. down through the horizontal line, so that a up the juice herself. The purpose of the The purpose of the bobby pin was to keep portion of the vertical line extended above gauze patch was to cover the blister of a fastened to the top of my head the little the horizontal line and a portion extended burn I had acquired from the bottom of a round, white, lace doily which was provided below it. scorching pan several evenings earlier while I by the school for all the girls to wear to was drying the dishes. My mother had made Now Gonzaga called on Gary Palumbo for First Friday Mass, and which, without the some hard-boiled eggs, and after they were the predicate of the sentence, and Gary said bobby pin, was liable to sacrilegiously slip finished cooking, she inadvertently, without “drove,” and Sister said “good” and wrote off our heads in church while we were running cold water over the hot pan, put drove on the horizontal line alongside the bowing during the consecration, or possibly it into the dish rack from which I was vertical line, which now separated Sister float off while we were genuflecting. The taking the washed items to dry. The burn Gonzaga, the subject, from drove, the school provided the doily, but it was our fostered the only blister of its size I had ever predicate. responsibility to remember to bring our own encountered. bobby pin. Next Gonzaga drew another vertical line, Putting on a new gauze patch that morning this one just to the right of drove, but On this particular day, because of the entailed my cutting two strips of adhesive one which only met the horizontal line morning commotion with the grape juice, I tape, setting them to dangle off the edge perpendicularly and did not extend below

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 39 it. This vertical line did not extend as high there for her to call on if I had gone to the reason, the tears flowed from my eyes above the horizontal line as the first vertical lavatory, if only I had had the nerve to speak uncontrollably no matter how hard I tried line did. It was a little shorter. up before Anthony Fly beat me to it. “And to stop them by tightening up my throat. street,” she said, looking around the room. In fact, the tears seemed to be stifling my Gonzaga called on David Perner for the “Street is the object of the prepo … ?” ability to swallow at all, and since nobody direct object and David Perner said “car” And with that she pointed to me. How seemed to be paying any attention to me, and Sister said “good” and wrote car on the stupid! Object of the prepo! I knew that the fact of which at the time I was totally horizontal line just to the right of the shorter the answer was zishion, but I felt foolish unaware, my embarrassment, now that I vertical line. There was now no more room and embarrassed to answer a question with think of it, was all the more foolish because on the horizontal line for words. only two syllables of a four-syllable word, it was embarrassment in the presence of I stared at the words on the line and I no matter how correct the answer was. And merely me. imagined the line to be the street itself that anyway Patty Cookfair already identified The tears continued to flow from my eyes, car was driving down and at the same time the word as the preposition, so what was and I still tried to swallow to stifle them, forever parked on as it sat there, as the the point of creating a whole new question and I feigned laughter while I cried, in the direct object, at the end of it. I began to with half of the answer built into it! I sat in event that anybody who might be watching envision little oak trees growing out of the silence looking blankly at Gonzaga, more me would believe that I was involved in a line, instead of words, with the greenest incredulous that she was serious about the legitimate private joke, and possibly even of leaves and a sky of blue above. Little question than I was embarrassed to answer. respect me for having an esoteric sense of colorful flowers began sprouting up before “Wake up, Missy,” she said. “Street is the humor. As I look back on the situation, the imaginary houses, which bordered object of the prepo … ?” I see that nobody could really have been the line on either side of the street it had watching me because I sat all the way in the become. “ … Zishion,” I heard myself say, and just back of the classroom in the corner, and the as I said it, I let out a loud burst of laughter. In the meantime, Gonzaga drew another two people who normally sat adjacent to me conglomeration of lines and angles to To me, the absurdity seemed obvious, and on the left were absent that day. contain the fateful prepositional phrase, I expected everybody else to let out a loud I reached an intensity of embarrassment down the street. “Okay,” she said, and burst of laughter right along with me, where I employed an involuntary device she looked at Patty Cookfair. “What part including Gonzaga, otherwise I would not of mine, which I often employed when I of speech is down, Patricia,” she said, have been so uninhibited in my outburst. felt embarrassment getting the best of me and Patty said it was the preposition, and Oh but I was gravely mistaken. I seemed at school. It entailed my bringing my right Gonzaga said “that’s right” while she wrote to be the only one who saw anything at arm around the front of my face, my chin down on the slanted line underneath the all funny in my having to say zishion, and wedged in the inside of the bend of my predicate drove. I felt embarrassed and humiliated, my elbow, and clasping the back of my neck Gonzaga pulled a big round watch on a face becoming hot and, I imagined, red. I with my right hand and squeezing as hard chain out from underneath her apron and somehow believed, though, that if I kept as I could. I did this now, and as I brought looked at it. She was running out of time on laughing silently, shaking up and down, my arm back down again, I accidentally slid because English was short that day, the I might possibly lend validity to the fact it across the point of the stolen hatpin in the First Friday Mass preceding it. For the that I was doing so, and possibly somebody top of my jumper, breaking the uncovered sake of review, she still wanted to cover the in the class, or even Gonzaga, would have blister of my burn. Water came out of it, placement of the object of the proposition retroactive recognition of how funny it was, mixed with a little bit of blood, because the street on the diagram, as well as the articles, and join in with me, but nobody did, and hatpin point not only punctured the blister the two the’s, in the simpler of the simple so the more I silently laughed alone the but entered the mushy flesh part underneath sentences, and also the placement in the more embarrassed I became, and the more as my arm moved along the point of the diagram of the adjectives red and black and embarrassed I became the more I shook up hatpin. With involuntary urgency, I covered oak in the lively and more colorful sentence and down laughing to lend validity to the the broken blister with the palm of my left of Anthony’s, all of which may or may not fact that I was doing so. hand and pressed on it as hard as I could have explained why Gonzaga, perhaps in a and clenched my teeth. I soon felt alienated from the human race little too much of a hurry, put me into the during those moments, and I laughed I could hear that Gonzaga was now saying unfortunate predicament, the source of the so hard I was crying. Tears flowed from something about Monday and homework lesson of the importance of being on time my eyes, burning tears, and I found it and compound subjects and compound for the bus. impossible to continue to pay any attention predicates, but I did not pay attention to Gonzaga wanted to know the function of in English. Now I was embarrassed, not the assignment. The pain in my arm didn’t the word street in the sentence Sister drove only because I answered a question with distress me as much as the worry and the car down the street. As fate would only two syllables of a four-syllable word, anticipation of the possible consequences have it, she was going to call on me for the and not only because I burst out laughing all of a hatpin point going into the blister of answer. Of course, I would not have been by myself, but also because, for no apparent a burn. What if I would have to go to the

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 40 hospital now, I wondered, the palm of my funeral. I couldn’t help but think that if I with the tears from peeling onions, because left hand pressed hard against my wound. planned out my mornings better and had onions, unlike detached eyelashes, were not What if I would have to be put to sleep? been on time for the bus, this would never connected to a person in the first place. What if I had to go to the Cleveland Clinic? have happened. No bobby pin could have Contemplating the nature of tears served How would I get there? My father’s car was ever done damage like this, I thought. And only momentarily though in distracting me in the garage for repair. Was there coverage, there it was, the importance of being on from the unpleasant experience of my day. I wondered, as I had heard the term used time for the bus, an importance proving to I began to feel the embarrassment all over with regards to my grandmother’s gall be, after all, a matter of life and death. again, and pangs of apprehension about bladder operation, for something which And yet, what about the importance of the consequences of my broken blister grew one carelessly inflicts upon oneself, with a wiping up a mess on the kitchen floor? once more. I felt a lot of dread about having stolen hatpin? I was feeling guilty for what What about that? What about the to go back to school again on Monday. I had done, and ashamed. What if I would importance of lending a helping hand? What would befall me next? have to submit the hatpin in order for the Actually, now that I think about it, no broken blister to be treated, I wondered, the For the remainder of the ride home, I made sooner had I learned the importance of way people have to submit bottles of pills in fervent promises to myself to always put being on time for the bus than it became order for children, who might accidentally my bobby pin into my pocket the Thursday subordinate to a different importance, swallow too many of them, to be treated? night before First Friday. I planned to make kindness and Christian charity. Soon Kay Irene Delzoppo might get in trouble on a sign as soon as I got home and tape it to though, I noticed that the pain of my burn account of it, so there was that to consider, my mirror. I promised myself to never again had subsided somewhat and Gonzaga was and not only that, how would I ever explain attempt to drink juice in the morning on a dismissing the class. to anybody how this accident occurred? Did school day. I promised always to be alert, other people, I wondered, have special body While I rode home on the bus reflecting to never again answer a question with only movements they employed involuntarily upon the idea that school fosters calamities, two syllables of a four-syllable word. Still when overwhelmed with embarrassment? both physically and emotionally, a speck of though, as I rode home, I was trying very How would I explain the source of my something in one of my eyes made it tear. hard to convince myself that not having affliction? And what if I had to fill all of I discovered the foreign object to be an repeated prepo after Gonzaga already said this information in on a form? How would eyelash. As I held on to my top eyelashes, it was the right thing to have done. Surely, I spell the word zishion? I was probably moving my eyelid up and down, it occurred anybody in my place would have done the underage, I reasoned, being only 10, and my to me that the nature of the tears that had same. mother would fill in the information on the been in my eyes earlier was threefold. They As I stood up to get off the bus the pain of form. were all the same set of tears, but they had my broken blister had entirely subsided, but changed from tears of laughter, to tears of But even so, how would I explain it to my I became aware that sometime during the embarrassment, to tears of physical pain. I mother! course of the afternoon I had peed my pants, wondered if the chemical composition of the and feelings of embarrassment rose up in me I dreaded the inevitability that this tears was threefold as well as the emotional all over again. misfortune could never be explained. Maybe nature, and if there were instruments to I should just keep quiet about it, I decided, determine this. I didn’t include the tears Although it happened over 40 years ago, I keep the whole thing to myself, bear with from the eyelash in my list, because these, I remember the day was cool and cloudy, and the pain, and run away and die in secret thought, did not have their nature inside me. in that wet underwear, the walk home from of gangrene. This would eliminate all the Those tears, I concluded, as the ones from the bus stop seemed like a long one. Far possible consequences of my carelessness peeling onions, didn’t matter because their away inside me the voice of my wiser self that occurred to me second by tormenting origin was external. I now do see that since whispered, “Let it go. Let a silly thing go.” second. Dying would be easier. it was my own eyelash causing my eyes to Maybe I did. tear on the bus, it was somewhat inaccurate A vision passed through my mind of my to put those tears into the same category I don’t think so. parents and my grandparents crying at my

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 41

The Role of Experience in Adult Learning: Positive or Negative?

Nancy Gadbow, Genesee Valley Center

It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you built on humanistic psychology’s emphasis in trouble, it’s what you know for sure that on life experiences and personal growth just ain’t so. through learning. These concepts have been – Mark Twain integrated in the adult learning literature, particularly the focus on andragogy Experience vs. Learning (Knowles, 1980), as well as the concept of hrough the process of developing “perspective transformation” reflected in the a learning portfolio, we, at Empire writings of Daloz (1986), Brookfield (1987) T State College, have always valued and Mezirow (1991). and recognized that adult students’ past However, not all learning results in positive experience might include valuable college- or accurate information or perceptions. level learning. We also are aware of other As Merriam et al. (1996) put it, “The experiences and situations that demonstrate adult learning and education literature is growth and continued learning for one overwhelmingly skewed toward the view individual, but not for another. An example that learning is a healthy endeavor leading is the teacher who teaches a class the same to positive, growth-enhancing outcomes. way year after year, as opposed to one There is virtually no discussion about the who reflects, learns and grows, so that learning process that results in regressive, Nancy Gadbow each day and each year is a new and vital growth-inhibiting outcomes” (p. 3). learning experience both for the teacher In addition to these barriers for adult and the learners. The focus of this essay is Barriers to Learning learners going through a significant learning primarily on learning or experiences that experience, this period as an adult student have not resulted in positive, accurate and There are different barriers or deterrents to may have other implications for their growth-enhancing outcomes, but rather learning that many adults face, particularly personal lives. Studying as an adult can in learning that is growth-inhibiting. The when they decide to begin or return to present problems and separate the adult essay also includes a discussion of effective higher education to earn a degree. Such from others, resulting sometimes in the strategies for helping these adult learners barriers include lack of time, lack of money, loss of friendships or even the break-up move toward openness to new learning and multiple responsibilities, health problems, of marriages. I remember the comment of critical thinking. lack of past successes as a learner, financial one of the persons I interviewed as part of aid guidelines and restrictions, undiagnosed my research for my dissertation. She was According to Merriam et al. (1996),“life learning disabilities, physical disabilities a woman in her 50s who had returned experience is the basis for much of the and lack of support from family and to college after many years to complete a learning that takes place in adulthood” friends. These barriers are very real and bachelor’s degree. She described that college (p. 1). The authors note that learning is often impact an adult student’s progress had “made a chasm between her and her often described as the process of making in a degree program. Some students have friends” (Gadbow, 1985). Although she was meaning out of life experiences. Learning, multiple barriers or factors that influence learning and growing in her studies, her whether gained in a formal higher education how they learn. Learners with special friends felt that she no longer had time for setting or informally learned through life needs include students with a range of them (and, perhaps, during this time, she experiences, can result “in changes in physical and learning disabilities and the actually didn’t)! behavior, knowledge, attitudes and beliefs” possible need for special approaches and ( p. 1). Indeed, experience-based learning But once again, there is a difference new technologies to support their learning and the possible value of understanding between our awareness of such personal (Gadbow, 2002; Gadbow and Du Bois, one’s experience as a foundation for new ramifications of adult students pursing 1998). All learners have a combination of learning has long been an important topic a college degree and any learning that is unique characteristics and needs that call for adult educators ( Boud, Cohen and “growth inhibiting.” That is, none of these for appropriate strategies to help them Walker, 1993). No doubt, much of the adult barriers or deterrents to learning and none learn effectively. But as significant as these education literature has focused on positive of these personal effects on a student’s barriers certainly are, they do not necessarily growth as an outcome of learning, and has life may be related necessarily to a person lead to learning that is false or limiting.

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 42 having a limited view of a particular issue, For example, what if I had suggested that based on his or her own experience and how he explore scholarly sources that presented it has been interpreted. … I wondered how I arguments and information related to gun use, crimes and injuries related to guns? Learning and Negative Outcomes could have done a better How would I do that in such a way that he might have been willing to enter into Experiences for some individuals do result job of developing and such research in a truly enquiring way? In in outcomes that are “growth-inhibiting” maintaining a respectful reflecting on this experience, I wondered (Merriam, et al., 1996). “I know! I’ve been how I could have done a better job of there!” It is quite likely that as faculty relationship with the developing and maintaining a respectful members, especially as mentors at Empire student and to his ideas relationship with the student and to his ideas State College, we have encountered such and feelings, even while making it clear that students. Their views on a specific topic are and feelings, even while I had a different point of view on the topic. restricted to their own particular experiences making it clear that I had The important question then becomes, How and they are not open to new learning can one maintain the positive relationship about the subject. Such persons may rely a different point of view with the student in spite of differences in on preconceived ideas, they may have on the topic. perspective? strong biases, be closed-minded or outright prejudiced. In myriad ways, they have When we do work at building and “jumped to conclusions” and are not willing maintaining the mentor/student relationship, Strategies and Approaches to Help to seek out new information or imagine we then can move to help promote varied Adult Learners Re-examine their alternative points of view. approaches that lead to critical thinking. Views and Beliefs Ed Warzala, fellow unit coordinator and According to Berg (1993), experience is the As mentors, we are eager to consider ways colleague at the Genesee Valley Center, “mother of convention” (p. 25). She notes to help a student move from “I know the brought to our attention a little blue book, that past experiences can anchor individuals truth about X” to be able to ask “What is The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking: in the past, particularly when they assume known about X?” “Where can I find good Concepts and Tools (Paul and Elder, 2004). that because something happened previously, sources to explore this topic?” “What new Critical thinking is the key to helping our it will continue to happen in the same way questions do I have?” We want to promote students move to being willing to question, in the future. Such individuals tend to over- a willingness to investigate, inquire, question explore and examine previously held beliefs. generalize from past negative experiences and re-examine previously held belief This small booklet contains some valuable (or even positive ones), don’t like to discuss systems. This process generally does not strategies to help students understand and their mistakes or failures, don’t accept happen quickly, but over time. use critical thinking. It provides a brief and responsibility for their actions or the results, clear resource to guide learning activities and believe that what is possible in the One of the important aspects of our work as that might open up critical thinking. Thus, future is determined by what has happened mentors is the development of a relationship learning activities using this guide to in the past. An experience that a student has with the student. We can develop and seek critical thinking can be inserted in learning had (or certainly substantial involvement to maintain a respectful relationship with contracts (regardless of topic) for which in experiences over a period of time) may the student in person, by phone, by e-mail a student might enroll early in his or her have built a particularly strong point of view and in communication within an online program at Empire State College. regarding a specific topic, or even an entire course. In considering this role, I reflected mindset. In extreme cases, such narrow on a recent experience with a student. Henry Another valuable source for helping students perspectives may be very restrictive – even (pseudonym) is a tall young man with both build their critical-thinking skills is a book dangerous. physical problems and some strong personal by an Empire State College colleague, opinions. In a meeting with him not long Michael Andolina, Critical Thinking for In exploring materials for this topic, I came ago (I can’t remember how this topic came Working Students (2001). It offers exercises to the realization that I may sometimes be up), he began a tirade on the issue of and case studies to help students examine guilty of having made up my mind about gun control. He is strongly in support of their perspectives and develop critical- a person or situation. That is, I may not freedom to own and use various types of thinking skills. Like the Paul and Elder text, always be reflecting the “openness” and guns. He is very vocal and strongly opposed it could be used to guide critical thinking critical thinking that I claim or would like to any laws or restrictions on firearms. I activities related to a number of different to encourage in our students. Recognizing began to bristle when he started a harangue subjects. In science studies, in which I my own limitations may help me be able on this topic. I offered counter-arguments. regularly mentor, I encourage students to to develop better strategies to help students Afterwards, I thought about this experience select a topic to study for a final research grow and develop in positive ways. and how I might have handled the situation paper and ask: “What is known about X?” differently. They are encouraged to seek appropriate

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 43 sources to examine the topic and compare So too, the mentor/student relationship References and contrast the evidence they find. can be a positive one that fosters learning and development rather than just the Andolina, M. (2001). Critical thinking for The mentor can help guide the student in reproduction of a hierarchical situation working students. Albany, NY: Delmar/ this process of becoming a more critical of professor as an authority figure and Thomson Learning. thinker and moving along in the process of student as he or she who knows nothing. transformation by the following: Baumgartner, L. M. (2001). An update In addition, Baumgartner (2001), for on transformational learning. In S. B. • articulating assumptions example, reminds us that the process of Merriam (ed.), The new update on transformational learning involves emotions • engaging in critical self-reflection adult learning theory (pp.15 - 24). San – often strong ones. New ideas may threaten Francisco: Jossey-Bass, New Directions • acknowledging and becoming open to a student’s world view, and we should for Adult and Continuing Education. alternative viewpoints be aware of the possible psychological implications of such change and be prepared Berg, D. H. (1993). Experience can be the • being encouraged to enter into to offer some strategies to help students deal worst teacher. The Journal for Quality discourse on a topic with their emotions during this process. and Participation. 16(2), 24 - 27. • revisiting assumptions and perspectives Another source that I have used in the study Bolman, L. G. and Deal, T. E. (1997). • acting on revisions, behaving, talking of organizational behavior that has helped Reframing organizations: Artistry, in a way that is congruent with students examine different perspectives Choice and Leadership (second edition). transformational assumptions or is a book by Bolman and Deal (1997), San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. perspectives (Cranton, 2002). Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice Boud, D., Cohen, R. and Walker, D. and Leadership. The book focuses on Cranton (2002) notes that “it is easier and (1993). Understanding learning from examining situations in organizations from safer to maintain habits of mind than to experience, in D. Boud, R. Cohen and various perspectives. Such examples of change. It may take a significant or dramatic D. Walker (eds.). Using experience for multiple-perspective-taking can be applied to event to lead us to question assumptions or learning. Buckingham, UK: SRHE and many different situations (at home, at work, beliefs” (p. 65). However, she also writes Open University Press, 1 - 17. in the community) and can help our students about gradual incremental processes that consider how to reframe their thinking to Brookfield, S. Understanding and facilitating may lead to a change of perspective. In any see things from several different viewpoints. adult learning. San Francisco: Jossey- event, it is not a simple process and there are Bass. no simple explanations for why such change Developing what we imagine to be an occurs or does not. She describes different “open mind” is not easy for anyone to do. Cranton, P. (2002). Teaching for types of knowledge. Of particular relevance We are all subject to the influences of our transformation. In J. M. Ross-Gordon is “emancipatory knowledge,” “the self- particular life experiences and to the power (ed.), Contemporary viewpoints on awareness that frees us from constraints, is a of ideas, institutions and social expectations teaching adults effectively. (pp. 63 - product of critical reflection and crucial self- over our responses to and understanding 71). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, New reflection” (p. 64): of just about anything and everything. Directions for Adult and Continuing However, if we develop and maintain open Education. An individual becomes aware of relationships with our students while we holding a limiting or distorted view. If Daloz, L. A. (1986). Effective teaching and work together to develop and refine our the individual critically examines this mentoring. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. critical-thinking skills, we will find that we view, opens herself to alternatives and will continue to learn and grow along with Gadbow, N. F. (1985). A time between: consequently changes the way she sees our students. The goal of our efforts as The full-time adult undergraduate. things, she has transformed some part mentors is “The fundamental growth of the (Doctoral dissertation, Syracuse of how she makes meaning out of the mind, transformational learning, qualitative University, 1985). world (Cranton, 2002, p. 64). changes in how the student knows, not Gadbow, N. F. (2002). Teaching all When such change occurs, the student just what the student knows” (Kegan, p. learners as if they are special. In J. M. is now willing to examine, explore and 273). As we help our students become more Ross-Gordon (ed.), Contemporary discover new information, not limited to critical thinkers, we also seek to continue viewpoints on teaching adults his or her personal or group beliefs or past to grow and be open to new learning and effectively. (pp. 51 - 61). San Francisco: experience. The student is becoming more perspectives for ourselves. Jossey-Bass, New Directions for Adult aware of and open to asking challenging and and Continuing Education. demanding questions about a topic.

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 44

Gadbow, N. F. and Du Bois, D. A. Knowles, M.S. (1980). The modern practice Mezirow, J. (1991). Transformative (1998). Adult learners with special of adult education: From pedagogy to dimensions of adult learning. San needs: Strategies and resources for andragogy (second edition). New York: Francisco: Jossey-Bass. postsecondary education and workplace Cambridge Books. Paul, R. P. and Elder, L. (2004). The training. Malabar, FL: Krieger. Merriam, S. B., Mott, V. W. and Lee, M. Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking. Kegan, R. (1994). In over our heads: (1996). Learning that comes from Dillon Beach, CA: The Foundation for The mental demands of modern life. the negative Interpretation of life Critical Thinking. Lee, M. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University experience. Studies in Continuing Press. Education, 18(1), 1 - 23.

The iceberg metaphor, often used to describe the amount of hidden learning all of us possess and about which we are unaware, effectively depicts our challenge in discovering what lies beneath the surface. We continue to struggle to find ways of uncovering it, as individuals, organizations, communities and countries. Because classroom learning is still seen as the only learning that really counts, individuals with uncredentialed knowledge, skills and abilities face huge attitudinal, structural and financial barriers. And while PLAR [Recognition of Prior Learning] continues to be about equity, access and social inclusion, it may be economics and our current skills shortage that provide the catalyst to jettison PLAR into the mainstream of Canadian life.

– Bonnie Kennedy, “Recognition of Prior Learning in Canada: Thoughts for Today – Hopes for Tomorrow” CAEL Forum and News, fall 2006

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING Rock, Snow, Trees and a Cow

Photography by Lee Herman, Central New York Center

Rail Bridge, Owasco Inlet Snow Slide, Lake Ontario

Milkweed Against Snow

Snow Flow, Lake Ontario Rock Skin 10, Utah

Layers and Flow Above Snow Canyon, Utah

Rock Skin 1, Utah A Cow in the Woods

Leaf and Gravel, West Hill Road 49

Found Things Ten Out of Thirty

Ernest Palola and Paul Bradley, Empire State College Office of Research and Evaluation

In May 1973, Empire State College’s Office ANITA orders from the person in front of the of Research and Evaluation published a room. I think I know how they feel, 60-page report, “Ten Out of Thirty: Studies Anita is a highly independent and motivated inferior. I only felt good about the of the First Graduates of Empire State person, extremely active in community orientation myself because I already College.” Students had begun to study at projects and committees. Her experience knew [my mentor] pretty well. the college in the fall of 1971. As the report at Empire State College was an extension At the orientation workshop Anita filled noted, “the college spent much of its first of these activities. One can see clearly her out the Student Information Form. On this, year trying to develop rational academic initiative when reading about her project in she described herself as generally an average and procedural policies. However, because the family court. person in academic ability, ambitions and students were already enrolled, the pace nita has long been active in political beliefs. Where she differs is the was hectic for all.” In order to take stock of many types of community action strength of her feelings on educational its academic progress, Palola and Bradley A programs. Thus, her six months’ issues. Anita agrees strongly that “college asked our “first graduates” two basic study in this area at Empire State College grades should be abolished,” that “open questions: “Who are the people who are merely culminated 15 years of interest and admission should be adopted by all publicly trying, somewhat against the current, to involvement. A tally sheet in her portfolio supported colleges,” and that “colleges implement this vitally needed educational is impressive: three years of PTA leadership, would be improved if organized sports alternative?” and “Who are the students two years of working in a community were de-emphasized.” She also disagrees who seek out such a place and what makes center, one year working in an inner-city strongly that “college officials have the right them want to become embroiled in a new daycare center, one year teaching, one year to regulate student behavior off campus,” institution?” They worked with a sample of developing a new high school report card that “student publications should be cleared 10 students from the three original regional system and working with an elementary by college officials,” and that “college learning centers (Albany, Manhattan and school reading group, four years directing officials have the right to ban persons with Rochester), who were among the 30 who a YWCA literature class, two years in a extreme views from speaking on campus.” graduated in the fall of 1972. Each student preschool mothers’ group, and one year The firmness of these responses is perhaps was involved in “lengthy, tape-recorded developing a community participation partially explained by Anita’s special interest interviews about their experiences with program. In addition, Anita attended in programs for young children which Empire State College,” materials that two local institutions over the years, a “ … build on the natural interests and became the basis for this report. community college and a university, and skills of the child.” Many of her previous completed a total of 46 semester hours. She experiences have been with such programs What follows are two of the interviews is, as indicated on the Omnibus Personality and, as her mentor notes: contained in the Palola/Bradley report, Inventory, an independent person with little one of “Anita” and the other of “Mike.” fear of attempting new things and great Anita tends to be wholly reliant Thanks, as always, to Richard Bonnabeau, concern for others. upon self-determination as the most director for academic programming in the humanistic process for learning … this Center for International Programs and The community activities engaged in by view also characterized her criticism Empire State College historian, whose Anita are those of someone from a well to of the Great Books discussions: when archival work and whose care for our do family but Anita also has experienced open and unpremeditated, it is likely to past is crucial to unearthing these “found another side of things. She was a grade 10 be good. If it is structured by the leader, things.” dropout. This seems to affect her perspective even for a set of questions which are on many things. Anita describes her Empire exploratory, it is unsuccessful. State College orientation session as: Anita’s program of study at Empire State … A room full of people just like me College was built upon her interest in – people chomping at the bit. They children and evolved into law and social needed a real piece of paper. The action. Her first contract, begun at her average age was about 35. Those initiative two months before the formal with no college experience were quite opening of her regional learning center, frustrated and confused. Such people related readings in Piaget, Bruner and tend to be quiet and ready to take

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Whitehead to her own observations of Anita’s final three month contract included they shouldn’t have changed the rules in children. Performance on this one month writing the final draft of her family court the middle of the game. contract convinced the mentor that Anita study and also allowed her to explore The committee gave her 30 months credit was ready to embark on a study of family community and social agency areas for for her learning. Despite the strong feelings courts. Characteristically, Anita had already future research. The mentor notes in his about what happened with her portfolio, started. Her mentor notes: evaluation that: Anita still thinks that granting advanced She was in the Church Women’s League The student made significant standing on the basis of a portfolio which had begun a court-watching adjustments to the unpredictable data is a “great idea. I have recently been exercise aimed at observation and which developed in her examination recommending to people generally that they perhaps comment. But Anita, when of other research possibilities similar make lists of what they have done as a way she goes into something, goes in all the to the family court project … The to figure out where to go next.” way. student’s breadth of information and Anita was independent enough that she experience now enables her to move Anita explains: came to the learning center “only every easily and competently into new areas two weeks or so” but she thinks that most I was interested in the family courts of investigation. students need a counselor, “a supportive and decided to find out how families Assessment of prior learning proved in some person who can give a student lots of and children get caught up in them. ways a sour experience for Anita. She had time. Many students cannot relate to their I observed and interviewed the court responded well to the original Empire State mentors for a while.” This viewpoint came staff, people at related community College statements about credits for life’s out of a fair number of contacts with other agencies, and people in the community experiences. Empire State College students at the first few with past involvement in court actions. orientation workshops and at an open picnic I’d saved everything. I made a chart Out of this came a great deal of data, a held at her house. She feels that “Empire of the organizations and agencies record of feelings and attitudes of several State College students should get together that I’d been in. I then invented a hundred people. Anita used the interview more often and be involved in every part of weight scale: one full day a week was data to write a report which she submitted the college operations, especially assessment worth one-fourth of an academic year. for evaluation to several people: an attorney, of prior learning.” Fortunately, I didn’t have to reach too a jail minister, a judge, a representative of hard. For example, I did not have to In evaluating her cognitive and affective the local bail fund and a representative of ask for credit for being a Girl Scout improvements, Anita rates her growth the local ecumenical court-watchers group. leader because I’d been a PTA president mainly in the middle and above middle All assessed the report favorably as did the where I really learned. Eight hours a categories in interpersonal competence, mentor. The report was then published and day on that. I found that developing awareness, self reliance, self understanding, distributed into the community. the portfolio was fun and worthwhile. knowledge, evaluation and comprehension. Looking back at this contract, Anita recalls: I gathered up all the notebooks and got She sees only one very high area of growth, them organized. clarification of purpose. … working 12 to 14 hours a day but that was because I was so enthusiastic However, by the time she had completed Anita says that the best part of Empire State about what I was doing. I spent five her requirements for advanced standing, the College was: hours interviewing on weekdays. This college had solidified its thinking into the … knowing that SUNY considered was tricky because no one was allowed notion that a portfolio should demonstrate this type of education possible and in the court without special permission “prior learning” and not “experience.” desirable. I am afraid that they may from the principals. Some gave it freely. Thus, the Assessment Committee at Anita’s someday ruin the college with too many However, I learned much of what I center asked her to write an essay on what regulations. The worst experience? learned in the corridors. The interviews she had learned from the many experiences. Assessment. An example of too many then had to be written up. Reading and Anita remembers: regulations. research took the rest of the time. I got miffed. They had reviewed the Anita is having no trouble selling her degree She also had some evaluative comments: “I portfolio without me and asked me to anyone. “I would not have been able to found that most social workers, attorneys to write a paper. They knew my work get interviews for at least a half dozen jobs if and judges are not thinking philosophically anyhow and I’d already spent three it were a problem.” about what they’re doing. They also don’t weeks getting the stuff together so I know much about what kinds of things appealed the decision. I went to the people went through before getting to them. committee and it was like being on the This can make them insensitive to the needs operating table but they gave in. I guess of the people.” the committee was especially careful because they wanted the Empire State College degree to mean something but

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MIKE several opportunities for post secondary While Mike is generally complimentary in education. He was one of the initial students describing his orientation, he did criticize Until Empire State College, Mike has spent at a new community college near his plant the administration of two standardized years seeking a college where he could but “ … the company wouldn’t cooperate. questionnaires, the Survey of College pursue a degree without jeopardizing his They wouldn’t let me come in 15 - 20 Achievement and the Omnibus Personality present job and family responsibilities. His minutes late one day a week. They were Inventory, as inappropriate for many: program of studies in labor was definite and afraid to set a precedent … ” Later when To get students like me, you must well thought out. An informal assessment of on the night shift, he convinced another realize that the hopes, dreams and prior learning took into account his depth area college to accept him as its first ever aspirations of a lot of people in this of experience in the labor movement and in part time day student. This went well for industrial age have been put on the labor journalism. Mike proved an excellent two months until his shift changed. The shelf. You have to make this as easy fit with Empire State College, achieving his classes went. Next came courses in the a translation as possible. Guys like purpose and gaining some further areas of evening division of another area institution. me are reluctant to participate in a interest that he will continue to pursue. By driving for two hours on three nights a stringent testing program because of the week, he completed 8 credit hours. These Mike learned about Empire State College embarrassment that is involved. through a newspaper article in winter 1971 frustrating experiences made Mike quickly which discussed the theories and no-campus recognize the lack of a fixed class schedule Another form that the students filled out aspects of the college. As he clipped the as a key advantage of Empire State College. during the final session at the orientation workshop was the Student Information article out and put it in his file “Education,” Mike describes his orientation workshop, Form. Several of Mike’s responses on the he remembers saying to his wife: the college’s first, as “ … chaotic … SIF reveal a low degree of self-confidence in confusing for everyone who was there.” Somebody in higher education has academic areas at this stage in his Empire However, since it was the college’s first and finally brought himself to the level of State College career. Mike listed his highest because Mike had faith in the college staff, the working class and recognized the degree of aspiration as an Associate in he overlooked much of the confusion and connection between the experience of a Arts. He also rated himself below average enjoyed most of the sessions: lifetime and education. in academic ability and originality and When Empire State College later located There were lots of questions: What will in the lowest 10 percent in artistic and its Coordinating Center in Mike’s town, he this college use for a transcript? How mathematical abilities. Furthermore, Mike decided to investigate and “ … arrived to will you evaluate past experiences? responded that there was a “very good see a building full of painters, carpenters, How many hours will I carry? I did chance” that he might need extra time electricians and a few administrators. I felt not ask any questions because I felt to complete his degree requirements and at home when (the director of admissions) if they are committed to what they that he might “fail one or more study interviewed me while we sat on two large say in that little phrase ‘credit for programs.” One interesting variation to low cartons.” life’s experiences;’ if the chancellor self-confidence responses is Mike’s belief recognizes it, if the trustees recognize that his writing ability is in the “top 10 “Home” to Mike is a blue-collar world. He it, if everyone in higher education percent” and that this might well lead him married young, and shortly after started recognizes it, and they are really willing to publish an article while in college. work in a factory. He spent the next 18 to lay it on the line and say ‘you can A second pattern found by analyzing the SIF years on an assembly line. During this time, do this – we are willing to go this far if is Mike’s liberalism. He identified himself he became deeply involved in union affairs you are willing to apply yourself;’ then as a “liberal” and endorsed the following as financial secretary of the local for nine that is all I had in mind. I didn’t want statements: “strongly agree that the Federal years, president and bargaining chairman to muddy it up. for four years, and delegate to numerous Government is not doing enough to control regional, national and international This first orientation, lasting two days and pollution,” “strongly agree that the Federal conventions and subcouncils. To prepare for nights, was the longest ever held by Empire Government is not doing enough to protect these responsibilities, he took part in several State College and allowed much informal consumers from faulty goods and services,” noncredit leadership training sessions at banter. While Mike drifted quietly through “strongly agree that the Federal Government such places as the UAW Education Center in the formal sessions, he did not remain silent is not doing enough to promote school Michigan. all of the time: desegregation,” “somewhat disagree that there is too much concern for the rights of A gratifying experience was the interest Mike describes his most important personal criminals in courts” and “strongly disagree expressed by my fellow students in me. concerns as: “ … number one, to always that college officials have been too lax in I probably answered more questions support my family, and number two, to dealing with student protests on campus.” than the mentors in the small group improve their lot as a family, to make our Such responses seem on the surface much meetings … lots about labor unions and life better.” These somewhat conflicting more typical of an 18-year old son of a the labor movement. security and ambition motivations caused college professor than of a 35 year old life Mike first to grab and then relinquish long factory worker.

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After orientation, Mike and his mentor The paper was both literate and background and his goals. After examining quickly began developing a program of resourceful, moving easily between Mike’s rich experiences as documented in study. Mike came to Empire State College theory and reality, and demonstrating the portfolio, the Assessment Committee with the idea of working around a Wayne both a fine historical sense and a rather made its recommendation. Mike received State “canned” program on labor studies impressive ability to execute a study in the maximum allowable advanced standing which included components of psychology, comparative sociology. toward the Associate in Arts degree. sociology, philosophy, collective bargaining, Furthermore, the committee suggested that … Mike wrote an extremely interesting American History, constitutional law, etc. he reapply for more credit toward a B.A. paper relating the ideas of these men Together with the mentor, Mike compared upon completion of the A.A. Thus, in the to the world in which they lived. these areas with his life experiences to end, Mike received a total of 23 months Often, throughout the paper, Mike determine weak areas. This led to a cohesive advanced standing, 15 toward the A.A. made telling and well substantiated program of study centered around the plus eight more after this plateau. Mike judgments as to how well their ideas history of labor and the working class. The was pleased with the assessment but, again and organizations met the demands of mentor’s rationale for this program was “ … revealing an uninflated opinion of his self- the reality. Additionally, as he has done to remove me from narrowness and give me accomplishments, admits that he would “... throughout his studies, he has been able a complete picture of the world wide labor not have even considered questioning the to begin relating this early history of the movement.” Committee’s judgment no matter what the labor movement to his own historical decision.” Mike’s two contracts (half time) leading to experiences as an organizer within the his Associate in Arts with concentration on union. Mike is most favorable toward the idea of labor studies are models of consistency with granting credit for life’s experiences but, Mike is one of the best undergraduate variety. The scope of the first contract on the thinking of what attracted him to Empire students that I have been in contact history of the labor movement is: State College, criticizes the college’s recent with. change to the expression, “assessment of … broad, ranging from mid-19th Mike’s second contract – lasting one month prior learning.” century political/labor tracks through – explored the sociology of work: “those the condition of the early 20th You may have narrowed the number ways in which factory work affects the century factory laborers, early labor of people who apply here … If you social existence and perceptions of working organizing, surveying the way in tell them that you will give credit for class people.” By this time, Mike had which industrialists tried to answer the ‘learning’ you are going to scare a lot of decided to continue his studying beyond challenges laid on them by both labor people away because all they are sure the AA so the second contract became a and the productive mode itself and they know is how to put the same nut feed-in to a larger research project also ending with a research project which in the same hole over and over again on the sociology of work which was to be touched on all of the preceding. and most of us don’t consider that completed after the associate’s degree. The ‘learning.’ I see Empire State College as The contract featured extensive readings contract involved reading both classical a tool to channel this deadening activity including Marx, Engels, Eugene Debs, and current sociological literature related to into a time for thinking. You can stand Upton Sinclair, Samuel Gompers; a film the workers: Lynd and Lynd, Middletown; in front of a plant and ask 50 guys how titled The Organizer starring Marcello Zola, Germinal; Sillitoe, Saturday Night much ‘learning’ they’ve had in the last Mastroianni; and conference with a tutor and Sunday Morning; etc. It also included 10 years and they will say ‘what are who helped to define the topics of the major a paper which was a proposal for the later you, some kind of screw?’ But if you research paper on “The General Motors project. The mentor’s evaluation was again ask about ‘life’s experiences,’ they’ll tell Sit Down Strike, 1936 - 37.” Evaluation complimentary: you what they have learned. Some work of the contract was based on a student In addition to reading significant with OEO, a lot are craftsmen, a lot journal, conferences between the mentor and writings and formulating an approach paint, some are music bugs, many are student, the research paper, and several short to his forthcoming research. Mike once involved with kids’ programs. After a papers on such questions as: again demonstrated a good deal of guy gets in, it is up to you professionals How did the Communist Manifesto resourcefulness and self-determination to see how much he has learned. A few attempt to meet the needs of the in locating people and materials which want something for nothing but no one working class people in the mid 19th aided his understanding of the general expects it. Most just want a fresh start. century? How did Marx define the problem. Mike’s overall feelings about his mentor are working class? The owner class? Mike was one of the first Empire State most positive. He described their bi-weekly Given your own experiences both in College students to request a large amount meetings, two lunches and multiple phone the factory and out, how did these of advanced standing for primarily informal calls as extremely sociable, interesting, definitions relate to you? experiences. The portfolio was exemplary intuitive, sincere, free, successful and Mike’s papers drew much praise from his and showed clearly the ways in which the pleasurable: mentor: program of studies was tying together his

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I was fortunate. I honestly believe I growth while at Empire State College high briefs. I find I am able to analyze had the perfect mentor for me. He in awareness, self consistency, knowledge, critically and in an organized way. I fitted me like a hand in a glove. The comprehension, evaluation and application. also can cross examine more easily. whole theory of the college is unique Mike had difficulty in identifying the single Mike came to Empire State College as an and this guy is unique in himself as an best experience at Empire State but settled “uneducated” working man. He had little educator. If this school is to survive, on “ … receiving the A.A. I’m the first in job security (as was proven when he was it needs guys like him. I was amazed my family to accomplish this and we all laid off for several months while an Empire at his versatility, his flexibility, his shared the happiness. Also, my children State College student), little job satisfaction, uncanny knack of being able to put in were impressed with how hard I worked and little reason to expect things to get front of me materials that I would find to get the degree.” He has used this degree better. Empire State College has meant to interesting but I would never have read with immediate success. Mike is now an Mike the realization of his goals. He now in a lifetime. international servicing representative for the has a degree which has brought him pride Mike’s evaluation of his growth and UAW with responsibilities for interfacing and more self confidence. He also has a development in terms of the college grievances at plants in New England and more secure and better paying job and objectives were mixed which mostly reflects upstate New York as well as handling is considering graduate school. As Mike his high degree of personal development the union’s regional public relations and summarizes: upon entry to Empire State College. He editing a new regional newspaper. In these My career put me on first base, I got rated his growth very low on interpersonal activities, he notes that the Empire State to second base because of my many life competence, self reliance and understanding College experience sharpened his abilities experiences, I got to third base because of others feeling that these were strong and broadened his outlook toward union I was able to document them, and I got points to begin with. He rated his growth management relations: home because of Empire State College more towards the middle of the scale in I’ve been doing a lot of work with and my mentor. clarification of purpose, self-understanding arbitration cases lately, mostly writing and intellectual synthesis. Lastly, he rated his

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On Learning to Play the Cello at 60: A Study in Polyphony

David Starr-Glass, Center for International Programs

The idea … is not a subjective individual- more often than not, it is not possible psychological formation with ‘permanent to distinguish between purpose and resident rights’ in a person’s head; no, the destination. In Italo Calvino’s Invisible idea is inter-individual and inter-subjective Cities [Le citta`] there is an ongoing – the realm of its existence is not individual dialogue between Marco Polo and the consciousness but dialogic communion Great Khan: between consciousnesses. The idea is “Journeys to relive your past?” was a live event, played out at the point of the Khan’s question at this point, a dialogic meeting between two or several question which also could have been consciousnesses. (Bakhtin, 1984 p. 88). formulated; “Journeys to recover your future?” And Marco’s answer was: Introduction “Elsewhere is a negative mirror. The traveler recognizes the little that is his, his reflection on dialogue and discovering the much he does not have otherness salient, but certainly and never will have.”(Calvino, 1997 not restricted to, the process of T p. 29). the mentor engagement, was inspired by an exchange of correspondence with The First Voice David Starr-Glass Elana Michelson, and is dedicated to her. Earlier drafts have benefited greatly from I tell him that I have always wanted to play mandolin. My narrative simply does not the shared thoughts and suggestions of the cello and that now, it seems to me, is work, or if it does, it leaves out too much many friends with whom I am in perpetual an appropriate time to begin. He smiles. and does not include enough. I adore music? dialogue1. That notwithstanding, all errors I don’t tell him that there also is a sense No – too insipid, too bland. The truth is and deficiencies in this piece are uniquely of foolishness, or perhaps it is something that I have a deep and burning passion for and inevitably my own. more painful and more distanced, in even music. I want to enter into the sound, into considering learning the cello in my 60th In many ways this short piece is the harmony and into the intricate weaving year. Yet he seems to have heard something retrospective although it was not my intent of the resonating tapestry. I want to explore beyond my words and, sipping thoughtfully to dwell in, or on, the past. In many ways my unsung voice and my artful shuttle, on his coffee, he asks me why I would really it also is commemorative – I have, after incorporating my own expression of being like to play. all, entered my 60th year of living and in the weave. Now he hears that and so do my 25th year of being associated with the My narrative already there waiting to I. He smiles and puts the coffee aside. Empire State College collegiate community: be used: pre-constructed, fashioned over And why, he asks gently, do you seem so definitely reasons for celebration. But that the years and perfected recently, and yet often to apologize for your age? A question, celebration is more of the present, albeit somehow as I recite it, the words seem too but it’s really an answer to something a present grounded in what has been – a artificially smooth, too superficial, and that I didn’t say. He looks at me, our eyes “perpetual possibility” in my “world of too unused. My first love, I tell him – I maintaining contact. Many people start speculation,” as T. S. Eliot suggests; the have settled for a romantic turn. I was 14 to play musical instruments when they celebration of being on a journey; and a and Jacqueline du Preé was 16. I heard a are older. You will learn quickly; you will celebration which is more calmly reflective live broadcast of her playing at a Henry play well and enjoy it. You already have a than triumphal. Wood Promenade Concert: the Elgar cello cultivated musical ear; you will know what concerto. Her presence was incredible, her The metaphors and images invoked here you want to achieve. You will have fun. The playing beyond anything that I could have are taken mainly from music and maps and answers, it would seem, to other unasked imagined. In that moment there was a transitions, but metaphor is not always questions – or, rather, to questions that did passionate adoration of her and of the cello. intended or even suggested. These thoughts not knowingly fill either of our mouths. simply reflect the position that we are all He looks at me. He is a gentle, caring And when I meet Noa, my teacher, she has on journeys with multiple purposes and person. He also is astute and a musician, laughing eyes and smile that never leaves her with multiple possible destinations; and, an internationally recognized player of the

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 55 mouth. We talk and laugh and both know the other: to the words spoken, to the words in the darkness of the veranda and I will that we can begin this journey together: and that remain unsaid. understand this moment more clearly and we do. But, I say, there’s one small problem: with the deepest gratitude. I will recall more Before tonight, we have exchanged a I don’t have a cello. Another smile, quite honestly that what he taught me was not hundred e-mails and in one, he tells me that impish this time. She picks up her phone about the disposal of spent cigarettes but he sometimes meditates on L’infinito, by and calls a friend, a luthier here in the center more about the wind rustling in the plants Giacomo Leopardi:2 of Jerusalem. Yes, he makes cellos. Yes, he and the infinite silence and the occurrence of will rent one to me for a few months until E come il vento eternity. I see how the lessons go. Now, there being Odo stormir tra queste piante, io quello I think of the world into which we were no further impediment, we agree to start Infinito silenzio a questa voce created, a world that was supposed to be mastering the cello next week. Vo comparando: e mi sovvien l’eterno, constructed of crystal-clear vessels designed E le morte stagioni, e la presente How do you communicate the wonder of to hold and display the unimaginable, E viva, e il suon di lei. Cosi tra questa getting fingers in the right place at the right pristine, primordial light. But in containing Immensita s’annega il pensier mio: time? Or how do you explain the wonder the uncontainable He erred, naturally E il naufragar m’è [m’e, with grave over the of bowed strings vibrating through your contradicting His own self-imposed limits, e] dolce in questo mare. body? Or how do you describe the magic and the vessels shattered and the world was when you enter into the notes themselves And as I hear the wind born in a tsunami of incandescent light and and into the harmony and weave your own Rustle through these plants, I compare shards of the fractured vessels: debris of lost tapestry of sound? Often, we play duets and That infinite silence to this voice: possibilities, of futures not achieved. it’s difficult to explain that although we are and I recall to mind eternity, Condemmed – or it is content? – to sitting physically well apart we are brought And the dead seasons, and the one present journey in a landscape of broken vessels close together on waves of sound. And alive, and the sound of it. So in this and scattered light. I am thinking of His Immensity my thinking drowns: And when I strain too conscientiously to infallibility and of His error. A God that, And to shipwreck is sweet for me in this sea. read the stream of notes and when I move we are told, does not play with dice but fingers too laboriously to produce the who, it seems, sometimes accidentally drops intended sounds, Noa will call over to me: them on the floor: the ultimate comfort, or “David, don’t play notes – make music!” And when I strain too perhaps the ultimate heresy. And I hear a And it’s always at that moment that I get resonance with the ever-present existentialist below the waves and enter the sea and, conscientiously to read concern, captured so sharply by R. D. Laing despite stinging eyes, move with growing the stream of notes and (Laing, 1967 p. 33), “There’s nothing to be confidence through the oceanic flow of afraid of. The ultimate reassurance and the sound. when I move fingers too ultimate terror.” Nothing – the absence of laboriously to produce anything – as comfort; nothing as dread. The Second Voice the intended sounds, Definition of a Jewish atheist: Someone who We sit in the darkness of a veranda. We have keeps apologizing to God because he/she come to this ancient port on the Dalmatian Noa will call over to me: cannot believe in Him. An ongoing journey coast to study Croatian language. We met “David, don’t play notes though the knee-deep debris of those here as strangers last year; this year we are shattered primordial worlds – worlds of no longer strangers. Earlier in the evening, I – make music!” unrealized possibility, worlds of impossible walked by the sea and marveled that it was perfection, looking among razor-edged heaving phosphorescent waves against the shards for tiny fragments of occluded light: shore but we can’t see those waves or hear Tikkun Ha’Olam. Wind rustling in the plants, that infinite them from where we sit. silence and a sweet shipwreck loaming. I have walked among the dark brittle, There are pale stars overhead, not broken, razor-edged fragments for so many He flicks his cigarette end high into the extinguished by the light pollution of years, searching for pinpoints of light. Sitting air. It sails and summersaults like a dying the town. We are drinking ice-cold beer, in the darkness of the veranda, I discover firefly in the dark. Last night, I commented smoking Marlboro reds. I used not to occluded lights. I see points of scintillating on his dexterity and he revealed the finer smoke but here I always do, simply presence poking through the fine veil of details of the elegant maneuver. But it was because he does. We talk of this and that; clouds: bright pinpricks outlining the town not that flick of the finger that I was really fragments tossed out sometimes played that lies beyond us. I see a trajectory of light asking about and it was not really that with, sometimes considered, sometimes left in the dying firefly that was his finished which he showed me. In a few months time, alone undisturbed. In the silence there is a cigarette. I see wisps of phosphorescence when I flare with selfish anger at a seeming continuum. In the fractured thoughts there ripple through the air as we talk about slight, I will remember this moment sitting is an almost perfect dialogue. We listen to nothing, and about everything.

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I am holding his hand. His fingers tighten promises to think some more and send me around mine. We sit in silent communion another e-mail. watching the clouds slowly moving over the I wonder. Marek, you don’t want to enter As my body resonates stars. this scary slalom, do you? You don’t want with the open G-string, to demonstrate suitable critical awareness The Third Voice and thoughtful judgment, remain upright, I wonder if perhaps the He is one of my undergraduate students and getting to the finishing tape with a sound actually comes in Prague and describes himself as credible academic paper, do you? You want “problematic.” That always causes me to explore what interests you and the price from within me: it seems some concern. He asks if he can write his of oil and the value of kidneys are actually to be part of me. I close undergraduate dissertation on the price something that have become part of our of oil. Well, I begin, that is an interesting human and social experience. You will be my eyes and come to subject, but will you simply be documenting doing the writing; I will be doing the reading rely on the dialogue the historic changes in that price, or will – so who is the third party that I keep you be trying to explain something – cause, seeing over my shoulder? Why is that reader between touch and sound effect, market, you know that sort of thing? more privileged than you or I? What is the produced. He prefers not to answer; or perhaps he dissertation meant to do? What is it meant can’t; or perhaps he wonders why I am to do for me – and for you? asking such dead and desiccated questions? But I don’t tell him this, well not now, one, if transferred to another, will produce He was excited about the current high price because other things are happening. a note a musical fifth higher, or lower. And of oil but now he is not sure why he should although you might have an appreciation of be so excited and it shows: the brightness It’s at this point that he shares with me his the physics of note production and harmony, in his eye seems to have faded – I wonder contention that he is a problematic student. I you learn to play by listening. She refers to if this is yet another brilliant spark that my wonder if this is a statement; or is it perhaps this as our common geography. And it is dark shadow has occluded. He promises to not a statement but the answer to a question the potential tonal map on the fingerboard; think some more about his options and send that he thought that I had intended? I flush a gradually explored territory that lies out me another e-mail. with embarrassment. You’re not problematic there on the unfretted fingerboard of my I say, stung into genuine humility by his use And he does. This time he has read a cello. of the word. Who has the problem, Marek? fascinating article about organ transplants. Who has the problem? But, of course, I That spatial geography of finger positions He will write a 50-page description of don’t say this to him either, although it is a is overlaid on an invisible landscape of the market in human body parts. As part part of our conversation and we both know potential tones; that landscape is reflected, of his analysis, he will examine supply it, even although it will remain unsaid. but not reproduced, on the sheet music and demand and the determination of that sits before me on the music stand. In equilibrium prices for kidneys, and hearts, I wait for his next e-mail. I will probably turn those black marks on the score map and livers, and all of the other human offal send him one myself, perhaps today. yet another landscape, one that originally of this particular trade. And I do. A few weeks later I meet him in existed only for the composer. And there is Marke, I say – Marke is the vocative Prague and take him out to lunch. I had yet another journey through the landscape case of the Czech name Marek (Mark): I forgotten how bright his eyes were and we that must be attempted: to produce music am trying to demonstrate my rather slim sit and discuss the market in human body (not sound), which is informed by my own grammatical credentials, hoping that this parts. He is so happy to be heard. He is so sense of music and the community, living dubious authority might spread over into happy to be listened to. He is excited. His and dead, of other cellists. the more general argument that I am about eyes sparkle. I try to persuade him to have Here, at the Jerusalem Music Center, I am to propose – Marke, that is indeed very dessert: I wonder if he understands that I am fortunate to be always given a front row interesting, but … . really trying to apologize? seat at the chamber music performances; The “but” consists of asking him to reflect performances that take place in a small, Listening as a Function of Learning on a question: What is the dissertation intimate salon that doubles as a professional meant to do? He is unclear. We discuss There are four strings and eight positions on recording studio. I sit literally a few feet – well no, I tell him – that the dissertation is each string for the hands. At the beginning, away from some of the finest cellists in an opportunity to demonstrate an awareness I thought linearly, trying to appreciate the Israel, and indeed often in the world; of the relevant literature in business and tonal gradation that you could produce watching their hands, absorbing their music economic and analytical skills. Again he from a single string; exploring positions and listening even to their breath – breathing prefers not to answer; or, it now strikes me, of fingers and notes. Then the realization that anticipates the dynamics of the music, he feels reluctant to answer because there that there is a second dimension running and flows with the melodic line. I also was no obvious or satisfactory question. He across the strings; that a finger position on have learned to listen to Noa’s breathing.

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 57

Dialogues within dialogues, each meaningful more correctly to the reclamation, of what events of the past but rather the matrix from in its own right but all coalescing into a we see as alien in ourselves – or alien in which I am born. We spoke often of his single, magical whole. others. beloved Venice, La Serenissima Repubblica, and those little seeds germinated later Noa often encourages me to close my eyes More often, the discovery of otherness is when I studied the history of this maritime and rely on the ability to feel and hear: not directly linked to existentialist concerns republic (Lane, 1973) and, sitting alone and sight, she says, is one of the faculties that but to a broader system of knowing. I reading this text, I always hear his unasked you don’t really need to play the cello. We know that this has the pitch of the D above questions and his unvocalized comments. I always begin with a meditation on the open middle C because of a dialectical process entered with him into the light, the shade strings: generating smooth confident notes of interrogating what I have come to know and the subtle light reflected of Venice, even that come from this beautiful instrument with what I am presently doing. Part of that although I have only visited the city in my that has become part of me. When I do process is the relative position of fingers and dreams and imagination. this, I always close my eyes and move my the subtle, changing movement of eyebrows. bow through an unseen world: unseen but It is in this interrogation of otherness that As with Noa, eyebrows are always part of clearly remembered. As my body resonates I learn more about myself, as well as learn the dialogue, indeed eyebrows often indicate with the open G-string, I wonder if perhaps more about what is possible for me: an the nature of the underlying dialogue. the sound actually comes from within me: it enrichment of my being. Dialogues consist of at least three voices: seems to be part of me. I close my eyes and those of the two engaged in the exchange Let him rather remain outside of me, come to rely on the dialogue between touch and the third voice, which is consulted and for in that position he can see and and sound produced. referred to periodically for guidance, support know what I myself do not see and do and for direction. Sometimes the voices At the beginning, when I was starting to not know from my own place, and he converge; sometimes they remain distinct play, I would look over at her to see whether can essentially enrich the event of my and soar together in an amazing polyphonic the D above middle C, which I thought I own life (Bakhtin, 1990, p. 87). tapestry. Sometimes, as in the so-called was playing, was in tune. Now she asks That enrichment is always available but Magistral Dialogue, the first voice (taking me to confirm these notes myself, checking it is sometimes unrecognized, sometimes its role from the third voice) is leading, them automatically with open strings or ignored and sometimes unnourished. informing and correcting the second. Here, with a known fifth or octave or with some When it is recognized, and supported, it the third voice refers to a nonvocalized other recognized topographical feature of can be an intense experience not simply of “authoritative other.” Eyebrows are the tonal landscape. But I used to cheat. learning but of being. In those Dalmatian always a wonderful indicator of reliance Her eyebrows would go up just a fraction nights, he talked of European history and on the third voice – arching, quivering if the pitch were wrong – there was always provided me with knowledge that was new and contorting depending on whether the an almost imperceptible nod of her head and fresh. But he also allowed me to see dialogue is following the course dictated by when it was correct – a reliance on eyes myself, and my possible self, in a new and custom, or tradition, or recognized authority overcame the insistence on ears. And she previously undiscovered way – because (Cheyne and Tarulli, 1999). conspired, well initially at least, in this fraud history, personal or communal, is not the by signaling me, almost imperceptibly, in my It seemed natural when I first started to quest for the correct note. No more. Now teach, and even when I later attempted she remains poker-faced, well almost poker- to mentor, to use this dialogic style faced. Unspoken, perhaps even unintended … dialogue is the with students: I was always aware of, if dialogues. not consciously listening for, the third exchange with the authoritative other in our conversations. It And it is in these dialogues, these exchanges makes life so much easier. It defines roles that we make sense: we make meaning. All otherness of self – that and legitimizes performances. I always dialogues are encounters with otherness; which presently stands used to wonder whether there was some with that which is presently not understood, perceived ambiguity in my own role and or with that which still remains alien. outside the existential performance: a passing thought, and one Sometimes exchange can be an internal one map – and contributes to obviously not shared with the authoritative where the otherness encountered is the dark other. side of our own moon: mapping out the the discovery, or perhaps tentative domains of the social I-and-thou, more correctly to the But, as I came to understand more of or the metaphysical I-and-Thou (Buber, myself and to have less confidence with 1958); exploring the interaction between reclamation, of what we authoritative voices, I switched from the the I-and-me (Mead, 1934). From such a see as alien in ourselves – Magistral Dialogue to one in which the perspective, dialogue is the exchange with third voice is more reflective and capable the otherness of self – that which presently or alien in others. of sustaining the question without silencing stands outside the existential map – and it with a dogmatic certainty: the Socratic contributes to the discovery, or perhaps Dialogue. In the Socratic voice there is

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 58 reassurance but there also is risk; comfort As Alfred Korzybski famously remarked, the appreciation that it will inevitably bring but also challenge. Here, I listen more “the map is not the territory.” Maps are surprise and occluded possibilities – possibly clearly to what I say than to what the other translations of the territory and sometimes even shared tears and a closeness of souls says – not because of a disinterest in the even when the detail is incorrect, the sense (Starr-Glass, 2006). other but because of a concern, perhaps of there being a map with which to compare Mikhail Bakhtin (1984) argues that one of even doubt, in myself. experience can “calm us down” and lead the striking features of Dostoevsky’s novels to a discovery of what is, rather than of There is a third dialogic genre, the is the way in which the characters presented what is represented: maps of the Pyrenees Menippean Dialogue in which the third usually express, and retain, different should not help us find our way in the Alps, voice is mocking, playful, irreverent and voices – voices that persist and which are but strangely they can. Perhaps it is in the redolent of what Bakhtin calls “carnival” neither muted nor changed throughout the forceful disconnect between expectation on – carnival that brings childishness and progression of the work. It is this polyphony the map and observed reality in the territory chaos, and usually churlishness and conflict. – this multiplicity of voices sustained and that leads to further exploration and to the The mentoring relationship usually comes finding their own way through the work recognition of half-forgotten paths? Perhaps unstrung here; the dialogue losing its – that is so striking in Dostoevsky. From the it is the calmness of thinking that we direction, or purpose – or rather taking on outset, we know that otherwise quite similar become aware of possessing an inner map, a new direction and purpose that challenges characters in Tolstoy will gradually bend, which allows us to deal with ambiguity the imposition of authority or authoritative mold and conform – one might suggest that and strangeness? While the dynamics of voices or experience. Such things are rather they inevitably behave themselves and listen the process remain illusive, in the last refreshing. Carnival, of course, can be seen to Tolstoy’s own powerful and authoritative few years I have come to appreciate the as a preposterous assertion of the unvoiced, voice: they ultimately bow to their creator. veracity of Holub’s brief and extraordinary the difficult and the queer – it also can be While there are certainly those who would contemplation. seen as the carnal gate through which we disagree, in part at least, with such an must pass in order to see the depth of love Increasingly, I find that the otherness analysis (Wellek, 1980) for many captivated and concern incarnate (Michelson, 1999). encountered in maps – or indeed in the readers of Dostoevsky, it is his complex territory, or in the self – is not an aberration polyphonic layering that is so appealing and The Preservation of Polyphony or something that has to be resolved, memorable. These are the voices that ring in reconciled, or in some other way rendered our ears when the novel, or story, has been The Czech poet Miroslav Holub in a invisible. The tension between the voices read and laid aside. remarkable poem, “Brief Thoughts on is now better appreciated; the ear has Maps,” tells of a young Hungarian Perhaps this really is a retrospective grown subtler in detecting and holding this lieutenant who, during World War I, was viewing of so many dialogues – personal apparent dissonance. Certainly, I have slowly leading his patrol out into the Alps on a and professional (and perhaps it is often discovered that questions, when actually reconnaissance mission. It started to snow difficult to differentiate) – of which I have asked, can result in answers unexpected, and heavily and the commanding officer became been a part. And perhaps the thing that I that there is often a profound enrichment fearful for the men: they had been missing have learned is that while otherness always of self – and an appreciation of otherness, for several days in the frozen, mountainous exists, it often is a deep and unrecognized which might be the same thing – when terrain. But the young lieutenant reappeared part of self. The mystery of otherness I actively listen to both questions and with his patrol and when asked how he is not diminished when it dissolves in answers, articulated or left unsaid. had managed to navigate back to base, he recognition. The magic of otherness is not said that one of the men found a map in his When I see that his grades have plummeted lessened when we recognize its shadow pocket:3 during the semester, I can assume so many within self. Impoverishment of self is the possibilities and yet his answer is something, failure to recognize the other, the inability To nás uklidnilo which in my existentialist isolation, I to appreciate its proximal effect on our own Utábo could never have grasped. My realization learning and growth. That calmed us down. of selfishness, which is the antithesis of Learning to play the cello is not a metaphor self, is painful when I realize that I might We pitched camp, lasted out the snow storm for anything although it can be seen as one never have asked him what the problem and then with the map we discovered our and used as one. Rather, it is an engagement was – might never have shared his tears, bearings. with otherness and with the person that or shed my own when he told me about And here we are we were not previously. It is an excursion sneaking his younger sister, dying fast from into a new territory, with or without a The commanding officer’s relief turned inoperable cancer, out for a forbidden meal map. It is, or it has been my experience, to astonishment when he saw that the at McDonald’s. Engagement with the other a refining of my ability to hear the other proffered map was of the Pyreneans, not – with otherness – must begin with respect voice and to stay with that voice without the Alps. Holub always contended that the and a validation of that which is presently deserting my own – although, perhaps, poem depicted a true event about which a beyond self, seemingly alien and distanced. incrementally changing my voice in response close friend had told him. Engagement with otherness must begin with to the sustained tension or harmony that

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 59 exists between the voices. I have become Endnotes References simultaneously a speaker and a listener; 1 what I say is moderated by what I hear and I would like to express my thanks Bakhtin, M. M. (1990). Art and by the anticipation of what we might say and indebtedness to my friends and Answerability. Austin, TX: U of Texas together. colleagues within our own collegiate Press. community, Elana Michelson and ______. (1984). Problems of I am listening to the wind in the trees Alan Mandell, for their ongoing Dostoevsky’s Poetics. Trans. Caryl and the far off sound of the waves on dialogue, encouragement and Emerson. Minneapolis: University of the Dalmatian coast. I am listening to the presence. I also would like to thank Minnesota Press. noiseless flight of the spiraling cigarette my very dear and thoughtful friends end that glows faintly in the darkness. I am who have commented eruditely and Buber, M. (1958). I and Thou. Trans. by listening to what he says and what he does added graciously to initial drafts of Ronald Gregor Smith. New York: not say as we sit under a starry sky that is this article – Helen Potts, a faculty Charles Scribner’s Sons. being invaded by clouds. I am listening to member of the University of North Calvino, I. (1997). Invisible Cities. Trans. Noa and, as we play together, realize that Texas, and Stephan Sander, a doctorial William Weaver. London: Vintage I am not listening to her or to me, but to candidate at the University of Vienna. Classics. us. I listen with closed eyes to resonance of The shared thoughts and the deep, the open strings and realize that they are caring companionship of Helen and Cheyne, J. A. and Tarulli, D. (1999). my extended voice, my new voice and my Stephan in particular are undoubtedly Dialogue, Difference and the “Third unexplored vocalization. the groundwork of much of this Voice” in the Zone of Proximal Today, I will invite Marek to lunch with article. Lastly – and in Hebrew we say Development. Theory and Psychology, me in Prague. I will listen to him – really that the last is the dearest – thanks 9, 5 - 28. The original draft of this listen to him – and try to understand what and gratitude to a brilliant cellist, paper was retrieved on March 3, 2008 possibilities exist in that shared land that is consummate musician, and my brilliant from: http://www.arts.uwaterloo. between us. and patient teacher, Noa Eliezer. ca/~acheyne/ZPD.html.

2 Separate, persistent, changing, modulated L’infinito by Giacomo Leopardi (1798 Laing, R. D. (1967). The Politics of voices – the polyphony within which I try to - 1837) translated by Mike Towler. Experience and the Bird of Paradise. understand others and myself. It has taken Retrieved on March 3, 2008: http:// London: Penguin Books. www.tcm.phy.cam.ac.uk/~mdt26/ time to listen to the otherness and to sustain Lane, F. C. (1973). Venice, a Maritime poems/leopardi1.html. their voices in my own world. It has taken Republic. Baltimore, MD: John time to listen to my own voice and allow 3 Brief Thoughts on Maps, by Miroslav Hopkins University Press. it to speak, saying things that I did not Holub (1923 - 1998) is taken from his Mead, G. M. (1934). Mind, Self and Society. understand or accept. collection of poems Notes to a Clay Ed. by Charles W. Morris. Chicago: Pigeon (1977). Trans. Jarmila and Ian When Marco and the Kahn sit in their University of Chicago Press. pleasure garden and talk of journeys and Milner. London: Secker and Warburg cities visited, we are left with the growing (1977). In this regard, it might be useful Michelson, E. (1999). Carnival, paranoia sense that what Marco describes as strange to understand that “Holub” means and experiential learning. Studies in the and fantastical cities are all reflected facets “pigeon” in Czech. Also see Starr-Glass Education of Adults, 31(2), 140 - 153. (2005). of his beloved Venice. Exploration might Starr-Glass, D. (2006). Mentoring Notes. not mean visiting different places but rather All About Mentoring, Journal of the seeing the ever-changing difference that was Mentoring Institute, Empire State passed over as familiar: exploration has a College, State University of New York, temporal as well as spatial endeavor. 30 (Winter, 2006). … from that real or hypothetical past of ______. (2005). Metaphor and his, he is excluded, he cannot stop; he Maps in Evaluation. Assessment and must go to another city, where another Evaluation in Higher Education, 30(2), of his pasts awaits him, or something 195 - 207. perhaps that has been a possible future of his and is now someone else’s Wellek, R. (1980). Bakhtin’s view of present. Futures not achieved are only Dostoevsky: “Polyphony” and branches of the past: dead branches “Carnivalesque.” Dostoevsky Studies, (Calvino, 1997 p. 29). 1, 31 - 40. Retrieved March 3, 2008 from http://www.utoronto.ca/tsq/ DS/01/031.shtml.

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 60

Faculty Voices: A Cinderella Story at the PLA Ball

Nan Travers, Office of Collegewide Academic Review Bernard Smith, Center for Distance Learning Joan Johnsen, Northeast Center Paul Alberti, Office of Collegewide Academic Review Kameylah Hakim, Niagara Frontier Center Bhuwan Onta, Metropolitan Center Elizabeth Webber, Hudson Valley Center

Purpose words, we wanted to have a way to talk able to discuss the theory that under about what we do at Empire State College. girds their knowledge? n the fall of 2007, the Assessment The second question looks at the balance Group (a working group consisting Procedures I of the centers’ directors of academic between the theoretical and the practical review and assessment specialists and the In mid-January 2008, we invited 20 mentors aspects of the knowledge. Often, in Office of Collegewide Academic Review from across the college to examine and the discussion of what is college-level staff) created four task groups to look at the reflect upon their practices with students learning, there is an assumed criterion that various aspects of academic review. As part regarding prior learning assessment. The the student can apply theory to various of its goal to understand better the practices mentors joined together in a teleconference situations; yet, is it really a requirement that of prior learning assessment (PLA), one of where we presented four questions that someone have a theoretical underpinning of these task forces, Prior Learning Assessment addressed the practices that they use to help a topic to be considered to have college-level Processes and Practice (PLA P&P), decided students get at college-level knowledge. At knowledge of that topic? All College (2008), another 18 mentors to explore the ways in which mentors work Question 3. How do we help students move and five academic review staff gathered to with students concerning the development from tacit understanding of what they continue the discussion based on the same and evaluation of individualized PLA. know to explicit knowledge? The PLA P&P task force was interested in four questions. The sessions were taped and knowing about mentor practices in order transcribed, and were then used to identify The third question asks mentors how they to help inform the college about its own themes from the discussions. help students think about and extract their tacit knowledge and transform this into PLA practices and to encourage greater The four questions were designed to some form of explicit knowledge. Research dialogue about these practices, including engage mentors in discussing their practices (e.g., Dreyfus and Dreyfus, 1986) indicates evaluator training. In particular, the PLA regarding the different parts of the PLA that the more experience a person has P&P wanted to examine Empire State process. The questions asked of the mentors in a field, the more tacit the knowledge College’s institutional practices to assemble were: a body of knowledge that stemmed from becomes, so it is possible that a more highly both an academic and a practitioner point Question 1. How do mentors help students experienced student may find this a more of view, which was infused with a scholarly understand what is meant by college difficult task than a student who has much approach. equivalent learning? less experience. The group felt that it was important that The first question was designed to learn Question 4. How do mentors help students this body of knowledge evolve directly from more about how mentors think about through the PLA process on those talking to mentors about their experiences identifying college-level learning and how occasions when the mentor’s knowledge rather than from the institutional knowledge they go about helping students identify this of the field of study in which a (or mythology) about what is being done. knowledge. The question strives to also student is seeking credit is limited or The use of this knowledge was seen as an develop an understanding of how we, as a nonexistent? college, think about how we define college- opportunity to help inform everyone in the The fourth question aims to look at how level learning. PLA process (new or experienced; faculty, mentors work with students in areas in staff or student) about the ways in which Question 2. As part of the PLA process, which the mentor is unfamiliar. When the PLA is conducted at the college. In other how important is it for students to be mentor does not have knowledge of an

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 61 area, s/he is more dependent upon his/her The Two Mental Models Turff (1999) refers to this type of knowledge knowledge and practice of mentoring orientation as an “objectivist” viewpoint. At one end of the stick spectrum, we found students through PLA, rather then using the From the objectivist viewpoint, knowledge the viewpoint to be oriented to learning base knowledge of an area to help guide the of a topic is seen as pre-defined, with the as being “topic-based,” whereby the practice. That is, the mentor depends more topic having distinct characteristics that characteristics of the knowledge can be on the process itself rather than on their are verifiable by outside resources. In many found in the topic itself. For example, one knowledge of a topic area. As a result, the ways, this viewpoint is in alignment with an mentor stated, “There is an epistemological ways in which mentors work with students academy-based viewpoint in that the outside view: How the learner knows what they’ve in areas outside of their own field can resources are often set by topics taught by learned? How do you know what you inform ways in which PLA practices exist other colleges and universities. Turff refers know? If that can be articulated, then [the within the college. to this mental model as a “folk pedagogy,” student] reflects a level of understanding emphasizing that most of the academy is comparable to what we expect in college Results based on this viewpoint because this is the study.” Another mentor states, “I ask what experience of learning that faculty have Three major themes came out of these experience and where they learned it … experienced themselves. conversations with mentors. Each is [and then I] show the student examples of discussed below. requests for credit by evaluation; [I] show In many ways, this approach deconstructs materials, documentation for a successful the learning as something that is Theme I request.” Another said, “take supervisory objectifiable; the topic is decontextualized experience: if a student has experience and and examined for characteristics that match There seems to be a continuum between two reflects upon it to arrive at commonly- predetermined criteria and then put back major viewpoints regarding PLA practices. taught college-level principles, then that is together within the context of what has One could think of this continuum as a stick evidence of college-level learning … ” One already been determined by the academy. with two ends, where each end represents comment regarding exams also stresses this Using the archeological metaphor, the the extreme of two different mental models1 viewpoint, “in the end, sometimes students artifacts are assigned names and meaning that mentors hold as viewpoints about what see the exam as the easier option. They go based on what is already known about is college-level knowledge, and thus how take a test for an hour, and it’s done and these types of artifacts. In the process of practices are engaged. Strauss, Ravid and they know the result. They don’t have to determining the meaning of and assigning Magen (1998) have shown that the mental think about what they know, analyze it, or meaning to the artifacts, the mentor and models that faculty hold about the way to explain it. Even when I have students doing student defer to an outside authority that teach is a stronger influence on the way PLA, sometimes they just would rather has made previous claims as to what that they practice teaching than the level take a test to demonstrate knowledge in knowledge should exist, which becomes of the subject matter that they teach, their other areas. I think it’s a matter of how included in the documentation of the subject knowledge, or their experience. comfortable they are with the topic.” learning. Understanding the mental models of the faculty involved in the PLA process can give At the other end of the stick spectrum, we us a glimpse into their practices. found the viewpoint to be “dialogically- based,” whereby learning becomes a The results did show that most mentors are process that is discovered as part of somewhere in between the two different … the mentor/student the dialogue between the mentor and viewpoints, but there were a few mentors student while determining what learning who tended to be closer to each end of process can be equated exists. This mental model uses more of a the spectrum. Overall the mentor/student to an archeological dig. phenomenological approach to discovering process can be equated to an archeological what college-level learning exists. For dig. The mentor and student dig away at the The mentor and student example, one mentor describes that “being student’s knowledge and sift, find, identify dig away at the student’s unambiguous about standards for what and place it within a particular model of college-level and/or advanced means, setting what they determine is the college-level knowledge and sift, find, rules, procedures, policies, could cut us knowledge. The mentor’s mental model of identify and place it off from discovering learning we might PLA informs this archeological dig in that not already know about – learning about the ways in which things (i.e., artifacts of within a particular model learning that I didn’t know existed. What the learning) are found, and the ways in of what they determine about things that don’t fit all the rules? which the “artifacts” are named and placed What about things that don’t suit a policy within a context will be dependent on this is the college-level statement? There are identifiable contexts, pre-existing mental model of PLA (Strauss, knowledge. right? However, who could claim to know Ravid and Magen, 1998; Hofstadter, 2001). them all? Working with new students teaches us new ones all the time.” There

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 62 also was a strong view that the student has a learning, in part, grew out of the discourse the phenomenological viewpoint uses center of authority in his/her learning about rather than existing in totality prior to the “knowledge” as a verb, a process that what was relevant college learning. For mentor working with the student. evolves into a form of recognition of what example, one mentor stated: “If a student exists. The point here is that both mental In the phenomenological viewpoint, the can judge whether their own and/or others’ models exist as equally valid viewpoints student goes through an exploration pictures have good composition, is that not and are both recognized in the world of of the topic, and through this process a substantive claim? A student can look at education (Turff, 1999). the characteristics of the knowledge are a painting and point out something about it constructed by looking at the topic within and say ‘there’s a lot of action there; there’s Theme II the context of experience and the social a lot happening’ [is that not] a substantive discourse between the mentor and the For the mentors, the process of working claim?” student, rather than by looking at what with students was very much at a tacit Some mentors viewed that their role was others say about the topic. This inter- level. In other words, the mentors clearly central in the discourse, for example, “[the] subjective constructive approach means had an understanding of their work mentor’s curiosity about a new knowledge that the learning cannot be predefined with the students, but it was difficult for can bring them to inquire further and because the awareness or definition of that understanding to be described and learn … [The] student’s ability to provide what is college-level learning emerges communicated in explicit ways. In order discourse is both essential as part of their from the experience. Relating this back for someone to talk about what they know learning as well as the mentor’s learning.” to the archeological dig metaphor, as new tacitly, they first have to translate the tacit Another point made by a mentor was: artifacts are uncovered, other aspects of the knowledge into other forms of knowing that “There exist two different ‘learning surroundings, other artifacts, etc. all become can then be explicitly explained (Hofstadter, moments’ [during] a discussion with the part of the picture and new perspectives 2001). This is not an easy task. [student and] mentor, … the introduction are created by what is uncovered. In other and the ‘fleshing-out.’” This concept of words, it is like an archeological dig that “fleshing-out” also was seen in another unearths artifacts belonging to a culture mentor’s statement, “Asking the student never previously known to exist. All new … the mentors clearly to explain can help them when they later ideas and concepts about the artifacts are need to write their request for credit. [In created based on this initial discovery. The had an understanding one case] basket/blanket weaving resulted in topics are viewed as a place to learn what of their work with upper-level college credit due to the student’s college-level knowledge is and the mentor knowledge of the culture from which they and student discover together what is to the students, but came.” be found out. In this way, there is a self- it was difficult for authorship in what is considered college- Turff (1999) refers to this phenomenological level knowledge. that understanding type of knowledge orientation as a “subjectivist” viewpoint. He states that in Another way to look at these two ends to be described and this position the “sources and justification of the stick is by looking at the way the communicated in for knowledge is in the sociocultural realm. definition of knowledge has evolved. An assertion is accepted as true or false According to Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate explicit ways. through social interaction – in shared Dictionary (11th edition) the word discourses through which members of a “knowledge” has a modern meaning that culture negotiate the meanings attached to uses it as a noun, but for Middle and Early When mentors talked about college-level objects, events and symbols” (p. 201). Ball Modern English, “knowledge” was a verb. learning and helping students understand and Lai (2005) argue that the mentoring Prior to the 1600s knowledge “functioned when their own knowledge was equivalent process is an ethnographic encounter, in as a transitive verb meaning both to college level, the mentors expressed that the mentor “has the ultimate academic ‘acknowledge’ and ‘to recognize, admit, or their practices in action terms rather than authority to interpret students’ learning” as confess the fact or truth of (something)’” goal-oriented terms. For example, when does the ethnographer in whatever culture is (NPR radio broadcast, Word for the Wise, mentors were asked how they helped being studied. In the same analogy, Ball and 2008). students understand what is meant by Lai point out that it is through the discourse college-equivalent learning (first question), Interestingly, each of the two viewpoints that the mentor learns what a student the responses were focused on the steps described previously uses one of the knows and helps to co-create the naming of that they take (“[I have them] look at meanings of “knowledge” as a way to that learning. The naming of this learning descriptions of college courses, college delineate or compose the knowledge that is dependent on the discourse and the co- texts”). The mentors discussed the actions a student has. The objectivist viewpoint creation process, prior to which the learning that they took with students as a way to uses “knowledge” as a noun; knowledge may not have existed in the same format as discuss the underlying reasons behind their is considered something that exists and what it is in its finality. In other words, the practices, but didn’t express directly what can be identified. On the other hand,

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 63 it was that they were trying to accomplish. for both points of view described in Theme In many ways, these two versions of a This also was seen when mentors were I, since both can co-exist and not violate story are similar to how mentors approach asked how they helped students move a definition (or policy). This also fits the working with students to develop their PLA from a tacit understanding of what they culture at Empire State College. requests. The objectivist view is very much know to explicit knowledge (the third the Cinderella story. Through the work of question). When asked probing questions Discussion an outside authority (the fairy godmother) from members of the PLA P&P task force, students are given the tools that they need There is a familiar story with which many of the mentors still did not dig down into the to accomplish the task. On the other hand, us grew up: Cinderella. Cinderella is forced purposes and goals of what they were doing the phenomenological view is very much like through life circumstances to tend to the with students. Clearly from the discussions, the Cap O’Rushes story in that the student fire (cinders) and serve her mean stepmother there were reasons for what the mentors uses self-authority to script the learning and stepsisters. Then in comes her fairy did as practices, but these reasons operated that takes place. In the story, it is through godmother who through her magic wand at such a deeper understanding (tacit level) dialogue that Cap O’Rushes discovers there gives Cinderella the tools, which enable her that it was often difficult for the mentors to is a ball and learns of the young man’s to attend the local ball and win the heart of make them explicit. failing health; it is through dialogue that the prince. When she drops the glass slipper, the young man learns of her identity; it is The ways in which mentors discussed their the prince seeks her out and finds her. through dialogue that her father understands work with students is very similar to the There is another form of the story, not what before he misunderstood. In the research on the ways individuals develop as well known in this country but is told phenomenological view, the dialogical expertise. Dreyfus and Dreyfus (1986) elsewhere, called Cap O’Rushes. In this case, process is critical in the discovery of describe that as one becomes more expert Cap O’Rushes is the daughter of a wealthy learning. Both stories are true stories (as at something, the understanding of what man and becomes exiled from her home myths, at some level, always are) and each is you know becomes more and more implicit. based on a misunderstanding by her father. as valid as the other. In fact, many mentors Often research (e.g., Adelson, 1984) has She leaves her home and disguises herself as expressed ways in which they worked with shown that the more novel the experience, a servant (using a cap of rushes) and obtains students that tended to blend the two. the easier it is to explain what is going on work within a neighboring wealthy home. because the knowledge has not become This raises more questions than we have Cap O’Rushes learns of a ball and sneaks as imbedded in the neural pathways. In answers: Is there a tendency for two off in a fine dress that she has brought addition, it is hard to step back and see separate camps within Empire State College, from her past life. At the ball, she meets the what it is that you do. Sheckley (2008, this or is there really a blend of these two handsome young son of the master of the issue) states, “if you watch yourself doing philosophies? Is there a difference in the home at which she is now serving, but leaves something you really can’t see everything approach that a mentor uses when working before he can discover her identity. After a you’re doing, so it’s an incomplete picture with different students or topics or does the series of balls that Cap O’Rushes secretly that’s being transferred. There is a great deal mental model stay consistent throughout attends, the young man grows ill in despair of what we know that we use as the basis the mentoring career, as Strauss, Ravid over wanting to know who this beautiful to make a selection among the millions of and Magen (1998) have observed? Does woman really is. Cap O’Rushes decides to neural impulses that are happening at a one of these models prevail in the Empire go to the prince in her servant clothes to point – so much so, that we’re not aware State College culture? Is one end of the heal him and shows him her ring, which of it. It’s embedded in this mental model stick fatter? Or, are the two models equally identifies her as the mysterious woman he of how the world works and how we want balanced? Is there a tendency to be closer seeks. In the end, Cap O’Rushes also has her things to happen based upon the experiences to one end of the stick (two fat ends) or father invited to the wedding feast and tricks that we’ve had, and in those experiences, is the continuum fairly even (a nice even him into seeing how he misunderstood her. a great deal of the knowledge we gained is stick)? Are there other mental models that tangled within the experience. It’s implicit.” we have not unearthed? Another question raised within the All College session was: Is Theme III there a context to the philosophy used? In other words, is the approach dependent on No one from the two groups seemed to the area of study? Will the approach shift have a working definition of “college-level No one from the two depending on the type of learning that the learning.” It is something we can talk groups seemed to have student is unearthing? about, it is something that we can give examples for, but it is not something for a working definition of The implications are enormous as we begin which we have a tried and true definition. “college-level learning.” to look at how the mental model influences The literature on PLA also talks about the the various roles (mentor, instructor, process of determining college-level learning evaluator, assessment committee member, without ever defining what it is. The lack etc.) people have in the PLA process. of an operative definition leaves the option How strongly do these mental models

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 64 impact students’ work? This also raises the that we use to define it? Is it the practices References question: How do these viewpoints support that we use and recognize that constructs or not support student-centeredness? knowledge as college level? Is what counts Adelson, B. (1984). When novices surpass Self-awareness of how a mentor uses as a qualification not just about the experts: The difficulty of a task may his/her approach with students can help qualification but also about who recognizes increase with expertise. Journal of illuminate whether the current practice is the qualification? Experimental Psychology: Learning, student-centered and student-supportive. Memory and Cognition (v. 10, n. 3, What is important to recognize is that the Self-awareness of the philosophical mental 483 - 495). PLA process at Empire State College also is model that one holds can help the mentor to like the Cinderella and Cap O’Rushes tales. Ball, E. L. and Lai, A. (2005). Heteragogay: be purposeful about his/her approach and In many ways, PLA tends the cinders – it Mentoring as intercultural practice. All perhaps try to blend in some of the other takes a back seat to much of the discussions About Mentoring (Number 29, spring philosophies. and focus on teaching and learning, yet it 2005). Empire State College. In terms of tacit versus explicit knowledge, also is the star of our college in that it is a Dryfus, H. L. and Dreyfus, S. E. (1986). we realize that we need to dig deeper to critical component of how we address the Mind over machine: The power of understand why mentors do what they do learning that our adult students bring with human intuition and expertise in the when they are working with their students. them. As a task force, we realized that it is era of the computer. NY, NY: The Free There is a parallel with our findings and important that we keep the dialogue going Press. the process that mentors are asking the and find ways to raise these and many more students to go through to explain their prior questions and seek to learn more about their Hofstadter, D. R. (2001) Epilogue: college-level learning. When students are answers. Analogy as the core of cognition. In fairly expert in their area, it may be harder D. Genter, K. J. Holyoak and B. N. At this point, the team plans to continue the for them to be explicit about something they Kokinov (Eds.), The analogical mind: dialogue with mentors. We think that we know at a tacit level. When faculty members Perspectives from cognitive science (pp. have just scratched the surface and there is are highly experienced in mentoring, it 499 - 538). Cambridge, MA: much more to understand and illuminate. may be harder for them to explain how MIT Press. We welcome your feedback and encourage they view and guide the PLA process. This you to be in touch with a member of the Sheckley, B. G. (2008) Playing with PLAI: may create parallel situations that struggle group if you are interested in being involved A Discussion with Barry Sheckley. All to meet. In other words, when students in further discussions. About Mentoring (Number 34). Empire struggle with the PLA process, the mentor State College. may need to examine how much of the Notes guidance operates at a tacit rather than at an Strauss, S., Ravid, D. and Magen, N. explicit level. There is more that needs to be 1 The term “tacit knowledge” used in this (1998). Relations between teachers’ explored here, but the awareness that most paper does not refer to a set, definable subject matter knowledge, teaching knowledge is tacit (estimated at about 80 knowledge, but rather to the ways in experience and their mental models of percent for adults, Sheckley 2008) may help which the brain functions at a level that children’s minds and learning. Teacher mentors explore the ways in which they can is not explicit or in anyone’s awareness. and Teacher Education (v. 14, n. 6, be more explicit with students. The term “mental model” refers to the 579-595). ways in which one frames the world Another series of questions that arose out Torff, B. (1999). Tacit knowledge in (including assumptions, perceptions and of this small study centered on the lack of teaching: Folk pedagogy and teacher emotions) based on past experiences a definition of “college-level learning.” If education. In R. J. Sternberg and J. A. and then how one uses and adapts that there were a set definition for college-level Horvath (Eds.), Tacit knowledge in framework to view and make sense of learning/knowledge, would that imply set professional practice: Researcher and new experiences. Both these concepts parameters to dictate what it would look practitioner perspectives (pp. 195 - takes into account how the brain or sound like, how it would taste or feel? 213). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. re-invents itself (see Sheckley, this issue) Is the fact that we lack a set definition one and how the construction of thought Word for the Wise (2008). Merriam- reason why some professionals have a hard is emergent through self-dialogue and Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th time understanding how one can assess dialogue with others. edition. Broadcast on National Public prior college-level learning at all? Is college- Radio (March 17, 2008). level learning only definable by the process The group wishes to express a special thanks to Dareth McKenna for transcribing the sessions and to Nan Travers, Bernard Smith and Joan Johnsen for organizing the ideas and drafting this essay.

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 65

Walking on the Mild Side: Mindfulness in Personal Risk Management

Anne Breznau, Office of Academic Affairs

The following piece is an edited written I can’t possibly keep up with. version of a presentation and experiential I wondered what mindfulness workshop that was guided by Anne Breznau could contribute to managing the at the All Areas of Study Meeting, 2006. personal risks related to my work life. ou probably have noticed the What to do? increased attention higher Y education is paying to meditation After pacing and reading, drafting as a foundation for focused attention in and deleting, several times, I finally critical reading and other things. Our did what I always do. I meditated. own Robert Altobello and others made a It was such a relief to come home presentation on this topic at the 2005 All to my breathing and to remember College Conference and, along with Kate again that breath represents life. Spector and Nina Thorne, at the 2007 After meditating, I realized that All Areas of Study Meeting. Additionally, I am going to talk today about I’m beginning to see this topic in higher the effect that finding stillness in education magazines and conversations. So, our minds has on personal risk it seemed appropriate to share my thoughts management. I am going to talk on the application of mindfulness to our about it because of the personal own personal responses to risk. risks and responses towards global With that in mind, I was going to talk today warming; because meditation didn’t about the importance of meditation as a protect my friend’s young husband change agent in personal risk management. from suddenly facing possible And then I saw the movie “An Inconvenient death; because of the violence, Truth,” and I wondered how finding greed and death that is on the news stillness and being mindful would affect every day; and because I work in personal risk and response to global an organization that is engaged in warming. a powerful change process so that Anne Breznau some of us feel at risk of not being I was going to talk today about the effect able to handle it all. that finding stillness in my mind would have It is so easy to separate ourselves from on personal risk management. And then a If you are like me, you are always aware responsibility for the state of the world and young friend’s husband was diagnosed with of risk at some level. You know that the the state of our work world, isn’t it? It is a rare and generally fatal blood disease. world is a hectic and violent one and this easy to see it as other than ourselves, as not He was a Buddhist monk most of his life. I contributes to our sense of personal risk. of our making. Those darn online courses, wondered how being mindful could protect Life is a risk and death is a certainty. Life for example, that term calendar, that student anyone from personal health risks. also is a rich and wonderful experience. load, I can’t escape. Work is always with me now. It seems like it wasn’t always like this. I was going to talk today about the effect However, the world and the world of work that finding stillness in my mind (or yours) may not support the rich and wonderful It is so easy to see ourselves as victims of would have on personal risk management. aspects of life at times. We are bombarded the world and of changes at work. It is easy And then I watched the news. It seemed by television, traffic, Internet information, for our sense of agency in personal risk as though violence, greed and death were e-mail, cell phones and other so-called management to change as things around us elements of personal risk I couldn’t ignore. communication devices. This contributes to change. our assessment of safety and our sense of I was going to talk today about the effect of Upon reflection, it is clear to me that both risk. Cell phones, for example, make me feel mindfulness in personal risk management the work world and the world beyond our less at risk. Television makes me feel more and then I looked at the chaos on my desk day-to-day job life are a reflection of the at risk. and at the work it sometimes feels like possibilities of our hearts. We are all capable

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 66 of going to war in one sense or another. identity is a fiction, a tragic habit that lies at any other way. If you think that’s not We would all like to force others to change the root of craving and anguish”(p. 36). So, true, try being silent. I was trained as a to fit our preferences. Maybe risk isn’t the very notion of personal risk is a difficult psychotherapist. The hardest thing we had so much about change as about the fact one for Buddhists. They would say we are to learn was to sit quietly and wait for the that it’s not our change: we didn’t get it to “attached” to a notion of personal risk, client to speak. All of us wanted to rush in happen our way. Even though we may think rather than that we “have” personal risk and fill the silence. of ourselves as incredibly involved beings, – that we are “attached” to our personal we’re capable of destructive responses in the safety. They believe it is preferable to bring face of change over which we feel no agency. all creatures to well being equally with Sharon Salzberg, co-founder of the Insight ourselves. This is incredibly difficult Meditation Society, suggests another way To do this, we have to go against our belief to do. If you don’t believe to look at it: “Even my worst enemy and in the privileged status that individuality and myself are not wholly separate” (p. 90). me, stop sometime and personal rights have in the Western world. We are not victims of our worlds. They do To bring this about, Buddhists believe, as do try to clear your mind of not make life risky for us. Our worlds are I, in clearing the mind through meditation – your personal noise. a reflection of what is possible and real in of letting go of personal thoughts, opinions, our own minds. In a national bestseller, senses of privilege or victimhood, judgments Buddhism Without Beliefs, Stephen and even feelings about risk. Instead, Batchelor, a former monk in both the Zen Buddhists ask us to be still and be empty Throughout history, mystics and spiritual and Tibetan traditions, describes the world of our individual needs and desires. This is people have touted the value of a certain as in a state of mind that he calls “acute incredibly difficult to do. If you don’t believe focused silence that some call mindfulness. anguish.” He goes on to show how humans me, stop sometime and try to clear your Recently, the medical profession and experience themselves as trapped in it, mind of your personal noise. academics have begun exploring the mind- feeling like victims. He writes, “We find body connection as well. One notable Let’s stop a minute and try this. Let’s try to ourselves spinning in a vicious circle. The academic voice that comes to mind is Jon empty our minds for just 30 seconds – 30 more acute the anguish, the more we want Kabat-Zinn, professor of medicine emeritus seconds of internal silence. How? Focus on to be rid of it, but the more we want to be at the University of Massachusetts Medical something tangible like your breath, your rid of it, the more acute it gets”(p. 41). This School. His book, Full Catastrophe Living: heartbeat, or the feeling of your feet on the certainly creates a feeling of personal risk. Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind floor. That is your touch point. Every time to Face Stress, Pain and Illness (2005), cites And it’s always been this way because as you notice you’re not aware of the thing you research by Martin Seligman and many humans, we have always been this way chose, bring yourself back. others showing the effect that thought has – worried about our personal safety, worried We could go to the northernmost tip of on such things as age at death and ability about our personal happiness, willing to put Maine, or into the deepest desert night, to heal. From another perspective entirely, the planet or the financial health of others or shut ourselves in a closet if that’s a Lame Deer, medicine man of the Oglala in harm’s way to sustain our personal safety quiet place, and just listen. We may, for people says, “You got to look at things with and happiness. Buddhist teaching speaks a moment, hear the vast, living silence the eye in your heart, not with the eye in of “ethical integrity,” as the “intelligence of nature or the sound of our heartbeat your head” (from a poster, no source). to understand the present situation as the pounding in our ears. But, within fruition of former choices, and the courage Unlike the minds full of racing, rambling nanoseconds, we will hear our mind begin to engage with it as the arena for the thoughts that we spoke of earlier, judging nature and ourselves, we will think creation of what is to come” (Batchelor, mindfulness is a state of remembering. It’s a about someone who irritates or pleases us, p. 47). So, the world’s state of acute anguish state of remembering our true nature, part we will replay conversations that went well comes from the cumulative choices of spirit, part physical being. It’s awareness or badly, we will assess whether we are humans throughout time. And, the future of the fragile wonder of mortality. It’s not appreciating nature well enough, we will of the world will come from our courage in the same as thinking about mortality. It’s assess risk: Will I suffocate in this closet? engaging with the world and with its “acute sitting with yourself in a focused, silent way, Will I be raped or killed in the wilderness? anguish.” noticing inner and outer reality as it comes, What should I do to protect myself? Our not judging, not evaluating, not telling a There’s always a sense in the world of minds are full, generally they are full – dare story, just noticing reality as it comes by. mindfulness practice that “we’re all in this I say it? – of crap. They are full of waste This may include watching your thoughts together,” that what I do and feel matters products of our history and our lifetime. float by, noticing emotions that you are because it helps to shape the whole of Both the world and our work world may feeling, hearing birds or children’s voices or creation. be noisy, busy, hectic and risky. Our minds, traffic in the distance. According to experts To put it another way, again in the words of however, also are noisy, busy, hectic and like Seligman and Kabat-Zinn, mindfulness Buddhist writer Stephen Batchelor, “personal creators of risks. We are uncomfortable can help us manage and possibly transform

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 67 our definition of agency and our sense of So, that sounds pretty wonderful, doesn’t it? in our side. So meditation may seem to be personal risk. Why don’t we have that all the time? How going badly but, in the meantime, our life do we get so that we have more and more is changing. If we’re becoming more aware, To let go of our personal stuff, the recurring of those moments. Why is it so hard to stay we may notice that things are changing for floaters in our minds, we first have to in a mindful state, fully awake? The Buddha the better. So, we stick to it. And, one day get really up close and personal with it. called that state enlightenment or waking we realize that we are really hearing and Meditation is one way to do this. How so? up. feeling our breathing. Everything slows way For example, when I sit in meditation, I start down and we seem to feel the very breath by noticing my breath. Soon I recognize It’s a wonderful state but most of us initially of life within us. Or something else entirely pain in my legs or back and then I start to are uneasy with it, uncomfortable when may happen. But the point is you’ll be one wonder if I should go see the chiropractor. our minds are not busy. We fight inner with it, present to whatever it is and time I notice this and bring myself back to the and outer silence both consciously and will stop. breath. Or, I sit quietly and start thinking unconsciously. We have the TV on even if about an annoying person at work that I we’re not watching, we have the car radio We are awake for a moment. That’s the need to confront. I notice this and bring going and we’re on our computer or cell point, really. myself back to the breath. Pema Chodron, phone. These aren’t bad things. If we were Meditation is not so much an end in itself. a highly respected, contemporary Buddhist fully aware of ourselves watching TV, that It is the path to being truly awake at this writer, says that when our mind drifts away, would be mindfulness. However, most of moment to this moment of life. The ability we need to say to ourselves: “Thinking.” the time, these noises take the place of to recall yourself in the midst of anything This word makes it a self-reflection, not a focused attention to this moment’s reality. is difficult for most of us to achieve. Some judgment (Chodron, p. 21). She wants us to They help us forget the reality of physical few more evolved souls, perhaps, like Jesus, see the difference between risk and thinking aging and death. They help us keep distance Gandhi, Buddha, Mother Theresa, seemed about risk, between pain and thinking about from the person next to us. They help us to be awake to their true natures and to live pain. On that same point, Jon Kabat-Zinn forget about the real risks of life. We don’t, from that awakened state all the time. For distinguishes between pain, the physiological in other words, really make friends with me and for most, it takes a great effort. In event and suffering, our response to the human nature. Not so with mindfulness. fact, it’s so hard that meditation practice event. In mindfulness, sometimes we feel our or yoga or whatever can become the goal connection to the vibrations of the universe What is the purpose of this marvelous in itself. Really, it’s not about being a great and the vast, full silence of life. practice called mindfulness and how do we meditator. It’s about being awake while begin to develop it? The most frequently recommended way to you stack the dishwasher or work on your achieve mindfulness is through meditation. student evaluations, or sit with a mentee, For me, the purpose is to manage fear and And the most frequently cited meditation or make love. Meditation practices are not dramatize the risks of life. It also keeps practice is awareness of the breath (chanting me grounded and makes me a better person. and dancing are practiced by some groups, Often, I have chosen to stop and breathe but in the West we’ve mostly learned before I respond to a hurtful e-mail at Really, it’s not about to meditate through awareness of our work, for example, so I don’t perpetuate the breathing). It sounds silly, doesn’t it? Too being a great meditator. hurt in me or the other person. Eventually, simple, we think. I thought so. Boy was meditation also makes me notice who I am It’s about being awake I wrong! It is virtually impossible for me in the big picture. I often feel fear when I to focus on anything for more than a few while you stack the get to this point. If I can let that be and just seconds. And that’s true for most of us. But, notice it, I suddenly feel softer and I begin to dishwasher or work on say, we practice meditation for several days, accept and then cherish my life. As I do that, and absolutely nothing happens? Instead, your student evaluations, I begin to experience what the Buddhists we feel bored, restless, silly. Believe it or call “loving kindness towards the world,” or sit with a mentee, or not, that is something. We noticed, we were beginning with myself. Suddenly, the aware of those feelings. It’s a beginning. At make love. smallest thing is a miracle. I may be sitting the same time as we practice, changes begin on the floor playing with my dog, and I to happen although we might not connect notice her eyes are like agates. Her fur is the changes to the meditation. Perhaps we rough and rumply. I notice too the pictures start getting along with someone at work paths to being awake as we live our life, to of my family on the opposite wall and it’s who used to upset us. Perhaps we start waking up to the richness of our life just the as if they are with me at that moment. Time recycling in a more serious way. Perhaps we way it is, to noticing that existence itself is stands still and life right there on the floor feel safer in a situation where we used to feel amazing. In the movie Joe and the Volcano, with my dog feels precious, graceful. There risk. Perhaps we are more patient with our Joe says, “99 percent of us are asleep, and is only this moment. partner or one of our children. Perhaps we the rest are amazed.” really “see” a student who has been a thorn

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 68

Think how the academic or work world Think first of a personal or professional risk References would evolve if it reflected the collective you are facing. Got it? Ok. Now, instead of mindfulness of us all, instead of our busy, thinking about risk, just quiet the mind. One Batchelor, S. (1997). Buddhism without judgmental thoughts. Think how different quick way to do this is to concentrate on Beliefs: A Contemporary Guide to today would be just for you if you were counting out 10 deep breaths. Breathe in for Awakening. New York: Riverhead aware of yourself within the day, then think five counts, breathe out for six. Do that 10 Books. who in your world would be affected if you times. Bring the risk back into mind. What Chodron, P. (2000). When Things Fall were mindful and aware of their presence. do you notice? Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Think how work would change if you took Any answer is okay. Maybe you couldn’t Times. Boston: Shambala. a few moments now and then to recall forget the risk you are facing. The only yourself to the present moment, to your Kabat-Zinn, J. (2005). Full Catastrophe question is: did you continuously come back breath. Watch your shoulders relax and Living: Using the Wisdom of your to the counting the breaths as soon as you your breathing deepen. Think what would Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain and realized you were thinking or feeling or happen to your feelings about risk; they Illness. New York: Delta Books. making judgments. How did that go? would just be seen as feelings and would Salzberg, S. (1997). Loving-Kindness: go on their merry way. There is a place for Finally, think of risks your students face in The Revolutionary Art of Happiness. mindfulness in managing risk in working coming back to college, in their first meeting Boston: Shambala. and in living. Stop and tap into it, see what with you, in developing a degree plan. Also happens in and around you. think of the risks of life in your center. How could you use reflective silence in addressing Let’s conclude today by focused reflection agency and personal risk management in on risk. these situations?

The only significant method is the method of the mind as it reaches out and assimilates. Subject-matter is but spiritual food, possible nutritive material. It cannot digest itself; it cannot of its own accord turn into bone and muscle and blood. The source of whatever is dead, mechanical and formal in schools is found precisely in the subordination of the life and experience of the child to the curriculum.

– John Dewey. The Child and the Curriculum (1902)

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 69

Thoughts on Credit by Evaluation

David Porter, Professor Emeritus, Hudson Valley Center

or two decades before retiring anarchism stemming from doctoral research of student degree program planning from full-time Empire State College in Algeria of the mid-60s, experiments in the and prior learning evaluation – a F mentoring in 2004, and on through 60s and 70s with radical pedagogy, and my frequent conversation in my own mind the present, I’ve been deeply involved in research and book on Emma Goldman and while mentoring students and actively numerous land-use struggles in my upstate the Spanish Revolution (1983, 2006). participating in the community at the same town of New Paltz and the surrounding time. Apart from expanding my own base area. As co-chair of a 100+ grassroots of competence to evaluate large numbers of membership organization dedicated to students in areas of community organizing, protecting the beautiful and valuable local politics and environmental issues, I natural resources and attractive small-town often imagined myself going through the community character of this area, I’ve same process on the other side of the table. participated in dozens of detailed critiques This raised other issues beyond the of local development proposals, attended pragmatic mechanics of amassing my own and monitored and testified at a huge CBEs and assembling a degree program number of town board and planning board of my own. What it provoked in my mind meetings, spent many hours researching was reflection on both the bureaucratic and through development files in municipal creative dimensions of this activity. offices and writing the equivalent of several books of analyses of project impacts, from There is nothing more bureaucratic and stormwater and wetlands to traffic and artificial than arbitrarily packaging various economic/fiscal issues, as well as drafts of bounded areas of knowledge and assigning legal briefs and motions for various lawsuits. to each certain credit points redeemable toward an eventual paper credential of Beyond the opportunity for terrific bonding David Porter “worthy learnedness.” This “normalization” with others in common struggle and the and “legitimization” of learnings is what sense of reward from serving community Does such a narrative sound familiar? the college does with its CBE practice, interests threatened by developmental greed Of course, if your Empire State College but this also is what all “higher learning” and poor planning, my greatest satisfaction mentoring has led you through endless institutions do as they formalize curricula, was in co-leading our community’s numbers of degree program and credit by credit hours and graduation requirements. successful battle against Wal-Mart, the evaluation (CBE) essays from hundreds This bureaucratization of learning, of #1 retailer in the world with an annual of students over the years. Not only is course, is part of a long-range historical revenue higher than the GNP of all but 26 there a clear discernible line of personal process from organic maintenance and countries. Following that 1996 victory and interest and commitment separate from any evolution of traditional culture to the to make its process and dynamics accessible academic expectation or reward; there also emergence of formal schooling, universities, to others, I took a three-month leave, most is an interesting array of learnings across disciplines, credentialization, etc. The of a sabbatical and several additional years a good variety of fields. How much prior arbitrariness of the practice was especially preparing a book, Megamall on the Hudson, formal academic preparation did I have in explicit when students told us that other with a local NYU law professor who traffic analysis, economic market studies, SUNY campuses refused to evaluate certain provided pro bono legal leadership to our environmental impact review processes, prior learnings simply because “they don’t group throughout the struggle. community organizing, legal skills and even match” with their own guarded turfs of local politics? Nada, zilch, rien de rien. Did Researching the book and considering our specific course packages. Genuine learning my “informal curriculum” in such areas experience with the environmental impact thus was devalued for apparent reasons of match the formal courses I’d attend in a review process in a larger context in turn institutional finances and vanity, along with university setting? Yes and no, sometimes led to examining current participatory professorial insecurity and bias. more, sometimes less, depending on my democratic theory and practice more pragmatic needs to know. The creative dimension of the CBE process generally. And this in turn came full circle is so much of what I recall as the “heart to re-unite with my decades-long ongoing Here, then, is the obvious connection and soul” of Empire State College in the concerns with workplace democracy and with Empire State College and its process years I served as a mentor. In the best of

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 70 experiences, the creative self-reflectiveness of translations. The qualitative experience References students as they discovered and articulated of creativity involved, critical abilities their own mini-autobiographies of learning expanded, connectedness with other realms Porter, D. and C. L. Mirsky (2003). was matched by our mentor excitement and of knowledge, genuine empowerment gained Megamall on the Hudson: Planning, creative encouragement to plow wider and for individual and community liberation Wal-Mart and Grassroots Resistance. deeper and to map the learning landscape – these are the meaningful measures of Victoria, Canada: Trafford Publishing. for further meaningful exploration. For learning, I believe, whether acknowledged Porter, D. (ed.) (1983, 2006). Vision on some, of course, CBEs meant primarily or not by CBEs or traditional campus Fire: Emma Goldman on the Spanish savings in time and money, a not unworthy curricula. And these are the measures by Revolution. Oakland, California: AK consideration of its own. Others continued which I evaluate my own learnings in local Press. to see it as primarily a mechanical exercise, environmental activism. perhaps no more exciting than the process I know that increasing bureaucratization of simply attaining an eventual paper and workload insidiously eroded the credential allowing access to a job they opportunity and expectation for consistent knew they already deserved. high quality learning over the nearly three In the end, as we know, it was the learnings decades I taught at Empire State College. themselves which were significant – some But when it happened, despite artificial far more than others – not their ease of impediments, it continued to energize and packaging for college credit through CBE gratify mentors and students alike.

Do I have the right to facilitate your critical reflection? What kinds of contract between learner and facilitator would allow me to take on this role for you? Are we, under the guise of emancipatory education, in danger of imposing a set of values and expectations on learners which is just as oppressive as the teacher- centered regime from which many of us have been trying to escape?

– David Boud, “Reflecting on Reflection” in Perspectives on Experiential Learning (Morris Keeton, editor, International Experiential Learning Conference, Washington D.C. 1994)

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 71

Essential Elements of PLA Programs: Institutional Perspectives

In response to our inquiry, colleagues from Practices we consider essential: is critical and interwoven. (Because a number of institutions in which prior they have been so busy, often it is the • Students are offered a well-defined learning assessment (PLA) or recognition of process of creating the portfolio that process for developing a portfolio via prior learning (RPL) is a regular program actually gives students the time to enrollment in a credit-bearing course, feature offered their thoughts on our reflect on their learning and articulate taught by a specially trained faculty question: Can you identify and briefly what they learned. Students may not member, and are supported by program discuss what you believe to be the essential have had to think about and explain it staff. elements of any PLA program? From your aloud before.) point of view, what does any program have • Student portfolios are reviewed by a • Resources that support student research to include? knowledgeable and appropriate group into the curriculum (e.g., online of faculty and generalists from a variety program and course outcomes, access Thanks to contributors, and to Nan Travers of colleges and universities, and credit is to department faculty willing to discuss for her suggestions about this opportunity awarded by the consensus of this group, what they teach and what students are to gain some insight into ideas and practices based on CAEL standards. learning). from colleagues outside of Empire State • Awarded credits are reflected on a College. • Portfolios that provide students with an separate transcript, which the student opportunity to tell their stories, exhibit can then take to a school of his or her their work and discuss what skill or Gabrielle Dietzel, Coordinator choice. of Assessment Services, knowledge areas it demonstrates. An Vermont State Colleges, • The portfolio evaluation process and openness to giving students a variety of criteria are clear and transparent. ways to describe and document their Montpelier, Vermont learning (whether in written form, • Students receive feedback on credits not through a discussion or through visual awarded. ssessment of prior learning at the media). Vermont State Colleges can be one Henriette Pranger, Eastern A of the core experiences for adult • Access to examples of past portfolios, students returning to or entering college. We Connecticut State University, to students who have completed the believe that learning is an ongoing, life-long School of Continuing process, and to written materials that activity, and that the source of learning, be Education, Willimantic, describe the process, specific tasks and it in a classroom, in the community or on Connecticut timelines, etc. the job, is secondary to the learning itself. • Feedback from the evaluators in We consider prior learning assessment an At the heart of our work is flexibility and an addition to the college credit that they important link between an adult student’s openness to different forms of how learning deserve. prior learning and his or her future is presented and evaluated. educational goals. We also believe that • Individual support with writing and education is an empowering experience Also critical are: technology requirements on a one-on- and that prior learning assessment plays an • Opportunities for ongoing discussions one basis or in small groups. important role in gaining self-confidence and between an advisor/teacher/peers Carleen M. Baily, Prior Learning control over one’s life and future. that help students to: (1) discover the Assessment Specialist, Thomas It is essential that everyone involved in the connections between their personal learning and related college curriculum/ Edison State College, Trenton, process recognizes and agrees that credit is New Jersey awarded for learning through experience, outcomes. (Students need to be able not for the experience itself, and that the to translate their learning into the Prior learning assessment (PLA) at Thomas most important elements of a student’s language and format valued by the Edison State College is a course-based request for credit through a portfolio are university; there needs to be a liaison/ program that allows adult students to draw the articulation and documentation of that student advocate who assists with the upon life experience as the basis for earning learning. process.) (2) harvest the learning from their experience, because the context college-level credit. Developed using a

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 72 course-challenge model, students attempt Maryanne R. LeGrow, Ruksana Osman, WITS School to match their life experience to a specific Assessment Coordinator, of Education, University of course description. In order to maximize each student’s opportunity to correlate Charter Oak State College, New Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, his or her experience with a college-level Britain, Connecticut South Africa course, the college provides a searchable database of approximately 9,000 course These are the essential elements of any PLA In South Africa, my experience as a descriptions, known as the Prior Learning program. recognition of prior learning (RPL) Assessment Course Description Database. researcher and practitioner has taught Program policies and procedures must To earn credits through PLA, the student me that the essential principle in any supply: registers with a mentor who guides the RPL program is to accept that RPL or student through a demonstration of mastery • Clearly defined structural requirements PLA is a hybrid practice. This holds true of his or her college-level learning; that of the portfolio. irrespective of where the program is is, the student needs to provide evidence located – geographically, institutionally and • Clearly defined content requirements of of the knowledge that the student would theoretically. So what do I mean by hybrid the portfolio. have gained had the student enrolled in a practice? It is a practice that allows for traditional course. To do so, students are • Easily accessible support for student negotiated responses to RPL, responses that expected to address five to seven course technical and organizational needs. honor the university and the student alike. objectives through a written narrative with Such a “hybridist” principle is cognizant • Emotional and content support in supporting evidence. Because earning credit of RPL as a complex and dynamic process the form of timely response, copious through prior learning assessment depends with strong roots in justice and fairness. The feedback, accurate and frequent on already-acquired knowledge and skills, principle of hybridity in practice means that communication by program personnel. PLA is not independent study and mentors different models and approaches to RPL can are not expected to “teach” the material. Assessment procedures must: prevail in the same institution, and that in real life settings, divergent interpretations of Prior learning assessment credit is earned on • Establish that whatever the student’s RPL are possible and desirable. a pass/fail basis; that is, with credit granted experience, it has been broad enough, for “C-level” work or better. A core belief deep enough, and of sufficient duration After all, RPL in practice raises personal is that credit is granted, not for experience, that it could have produced the questions for those who implement it and but for the learning that comes through that knowledge that is claimed. for those who receive it – questions about experience. While mentors serve as guides themselves as raced, gendered and classed • Require the student to have articulated throughout this process, students, as adults, actors. a knowledge of theory appropriate to are expected to work independently and the level and content of courses for Different academics have responded to responsibly. which credit is awarded. these personal questions in varied ways, The college’s PLA program serves degree- which has resulted in contending versions • Mandate both articulation of content seeking students as well as those from of RPL propelled by different philosophical knowledge and presentation of outside the college who wish to transfer PLA orientations. In the final analysis, what lies documentation supporting the student’s credit to their home institutions or use the at the heart of a program is this hybridist claim to have learned and applied that credit for professional advancement. principle and practice, which makes space knowledge. for us as RPL researchers and practitioners Thus, at the core of our PLA work at • Provide means of validating the to critique conventional ideas about Thomas Edison State College is the belief authenticity of student experience and knowledge and experience. that: documentation. • Students have gained relevant college- • Award credit in a format that can be level knowledge that deserves to be understood and accepted by other acknowledged. institutions (e.g., block credit may meet • Courses at other accredited institutions graduation requirements at the home can serve as a basis for determining if a institution but may not allow a registrar student’s knowledge or skills deserves to at another institution to determine be considered creditable. whether the credit meets admission prerequisites for a graduate program). • Students need guidance from mentors in developing electronic portfolios that demonstrate mastery of their college- level knowledge.

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 73

The Mind-Scrubbers

Robert Congemi, Northeast Center

y name is Peter Ross, and I am “The mind-scrubbers, Peter? Who are addicts, or rapacious, garden-variety robber not, emphatically, a nice man the mind-scrubbers? This is the first time barons.” – at least, that is what some I’ve heard that one. Is this going to be a M “Peter … .” people say, and, to be honest, I should add, conspiracy theory?” this is what I think about myself at times. “Or if their actual characters are “Who are the mind-scrubbers? Why they’re There are several possibilities, I suppose, admitted, we’re told that we’re supposed all around us. Everywhere.” as to why I am so unpleasant. I have to be sympathetic towards them, to be discussed them with various people in my Regina made a face. understanding, and be terribly impressed life, particularly with my girlfriend Regina that they have overcome their bad behavior. “You think I’m kidding? Well, I’m not. Let’s and with my shrink, Dr. Farb, and they We are to be proud of them, praise them start with television, for instance. Whenever think it has to do with the kind of life I lead for overcoming their shocking egoism or I’m in a rash mood and turn the damn thing (Regina) or my viewpoint (Farb). Regina addiction or money madness, now that they on, what do I get? I get ads that tell us if says, for instance, that by working for the are on the advice of their handlers, donating we buy this automobile or that deodorant, city administration I feel I am not successful a little bit of their money to good causes.” I we’ll be happy in life. That’s right – happy enough in life, or that being in my 40s I am tried to catch my breath. “Mind-scrubbing. in life. On every channel, day in and day going through a phase, or that I had the Mind-scrubbing, Regina, all of it. I’m not out. Bathroom cleaners, fabric softeners, very bad luck of losing my mother at an fooled.” peppermint gum – ” early age. “You’re really serious, aren’t you, Peter?” “Peter … ” “You say yourself, Peter, that you are always “You bet I am. And as far as I’m concerned, upset, always complaining, always angry,” “Advertisements designed to scrub our it’s even worse.” Regina reminded me the other day as we sat minds away – ” on the steps of City Hall, starting, I guess, “Good god, what else?” “Peter, you’re being silly. You’re overdoing my recent big trouble. It was lunch time, it.” “I think the mind-scrubbing is virtually and we wanted to enjoy fresh air and the everywhere. It’s part of our culture, or sudden sunshine of May. Regina is a very “Oh, am I?” I wondered if I was getting red has become part of our culture – I haven’t pretty woman, and really quite reasonable, in the face. “You don’t think people believe figured it all out yet. Everybody does it. And who also works for the mayor, in his this endless nonsense?” I’m not just talking about ordinary people secretarial pool. “No, I don’t think they do, at least, not putting their spin on things, the best spin “That’s got to be because of your life in as much as you’re making out. After all, they can on things from time to time. That’s general – to feel so strongly.” everyone knows about advertising.” okay, that’s just human nature. We just want to feel a little good about ourselves, I didn’t buy it for a minute. I felt like I wanted to jump up and start or we don’t want to go stark raving mad walking about, back and forth, fast. “No, Regina. I won’t blame it on myself.” over reality or the reality of our lives. I can “Well, then, who needs to talk about understand that. Hell, I do that. We can’t Regina pouted, which made her look more advertising, Regina? You want to talk about every minute of our lives concede that we’re sexy than she usually is. more ‘serious’ subject matter? What about ugly or dull-witted or have made simply “It is not me. I swear there is good cause, these biographies that they’re featuring disastrous mistakes. But what I’m talking which has nothing to do with me. My god, now? Have you seen them recently?” about, Regina, is the general cynicism Regina,” I started in. “We live in a world among people who know better, who know “ … I guess.” that’s gone absolutely mad. Nobody does exactly what they’re doing, who know that any thinking for themselves, or if they do, it “I sit there sometimes, like a fool, they are being about as disingenuous, as is only what they’ve been told to think – by watching and listening to these pieces of exploitative as they can be. They are on the the mind-scrubbers.” video claptrap that make actors and rock move, they are the movers and shakers, the stars, politicians and CEOs, into god-like ones who would be winners at all costs, the At this, Regina groaned a little and rolled creatures, American icons, for god’s sakes. aggressive, me-first souls who are defining her eyes, modestly enough, but I wonder if When the truth of the matter is that these our society, who are turning us all, all of us, she finally has had her fill of me, and if our people are actually egomaniacs or drug by their example or out of necessity, into a relationship will not last much longer.

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 74 society of hustlers and hucksters, hustling “Hmmm?” Sylvie grinned. “I hadn’t “Yes. He may very well mean it. If you’re and huckstering each other … ” noticed.” not in the party, you lose your job.” Regina sighed deeply. I smiled, not greatly amused. “But … but, Sylvie,” I sputtered. “I can’t do that. I just can’t do that. I can’t join the “ … a whole damned society of people Suddenly, Sylvie grew serious. “Well, let party. I can help to make cultural events scrubbing and scrubbing away at each me give you something else to think about, happen. But I can’t join the party. Dear others brains!” darling. While you were gone, I got some God, I just can’t be part of these people. gossip from downstairs.” I stopped. Spent, I guess. They are not my friends, not my brothers, “What kind of gossip?” not my group, whatever you want to call it. Regina looked at me, sadly, real sorry We have nothing in common.” for me, and very worried. She stood up, “Hold on to your hat, Peter. The mayor gathering her pocketbook and lunch things is already starting to gear up for his “Well, sweet stuff,” Sylvie said, also, like together. re-election, and once again he’ll want us all Regina, looking at me concerned, worried. to work on his campaign for him.” “Then you may very well have to find “I don’t know what to say, Peter,” she told another line of work. Won’t you? And is me. I cringed. “God, is it that time again?” that what you really want, Peter?” I studied her face. “Do you agree with me?” “It is, my dear. You know the routine. He’ll For the next few weeks, after this delightful be wanting us to make phone calls, stuff “I … I … don’t know. You make everything little revelation by Sylvie, I found myself envelopes, strong-arm people … ” all sound so terrible.” playing a rather debilitating, delightful, I started to breathe deeply. little game with myself. On the one hand of “ … Yes. I know. I think that’s fair to say. course, I thought about nothing else than Don’t you think I’m right?” “All for the cause, you know. His cause.” the real possibility that I would have to lose “I don’t know, Peter. I don’t know.” Regina “Sylvie, I just work for the City, that’s all,” my job, my work, my livelihood. But, on the stood up, and I thought to myself that I said to her. “I’m a crummy worker-bee. I other, I completely denied the approaching I would not like very much losing her. help to make arrangements for community reality and didn’t think about it at all. I “Actually, the only thing I’m sure about is events.” made no plans, no contingencies. I simply that I’m worried about you, Peter. Worried went about my business as if nothing would “You work for the mayor, Peter.” for you.” She studied me closely. “You really ever really happen, dumbly, in shock, totally feel this way? I mean, do you really believe I was silent. paralyzed, I suppose. everything you just said?” “I just wish … ” One evening, my sister Dorothy phoned and “I think I do. Yes.” asked if I would come to a party she was “You just wish what?” Sylvie asked me. having for family and friends to meet my “Terrific,” she said, softly, shaking her head, “You wish you could work for someone niece’s – her daughter’s – fiancé. At first, I and walking away from me. better than the mayor? It bothers you didn’t want to go. As you can well imagine that you are part of his plan to make his When Regina had gone, I went back to by now, I’m not exactly the quintessential career triumphant in local, and then state, work at City Hall, up into the converted house-party type. People are usually smart politics?” attic of the building, where my desk was, enough to leave my name off a list of guests more than a little shaky, I had to admit. “Sylvie,” I protested. happy to sit around and chit-chat, holding Sylvie, my co-worker on special events, drinks and devouring munchies. Besides, I’d “Why, Peter? What’s the matter? The was on the telephone, continuing to make never had that much in common with my mayor’s only following in his daddy’s arrangements for the annual cultural festival niece, who understandably was far more footsteps. It’s all been planned. Long ago. coming up in two months. When she got off interested in Bergdorf-Goodman’s, if the Probably when you were still a little kid.” the phone, she asked me about my lunch. truth be told, than she was in a strange, “I think you’re cruel.” ratty, little uncle. But my sister was very “I think I got a little too emotional,” I told insistent. her. “Regina walked away from me.” “Oh, it gets better. Much better.” “Peter, you never accept any invitations. Do Sylvie was in her 50s, and had worked for “Now what?” I started to stiffen. you ever go anywhere? Do you have a life?” the administration for a number of years “Peter … ” Sylvie’s voice was very serious longer than I had. “Really, Peter, you got “ … well, Dorothy, I … I do date Regina now, even cautious. “I’ve heard that he’s a little emotional?” she asked me, having … ,” I reminded her. even thinking of making anybody who some fun. works for him register in the party. If you “Yes, but I want you to meet Candy’s Kyle “Yes,” I said, trying to go along with her. plan to work for him, and you’re not in the and his family. You must do this for me. I “Sometimes, I can be a little difficult to take, party, you lose your job.” very much want all my family to meet all his you know.” family, right up front. You can understand “Dear God.”

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 75 that, can’t you? I want everything to go “Oh, she’ll catch up to us sooner or later,” I “Though if I had to choose between Fort completely perfectly for Candy.” told Regina. “Besides, I suspect she already Worth and Dallas,” Betty Jean explained, quite well knows that we are here.” “I’d live in Dallas.” I thought of my niece Candace, and couldn’t imagine life not going “completely perfectly” Just then I felt someone take me by the “Of course you’d live in Dallas,” her for her. She was 22, a beautiful blond girl arm and, turning, a bit surprised, I saw my husband ‘Tex’ said. He was well over six- – there was no arguing the point – and brother-in-law, Harold, a big, hairy, brown- foot, lean, a little stooped over. “That’s already well-placed in her father’s business. haired man, a man obviously satisfied with where all your stuff is, Betty Jean. Where My brother-in-law’s firm was the largest his position in life. your home and kids and friends are.” kitchen cabinet manufacturer in the state. “Peter,” he said, in his booming voice, Betty Jean giggled again, after considering “Peter, you must do this for me. You’re the seeming to be very pleased. “Dorothy did what ‘Tex’ had pointed out. only sibling I’ve got. I don’t ask you much.” manage to get you here. Good. Good.” Then ‘Tex’ turned to me. “Though I tell There was no getting out of it. “All right. Harold looked at Regina, and I introduced you, Pete, it doesn’t really matter. Any All right, Dorothy,” I told her. “I’ll … them. place in Texas is great. I know you think come.” I’m prejudiced when I say this, but Texas “May I get you two a drink? Has someone is the greatest place on earth.” ‘Tex’ leaned When I hung up the phone, I told myself offered you anything to eat yet? The hors- toward me, his arm on the arm rest of the that perhaps the house party would be d’oeuvres are fantastic, the best money can divan. “We’ve got some real big things there. something of a diversion for me at this buy, I can tell you … ” Big, big oil fields. Big companies. Big people. particular moment in my life. Harold caught sight of a couple seated on Hell, we’ve got the biggest people I know. That Friday evening Regina and I got into a divan, just a few feet back and to one Good people. Down home people. Country Regina’s car – I don’t own one myself side of us. “And can I introduce you to people, but real big people. You know what – and drove outside of town to where the Donaldsons?” Harold made his next I mean, Pete?” my sister lived, in a really quite exclusive remark for the Donaldsons as well. “Peter, I wasn’t sure what to answer. Betty Jean neighborhood. We drove around lots of the Donaldsons are two of best people I spoke up again, talking, it seemed to me, hilly circles of roads, passing one huge and know. All the way from Texas. Their home’s mostly to her husband. extravagant home after another, desperately in Dallas, or Fort Worth, or something like following the directions my sister had given that. ‘Tex’ sells my cabinets there.” “But it really isn’t just good people in Texas, me, since it had been so long since I’d last ‘Tex.’ It’s special people. Extra special. Do Harold moved us to them. visited her. Finally, we made a sharp turn, you have people like that in this part of I recognized my sister’s house, and Regina “Hello, ‘Tex.’ Hello, Betty Jean,” he said. the country, Mr. Roth? Miss Regina? Extra parked the car at the end of a long line of “Let me introduce you to my brother-in-law special people?” other guests’ cars. Getting out of the car, and his friend.” As Betty Jean Donaldson spoke, my Regina and I looked at each other. Even The Donaldsons rose, and we shook hands. attention – I suppose, to my shame – began though it was dark, we could see enough of Betty Donaldson giggled. She was a skinny, to wander. Glancing around the room, Dorothy’s house to be duly impressed. The edgy woman in her 50s. “Oh, Harold, we’re which now was filled more than ever with house was a big, brick, Georgian affair, a from Dallas, Harold. You know that.” people, prosperous and self-assured, I very broad, three-story structure that seemed noticed my sister with her daughter and a to move out from its center to wing after “Of course. Of course, I know that, Betty,” young man I took to be Candy’s soon-to- wing. As we walked up the driveway, Regina Harold said, taking her by the arm. “I was be fiancé. They seemed getting ready to suddenly gave my hand a little squeeze, as if just teasing you.” speak to everyone, and sure enough a few she were trying to comfort me. Already, Harold was starting to look away. moments later Dorothy was tapping on a Inside, the house, which consisted of airy Someone or something else had caught his wine glass, wanting the attention of people rooms opening onto each other, was very attention. in the room and the surrounding rooms. She crowded with guests. It was clear they were held a wireless microphone in her hand and “Well, my friends,” he said to the four of us. virtually all bright, well-off, good-looking spoke into it. I wondered if she had had too “Now that I’ve introduced you, let me leave people, going busily – successfully – about much to drink. you people to all get to know one another. their lives. I scanned the room to locate my And remember, if you need anything – food, “Hello, hello,” my sister cooed, laughing sister, or her husband or her daughter, and drinks, whatever – just let me know.” softly, looking around her. “I’d like to make after a few moments saw the three at the far an announcement. Actually, I’d like to end of the room I was in, very animated, To my horror, the Donaldsons almost introduce you all to someone you already happily chatting. Regina asked if we should immediately began talking about themselves know … my daughter Candy.” make our way across the room and let and Texas. Betty Jean Donaldson said that my sister know that we had arrived, but I she had originally been from Fort Worth, People began to break off their declined. but had lived all of her adult life in Dallas. conversations and turn towards Dorothy.

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 76

“As you know, I’ve invited you all here way, so far, and that the future would be a I struggled not to lose control, despite tonight to meet someone very important in wonderful time for him. myself. Candy’s life these days.” “Is it my turn?” he asked his audience, “You bet … just where the future lies.” Dorothy looked fondly at the two young grinning, confident. “No, seriously, folks … “Where the future is in good hands?” people, and then back to her audience. the person who is the really greatest around here is … ol’ Candy herself.” Kyle made like But slowly, I started to come apart. “But I want Candy to do the talking,” a master-of-ceremonies at a beauty contest. my sister said, just the slightest bit tipsy. “Absolutely. In great hands, Sis.” “Check her out … drop-dead beautiful, “Candy? Candy?” always in the latest styles, already on her Dorothy saw she had a little something at Candy, who had been whispering to another way at her father’s company, shaping up last. young woman standing near her, turned to the human resources management program “I’m so glad you agree.” She addressed her mother. there. Can you believe it? See what I mean? the room, and raised her glass. “ My little The one to applaud, folks, is surely not me, “Yes, Mom?” brother the genius agrees everyone.” but our little Candy.” And Kyle started to “Candy, I’d like you to tell all these nice clap. With that, I couldn’t hold on. people out here about Kyle.” When all this was over, people went back “Under a little duress,” I muttered. “Oh … okay.” to partying, nibbling their hors d’oeurves She jumped. “What’s that?” and finger food, sipping their drinks. After Reaching out, Candy took her fiancé by a few minutes, I glanced over at Regina to “Under a little duress,” I said louder. the hand, smiled broadly at everyone now see if I could find anything in her demeanor facing her, and began. To my astonishment, Dorothy suddenly to suggest that perhaps we could leave early. seemed murderous. How much must I have “Well, the first thing I want to say is, this She looked at me carefully noncommittal, angered her over time. handsome man next to me is Kyle Farnan, maybe a bit apprehensive. and … ” Candy paused deliberately, and “Just what do you mean, Peter?” Suddenly, my sister was beside us, or, rather, then rushed ahead. “ … he’s just the greatest above us as we sat on her couch, with I sighed, looked at Regina, who was at guy around.” Candy and Kyle Farnan in tow. She seemed once alarmed and displeased. Then I let go Dorothy began to clap, and others followed very pleased, and pleased with herself. She completely. her lead, a little unsure, but willing to go had a drink in her hand now, and I could “I mean, Dorothy, that you’ve got to be along with her. see ol’ Dorothy was indeed on her way to kidding.” I repeated myself, to my sorrow. getting drunk. “Ladies and gentlemen,” Candy continued. “You’ve just got to be kidding. If all this is “I’m proud to tell you Kyle already has “Well, hot stuff,” she said to me, for the future, if this scene here is the future … his B.S. degree, and a master’s from The starters, amused rather than belligerent – at I’d have to shoot myself.” Wharton School.” Now she clapped. “And least, for the moment. “I see you deigned to Stricken, probably pretty amazed by just … and, at his firm, he’s already making show up after all.” how far I’d go, Dorothy recoiled. “You policy decisions!” She clapped a second I didn’t saying anything to this. bastard, Peter,” she said to me. “You time, and somewhat uncertain again, people bastard. You really are a bastard, you followed her lead. “Well, what do you think? We’re not so know?” bad, are we?” “How about that?” Candy asked, smiling “Thanks,” I told my sister. proudly. Then she switched to a comic I still didn’t say anything. conspiratorial tone. “And the best thing On the way home, Regina would hardly talk My sister backed off a little, and addressed about him is … he does what I tell him to! to me. I had been afraid of that from the everyone, holding up her drink. “Actually, How about that?” moment I lost control at my sister’s. I asked if I do say so myself, I think we’re pretty her if I weren’t justified to have said what I People laughed. good.” did, but she only shook her head and looked “Only kidding, only kidding,” Candy said, She looked at me, wondering how come I at me as if she couldn’t understand how I laughing, too. had not yet taken the bait. could be the way I was. I pleaded with her not to be angry with me. Seeming to enjoy Candy’s joke, Kyle Farnan “Don’t you think so, Peter? When you look took the microphone from her. He was a around, couldn’t you really call us the hoi- “I’m not angry with you, Peter,” she said, tall, real handsome fellow, I had to give him polloi? And don’t you think these two kids coldly. that, clearly a well brought up young man here are where the action is?” The next day I tried to be in touch with by very doting parents. It was obvious that “They sure are,” I said, dryly, finally. Regina by phone. I tried not to think of he had not been ill-treated by life in any what had happened after what I told my “Where our future lays?” sister. Dorothy had become even more

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 77 furious with me, and a few other people had One look at Sylvie’s face when I got to work backward, but keen to the challenges of a said things to me as well. The Donaldsons on Friday made it clear I was in for more new age, ready to accept the challenges of a seemed horrified, and Howard, I think, trouble. But before I could ask her exactly new age, ready to seize the day that is upon seriously considered taking a swing at me. what was going on, she turned and pointed us!” In the end, Dorothy told me that the more to the television set we kept in the office to The mayor stopped, visibly moved by his she thought about it, the more she would monitor the media coverage of our special intensity and passion, as if he had been to be happy probably never to see me again, events. Our boss, his Honor Mayor Hugh the mountain top, and then his face relaxed at least not for a long time. She said she Williams, of course a presidential-looking and he smiled, a smile of great, apparent thought I was truly nuts. No matter how man of about 40, was on the TV. The love. He took a deep breath, readied himself many times I tried, I could not get Regina camera was up close on him, and his head for the next phase of his announcement on the phone, and by the end of the day I filled the television screen. speech, and began. started to panic and thought that Regina “He’s announcing his candidacy,” Sylvie told wasn’t going to have me in her life anymore, “Now let me share with you, my friends, me. either. I even thought of going over to my thoughts on the kind of program where she worked and asking her if our I leaned against my desk and listened to my opponents will soon, I know – it is relationship was over. But I resisted doing the mayor. The look on his face was very inevitable – will soon unfairly present to you that, as hard as resisting was. After all, a big serious, sincere and intense. … ” hint is a big hint. “My friends,” he was saying. “My friends, I “Turn it off, Sylvie, please,” I asked her. For the next few days, mostly what I could have announced my candidacy to once again I think I was shaking, and I think Sylvie think of was to go over again and again be your mayor because it is very important noticed, for she dutifully left her desk, what I was doing, what I was feeling. that I do so. This candidacy is not about me. walked to the television set rather quietly Maybe I was wrong, maybe I was taking the It’s about you. It’s important that I continue and did indeed turn it off. Then she turned wrong view of everything. Maybe the world the good work that I began for you nearly to me. wasn’t crazy, maybe it was me. Except for four years ago.” “Peter, he wants everyone to have signed on work, I stayed in my apartment and tried to Mayor Williams paused for emphasis, with the party by the close of the working figure things out, or at night walked around contracted his brow a bit to exhibit his day today. It’s all been arranged. You must the streets when I could no longer stand concern, and went on. be a party member by five o’clock. I was being alone in my apartment. Because I lived given a list of personnel they know are not in the city, and not in the suburbs like most “Let me take this time to tell you about it. members. At least, not yet. You, of course, of the people I knew and worked with, I First, it was honest. My administration has are on the list. You’re supposed to go over took to walking down the hill where my been an honest administration, for I believe to headquarters between three and five and apartment house is all the way to the river, honesty is indeed the best policy. If you’re join up. They’re very serious, Peter. It has to and back up again, talking to myself. honest, everything else will follow along.” happen. And today.” The mayor paused again, and then went on By the end of the week, on top of everything again. “Second, my track record is clear. It is “What?” It was as if I didn’t understand. else, and particularly with what might not hard to see that my administration has be going on with my job, I found myself “You have to join the party. Today. This had energy. From the first day, it has had – where God knows I had been before – as afternoon.” energy. No, not energy, more than energy. jumpy as a cat. I existed in this strange state I would call it spirit. Yes, that’s it – spirit. I sat down, behind my desk. “That can’t be, where I looked out on the world, looked A kind of energy plus. And I know you Sylvie.” out on other people and wondered how have seen this energy in everything I and my they could be going about their business, Sylvie’s voice was quiet. “Yes, it can, Peter. It people have done. The record is clear.” how they could be happy, normal, how they most certainly can.” could be thinking of me as normal, when Sylvie glanced back at me. “But I’m not going to do it. I can’t do it.” secretly I was so scared that my world was “Third,” the mayor said, moving on. “As just about out of control. “You have to, Peter.” you all know, as you all can clearly see, even “How can you be treating me as if nothing my opponents, my administration has had I looked around the room, the room were wrong?” I wanted to say to everyone. vision. Vision. That’s what has really set where I had worked for 10 years – Sylvie’s “Though thank God, you are. Thank God it apart from other administrations. Mere desk and papers, my desk and papers, for something. It calms me down, I guess. politicians have their agenda, their little the ceiling arching down on two sides, But, the truth is I am not all right. I can’t get plans that benefit their own personal careers because, as I said earlier, we really were the world to stop moving – or what I mean and the welfare of their cronies. But I, Hugh in the attic of the City Hall building. The is, I can’t get myself to stabilize, to stop Williams, a true friend of the people, all of television set mounted on the wall, our shaking. I may have to go to Dr. Farb again, the people, know where I want to go, where computers, the reference books on my desk, and I don’t want to do that.” I want to lead this city. I’m thinking as a the Impressionist magazine reproductions leader of the new millennium, not looking

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 78 scotch-taped on the walls – now suddenly Phyllis and Farb glanced at each other. “You’ve got to understand, doctor. This isn’t all old friends, comforters, essentials to my the usual that I have to come to terms with. “Please.” sanity. I stood up. As weird as it seems, everywhere I go I see Slowly, Farb nodded to Phyllis, and then and hear this disgraceful scrubbing of minds. “Is there no way around it?” addressed me. “What is the matter, Peter? I know I’m wrong. Good God, I know I’m “I don’t think so.” wrong, but everyone is hustling, pushing “I have to see you.” their point of view, their own ego needs, “There must be.” “I do have clients, Peter.” their own self-defenses, desires, agenda. The Sylvie didn’t speak further. truth doesn’t matter. People just want to get “Let me talk to you. Just for a few on, with whatever it is that is important to “I can’t do it, Sylvie,” I told her, and left the minutes.” them. They want to sell products, if they’re room. Farb thought for a long while. Phyllis merely expedient or cynical, or create a Downstairs, I found a phone booth, feeling watched his face as attentively as I did. vision about themselves, if they want to oddly separated from the old man there “Alright,” he said, finally, and then spoke to seem heroically good to their adoring who acted as a guard, from the few visitors Phyllis. society, or just be better positioned, if they’re crossing the marble of the first floor, like you and me – to be better liked, better “Phyllis, tell people I am with Mr. Ross.” from the young interns chatting near the respected, better in sync with what they information booth. “ … yes, sir.” believe about themselves. I can’t process it all, it’s so all around me. I try to ignore it. “Hello? Dr. Farb, please?” “And let Mr. Ross in.” But there’s no ignoring it. I try to go about It was his receptionist’s voice, Phyllis, Phyllis pressed a button that unlocked the my business, but one can’t ignore or avoid already on guard. “Who is this?” door to the rest of the facility. the world one exists in!” “I want to speak to Dr. Farb. Is he there?” “Come into my office, Peter. A few I tried to catch my breath, and not too much minutes.” alarm him. “I don’t want to be unhappy. I Phyllis was tough. “Who is this please? Are don’t want to cause trouble, not for you, you one of Dr. Farb’s patients? Would you I followed him down the hall, into his office, or Regina, or my sister, or myself. I want to like to make an appointment, sir?” a place I knew well. be happy, Dr. Farb. I so much want to be “Is he there?” Farb sat down in a leather chair near a happy. You wouldn’t believe it. I don’t want coffee table and motioned for me to sit in you to say, is it the usual, Peter?” “What is your name, sir?” another one. I couldn’t sit. I stood, and Farb Dr. Farb looked at me, almost warily, I “Is he there?” I nearly whimpered. “Please, prepared to take notes. thought. Was he alarmed, afraid for himself? tell me if he’s there.” “What is the trouble, Peter? Why must you I tried to calm down, though I just couldn’t Leaving City Hall, I caught a bus uptown see me now?” manage it. I tried to sit down in the chair I to where Dr. Farb had his office. When I was holding onto, but I popped up out of it Farb seemed wary. Not that I blamed him. got to his building, I could see Phyllis at her again. “Is it the usual?” Did he seemed annoyed receptionist’s desk, behind the wall with the with me, bored? “Peter,” Farb said, rather slowly, given the little window cut into it, designed I suddenly nature of our encounter at the moment, realized, for safety and protection against I looked at him, and realized I was trying to given the nature of me at the moment. distraught clients. Looking up from some catch my breath. It must have seemed pitiful “Have we ever talked about medication? forms she was working with as I came up to him. Maybe that’s what we should do at this to the window, Phyllis stared at me, smiling “I … I … it is … the usual. Yes, the usual.” point. I didn’t want to bring it up, but routinely, but perhaps a bit confused. My life captured in his banal word. “Yes. now it seems to me that something may “Oh … Mr. Ross.” She furrowed her brow. I’m sorry.” be appropriate. You know there are many “Did you by any chance call Dr. Farb very useful medications these days. They “Peter, we’ve talked about this several times earlier? About half an hour ago? are really quite wonderful, I think it’s fair now. You’ve got to come to terms with it.” and even appropriate to say. There are so Somebody called, and after thinking about “I know that, doctor. God, I know that. many people who they help function. So it, I thought it was you.” Why do you think I’m here?” many people who don’t have to hurt any Several feet behind her and off to the far more, feel the kind of pain you feel. What He seemed very alert, caught somewhere side of the area was Farb himself, standing, do you think, Peter? Let me prescribe some between his superiority, his boredom, his reading a chart. He, too, looked up, very medication for you at this point. I have safety. curious. thought that perhaps we could talk it out, I leaned forward and put my hands on the that you could learn to come to terms with I ignored Phyllis. “Dr. Farb? Dr. Farb? I back of one of his expensive, leather chairs. what upsets you so much. Remember how have to see you. Now. Please.” often we’ve spoken of your need to draw

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 79 boundaries, to have limits? I thought that Not even watching for traffic, I crossed boyfriends, of my mother – God bless her was the way to advise you, but I think we the avenue, familiar enough with the departed, cancer-defeated body and soul should move on at this point. Shouldn’t neighborhood to know that a bus would – making sandwiches in our kitchen for our we?” most likely be on its way soon. It was now school lunches. Two blocks from City Hall, a little after four o’clock. I had less than I asked myself where was I going, why I was I stared at him, and grew even more upset, an hour to get to party headquarters, to returning to my job? Was there nowhere else in the end even unfair to him. “What kind choose, I may fancifully say, to fashion my for me to go? Was I going to walk into that of a man are you, Dr. Farb? What would particular destiny. It came to me to wonder converted-attic room and continue to argue you have me do? We are dealing here with a where a phone booth was. I wanted to try a moot point with Sylvie, as if she were the fundamental problem of our society, aren’t to get in touch again with Regina, to hear one who needed convincing? What was I we? Is it me? Is it something to be dealt perhaps something familiar and warm, in doing? Was I really mindlessly on my way with by drugs? This is a matter of perceiving her voice. Where was she? Why had she to convince her, my fellow office worker reality, not of soothing me. Someone has to not called me? Had I really offended her so friend, as unimportant as I, why I couldn’t say something, don’t they? Though I am not much, taken her beyond where she could sign my name to a piece of paper, that she the one, though I don’t have the strength, go? I yearned for her physical presence had nothing to do with in the first place? somebody has to do something? Surely, beside me, to be in her arms. How could she Explain once again to her, fatuously, why I that is so? I want you to help me. I want abandon me, when I most needed her? Was couldn’t fall in line behind our mayor? more than to be told to draw boundaries, she at her desk at work? Of course she was. whatever that means. I don’t want to be About a block from City Hall, I heard some Or, maybe, she was not. Maybe she was out given more drugs. Please, please, please, music, the music of a small band, a small somewhere, functioning without me, living please … ” brass band. I could make out trumpets, her life without me, bringing happiness playing slowly, softly, soulfully. Yet they As I went on, humiliating myself, disgorging to herself and to someone else, opting for also were playing with triumph, as if the ontological poison in my system, I some goodly measure of peace, complacency underscoring and underpinning the feelings wondered if Dr. Farb weren’t going to push even – and why not? People above all want and thoughts of the little group of people a button somewhere and have a covey of peace. Isn’t that right? Not truth. For what’s listening appreciatively to the music, a little white-uniformed men rush into the room to truth anyway? Who really knows, when group of colored people dressed in their best restrain me from causing the good doctor you get down to it? What maddens me, for clothing, their church and formal-occasions bodily harm. instance, doesn’t exist for the fellow next to clothing. Mostly there were middle-aged me, huh? “I can’t help you, Peter,” he said to me, people, men in dark suits and women in looking me carefully in the eye. Spying a public phone booth a half block bright, print dresses, who I realized as I got away, I ran to it. I dug into my pocket, closer to them were singing low the plaintive I returned the gaze, some crazed animal, I found change, and called Regina’s work notes of prayer. In their midst were a few venture. number. I held my breath as the phone very old people, clutching prayer beads and “I know … I know.” rang. Once, twice – no cause for concern. small, black Bibles. They were all standing Three, four – I began to grow fearful. Five, and staring in the direction of an official- I left Farb’s office and its building, passing six – she was not going to be there. Or she looking man behind a podium, who, I by Phyllis, who smiled blandly at me, knew somehow it was me calling her and noticed was alongside a small monument thinking me, I’m sure, just another lunatic was not going to answer her phone for me. with a plaque of someone’s sculptured her boss dealt with. Outside, on the broad, Where could she be? Have I really lost her? face, underneath which were carved a few, tree-lined avenue, under a sunshine blue sky Have I really done so much bad that I have apparently commemorative words. of late spring afternoons, I looked for the lost her? bus that would take me back downtown Glancing at my watch, I crossed the street, – to my office, to my home, to the pressing After several more unanswered rings, I hung to be closer to what I now understood was realities of my day and my apparently up the phone. I could see my bus coming. a dedicatory ceremony, however modest, unfortunate life. I glanced, rather sadly, at however almost shy. I got off the bus a few blocks from City this quintessential, outer-city scene, this old- Hall, which was a short walk through the As I stepped onto the sidewalk and found time suburban place, and felt so forlorn, buildings of the downtown municipal center. my place among the colored celebrants, the so alienated from its assertion of comfort, To my astonishment, as I walked along, man behind the podium began to speak. He stability, sanity. Everything is all right, the pieces of my life actually passed before my was a large man, with a full white beard, a scene seemed to be saying. Nothing can be mind’s eye, which really shocked me, and man of dignity, but palpably also a man of too terribly wrong, as long as scenes such made me wonder if in some way I weren’t thoughtfulness. as what is before you exist. And my heart, approaching some kind of death. Suddenly, the wretched heart of Peter Ross, yearned “Brothers and sisters,” he began, in his deep of all things, I thought of myself in high for the comfort – the blessing of consolation voice. “You know that we are gathered school, of my father raking leaves off the – that it asserted. together here this glorious day to honor our lawn of our little house, of my sister sitting own … Miss Annie Mae Murchison. We on our stoop in the early evening with her

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 80 are here today to pay tribute to her with no mind, has been chosen by God. She has “Pastor Thomas, I do thank you for my this monument that shall forever mark her been touched by God. She has been given a sister … though … ” Miss Gloria continued many, many accomplishments. Day after gift. Yes, that’s right, a gift. Keep your eye to smile and giggle nervously. “I don’t know day, month after month, year after year, and mind and spirit on her, son, for there … how she’d take all this. people will pass by this little spot of city is deliverance in her every step, in her every Annie Mae was a simple woman … and she ground, given over to her memory, and word.’” made no fuss about herself … My sister, know the kind of blessed soul she was.” The man stopped and sighed. I looked as God rest her soul in the deepest rest, just The gentleman paused and wiped his brow, closely as I could at the plaque that held wanted to help people … she didn’t seem to smiling beneficently at his audience. the sculptured likeness of Miss Annie Mae care about anything else … that’s all there Murchison’s face and some few words was to her … she just wanted to help people “Now I don’t want to bore you with no that I couldn’t make out. There was some … ” long speech,” he resumed. “I don’t want shuffling among the audience, and then the to take from the celebration of Miss Annie A few minutes later, the crowd dispersed, gentleman held out his hand towards a lady Mae. But I do want to record for posterity, leaving me alone on the sidewalk in front of on his right. She was very, very old, in her to make it known publicly, something of Miss Annie Mae’s monument. Some people 80s, I guessed, also a small woman, very who this kind, little lady was. I want to tell looked at me curiously, but didn’t pay too black, dressed in a hat with a long, colored to those souls out there who don’t quite much attention, which I was happy about. feather attached to it. She was happy, shyly know, or to remind those who do, how I had an impulse to talk to someone, to one grinning, giggling almost, her eyes literally from the time she was a young woman or two in the audience, to introduce myself, bright and shining. sister Annie Mae labored unceremoniously but I resisted. I simply stood there dumbly, for her community, labored for over 60 “And now,” the gentleman said. “I want to gazing at Miss Annie’s sculptured face. It years. In my mind, I see her caring for our bring Miss Annie Mae’s sister up to me. I was now nearing five o’clock. I would be sick, comforting our old ones, teaching our want the lady to stand before us and receive soon losing my job. I had no idea where children. I see her knocking on door after our appreciation.” He looked to the little Sylvie was. My sister had lost all kindness door, asking for donations for our church old lady. “Come on up, Miss Gloria, come for me, I suspected. Perhaps Dr. Farb would – for the church that was to be built. I see on over here.” He continued to hold out his never see me again. the great, broad grin on her black face hand. As best I could, I resisted the impulse to when we overcame.” He spoke very slowly, Ever so slowly, still grinning, giggling now, drop upon my knees. punctuating his statement. “When we eyes still shining, Miss Gloria made her overcame trouble, poverty, discouragement, Instead I held my hands in front of me, way, shuffling carefully to the gentleman, injustice. When we overcame … That clasped, hardly noticeable as clasped, elbows the podium and the monument, helped by a smiling, black face that broke your heart to close to my side, and began to talk to Miss man and a woman, each holding her by the see it and reminded you why you were alive, Annie Mae. arm. The people in the audience began to what work there was to do, what good clap, and, suddenly I found myself clapping, “Ma’am,” I began to her. “Teach me work there was to do, that took you out of as furtively as I could manage it. to be like you. Teach me your secrets. yourself.” For I cannot do it by myself. I so want “Miss Gloria, accept this gift of our love for The gentleman shifted his weight, to ready to be happy. I so want to walk through Miss Annie,” the gentleman asked her. himself for his valedictory point. my life, my day, and feel that I am not The little old woman reached his side and doing something terribly wrong, thinking “Brothers and sisters, I remember what my collected herself, straightening up as best she something terribly wrong. Miss Annie Mae, mother once said to me a very long time ago could and looking out upon the audience. be my guide, be my teacher. Please, Miss about Miss Annie Mae. ‘Son of mine’, she She blinked her eyes a few times, steadied Annie Mae. Please. Please. Please.” said to me. ‘That little coal black lady, that herself, and spoke in one of the most kind peoples don’t even see, so little you look August 2001 and frail voices I’ve ever heard. right over and by her, that nobody pays

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 81

Street Smarts: An Experiential Learning Vignette

Viktoria Popova-Gonci, Long Island Center

s an assessment specialist, I get to street names would give me a green light, indulge myself in daily readings validating well-spent years of toiling to A of students’ learning experiences learn the English language: Friendly Avenue, described in their prior learning assessment Market Street or Battleground. With other (PLA) essays. streets, it was like driving (well, riding) at night in the rain, always trying to guess the And, as it happens to most of us who are names. The whirl of unintelligible street involved in PLA practices, my reading names resulted in more questions, which of students’ essays inevitably results in led me to leafing through more and more contemplating my own learning, which dictionaries. I was getting fascinated with may have occurred independently of formal the stories engraved in every street name I educational experiences. passed. In search of stories hidden behind When conducting PLA workshops for the names of the streets, I found something I students or evaluators, we discuss – to wasn’t even looking for: I found the history the amazement of novice participants – a of the English language. It is the history of wide array of sources from which students English language itself that was ciphered draw their learning. Whereas professional in street names. City street names were practice (of all kinds) appears to be one of no longer mere signs assisting travelers in the most common sources of experiential distinguishing one road from another and Viktoria Popova-Gonci learning, it is not unusual for adult students in trying to find themselves in the city maze. of English language development from to discuss learning that was gained as a I discovered that street names are traces proto-English pre-Celtic tribes (prior to the result of various personal experiences. Thus, of our ancestors, traces that enable us to fourth century B.C.), whose language has I decided to skip any learning experiences understand who we are in the much larger not been restored, and the only linguistics that may have occurred within structured, maze of history. evidence of the mysterious inhabitants has professional settings, and considered Having found definitions and origins of been incidentally preserved in a very small whether I had ever engaged in unstructured, many street names, I discovered that all of number of place names, to the universal independent learning and, if so, what could these names can be grouped by their origins: kaleidoscope of Late Modern English. have prompted such learning projects? Roman, Celtic, Saxon, Danish, pre-Celtic A few years later, I did take a course in I remembered that one of my experiential and Norman. Remember Daniel Defoe’s the History of the English Language. By learning journeys originated with … riding “Your Roman – Saxon – Danish – Norman that time, I lived in a different city, drove in a car. No, not even driving – riding. Oh, English”? a car and treated street names as mere no, it wouldn’t have been one of those Indeed, the English language is composed of amenities. On the first day of class, as I peculiar requests like “Car Riding” (4 a multicolored combination of languages. was leafing through my English Language advanced liberal credits). But one of my Interestingly, I found that street names have History textbook filled with images of learning experiences did begin with riding even preserved the linguistic evidence of robust Vikings and Norman aristocracy, I in a car (I had just come to this country people that set foot on the British islands came across a brief discussion of toponymy. and didn’t have a driver’s license – so I was long before the Romans did. Street names I started reminiscing about those days riding just about everywhere). There I was, have delighted antiquarians and alerted when I was overwhelmed with excitement, riding, and looking out of the window … us to much earlier times, taking us back discovering, at literally every turn, the Wendover Avenue … Holden Road … to the pre-Celtic inhabitants of the island. histories and etymologies of street names. Glouchester Street … Could Wendover be a Thus, in reference to the street names and in I wanted to go back to that city, to those misspelled version of “over the wind”? It’s taking the liberty of using the Defoe outline, streets. I couldn’t – it was too far. But I poetic, but an unlikely denotation. we have our pre-Celtic – Celtic – Roman knew there are more cities and more streets – Saxon – Danish – Norman streets. and more stories to learn about, and more As a foreign student, I was eager to make histories to rediscover; and, of course, more sense of every new word that would get Once, I grouped most of the city street “street smarts” to gain. in the way of my understanding of the names by their historic origins and, language. Thus, the meanings of some unwittingly, mapped out the whole history

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 82

Two Poems

Heidi Nightengale, Central New York Center

Standing at the Kitchen Sink I wrote a poem standing at the kitchen sink with the light from night almost new. In my head the round, brown words pulling pictures over and through like thread

and not ready to write, I said them aloud to remember later what poems could do. All this and waiting by the kitchen sink for a can of soup to warm. In the middle of the soup and these words,

I saw in the window two thin leaves that stayed with the oldest maple through December and thinking they were like us, alone together with ideas about trees,

I clapped my hands like you to scatter winter birds and wait for their chatter and the plans that come with warm soup.

Being Seven in America after watching the nightly news I watch a classroom in a near city where a tall teacher tells 23 children what they need: air, water, food, clothes, shelter, love. Everything else in this world, she says, is want.

I move over with this lesson of wanting learned late in life thinking the child of seven in the second row with hair beaded in red, white, yellow knows something of love. When asked, she tells: “I need nothing for now.”

I mark this for memory: Talk to tall teacher. We need wanting so we should know the difference. We need poetry so we should know.

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 92

What Really is “Magical Thinking”?

Margaret Souza, Metropolitan Center

onfronted with prior learning sent to an evaluator in creative writing? In In Didion’s book, we do recognize the essays from mentees on learning this way, my student would not have to deal depth and breadth of her knowledge of C experiences that might receive with the complexity of her quite distinctive the subject matter. It is clearly written by a college credit, we rely on our academic approach to grief. Rather, an evaluator person who is well read in this area, as well training to provide us with the professional would focus on her writing style, the flow as many other areas. The troublesome issue tools and insights to adequately (and with of her prose, the overall aesthetics of her is that Didion-as-CBE-submitter does not sensitivity and integrity) approach the task. presentation. always agree with the “masters.” How does However, what if a student’s description knowledge get to be validated if an expert Indeed, the book is an incredible piece of straddles two disciplines and/or encompasses does not recognize it, let alone produce it? literature. The issue is, however, whether it material that we have not experienced or is more? Could we learn about bereavement Didion begins her work with what she whose meaning we do not really know? from such a very personal reflection? cannot remember, as if in a fog, the days How do we reconcile the discrepancies Didion’s book does reveal the reality of after her husband’s death. Only sketchy between our grounded knowledge and grieving in keeping with a postmodern details come to mind in her rather stream the empirical data from our students scholarly approach to death and dying of consciousness manner. This description is when that information (or approach to that accents the importance of a view from juxtaposed with detailed memory and vivid the information) might even challenge the within. She provides a voice that reflects story telling of the events that preceded knowledge of the experts? the experience of grief, perhaps not unique, her husband’s death, the moment of his In The Year of Magical Thinking, Joan but different from the view developed in the death, and the awareness of the reality of Didion presents us with a rich opportunity psychological literature that have been the the death. The details that seem unclear to to reflect on these kinds of issues. As a dominant voices in bereavement research her will be filled in throughout the book, as gifted writer, she ventures into the territory and literature. However, if the submission she seeks to piece together what happened of bereavement as a sufferer who finds did not come from Joan Didion – if it came – perhaps to try to make sense of what to expression for her grief in a place familiar from Maria Rodriquez, would we be able her is a senseless loss. Didion’s tragedy is to her: the experience of writing. What we to accept her perspective as valuable and doubly entwined, as her only child, her find is an unsettling piece of literature that knowledgeable? Would we take the time daughter, lies unconscious in the ICU of a expresses the experience and the pain of and make the effort to do this? local hospital. The experts (for example, loss that has permeated her life. I want to Rando 1993) would call her experience problematize the complexity of Didion’s “complicated grief.” She carefully describes work, especially in light of our efforts to her experience, always connecting her understand credit by evaluation (CBE) at However, if the ongoing life – in a well-constructed reflexive Empire State College. mode – to her previous married life. It also submission did not is obvious that she is able to understand In her writing, Didion not only shares her others’ experiences from newspaper articles personal experience but also takes on the come from Joan Didion or books experientially recognizing their bereavement experts and challenges the – if it came from Maria descriptions in her existence. theoretical underpinning of traditional scholarship in the field. How would a Rodriquez, would we For example, she wonders whether her student fare when confronting such a be able to accept her husband, John, was aware that he was daunting task if her name and reputation going to die, as Aries (1981) indicates that did not precede her? perspective as valuable he would. Differentiating grief from the loss experienced at her parent’s death, she goes Thus, my first question might be: should I and knowledgeable? on to express how this grief results in a kind suggest to this “student,” Ms. Didion, that Would we take the time of “magical thinking,” a quality of thinking she not submit this essay for review to a that at times she does not even recognize person who would be evaluating a CBE on and make the effort to as part of her daily existence. Often, some bereavement, but rather recommend that do this? event – something she sees or hears or this “book” more properly be evaluated as a feels – brings her to the realization of her piece of literature and recommend that it be

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 93 expectation, her wish, her dream of John’s places and things that fill her existence with References return. She struggles to reverse the death, to his presence. Is this just a different angle on bring him back, if only she could find the mourning? Would it be recognizable, would Aries, P. (1981). The Hour of Our Death. right way. The reality of his death is the part it be acceptable, to an “expert” in this area? New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. of her book that remains troublesome for And so we return to the uncomfortable Didion, J. (2005) The Year of Magical her, but even more certainly for a reader or questions I want to raise here: when is Thinking. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, evaluator. knowledge validated as knowledge? How Inc. Didion reads to learn, to focus on the would this book be evaluated as a CBE? Gorer, G. (1965) Death, Grief and process. She does come across “complicated While it is true that one Times critic believed Mourning in Contemporary Britain. grief,” pathological grief and spouts anger it to be too emotional and revealing, with London: Cresset. at Volkan whose research (1975) constructs Didion’s name as the author, we do accept the experience in such a way as to push her distinctive perspective. But would we, Klass, D., P. Silverman and S. Nickman her to question if the relationship she had as evaluators, be uncomfortable with so (1996). Continuing Bond: New with her husband was one of pathological much personal “stuff”? How would we Understandings of Grief. Washington: dependency. But how, she wonders, can view what is, in effect, her dismissal of Taylor and Francis. Volkan know what the experience is? Was the scholarly research as she revels in her Rando, Therese (1993). Treatment of he there? She acknowledges that hers is lived experience? Might we just dismiss Complicated Mourning. Illinois: an irrational anger, but does his research this student as experiencing pathological Research Press. truly illuminate her experience? Her anger grief requiring professional assistance? perhaps can best be understood as she goes Might we, as one mentor told me he Volkan. (1975) Re-Grief Therapy. In on to read Emily Post’s 1922 description recommended to his student, have to move Schoenberg, Gerber, Wiener, Kutcher, of what one should experience as grief and from this “personal information” and tie Pereyz and Carr (eds.), Bereavement: Its the manner in which the griever should in theoretical material to provide the CBE Psychosocial Dimensions. New York: be treated. Aries’ (1981) recognition and with some serious academic substance that Columbia University Press. Gorer’s (1965) description of how mourning could be evaluated as legitimate college- has been removed and needs to be removed level learning? Or, might we wish to move from public display seems to resonate with from this type of narrative altogether and the accepted way in which people “should” be more comfortable if she could provide us Note: I wish to thank Alan Mandell for his grieve in Western society today. Didion, with the insights that are usually found in thoughtful reading and editorial comments however, is providing us with a public conventional textbooks in the field? on this piece as well as his consistent recording of the lived, the most personal These reflections focus on the evaluating support and encouragement. His insights are experience as it is in all of its particularity of CBEs. However, I want to get to the almost always “magical.” and anguish. So, for example, he reveals heart of the question of what is knowledge. that when a person loses someone, her facial Who can construct it? When constructed, expression is different and is recognizable to how can any “knowledge” be validated, or others who are having the same experience. perhaps who has to validate it before it can But, of course, this notion that grief and be understood as legitimate knowledge? So, the grieving are revealed only to others who for example, has Didion’s book in any way are undergoing the same experience flies in caused the field of psychology to rethink its the face of the professional literature that literature on grief? Certainly it is in keeping evaluates and categorizes it based on specific with some of the new scholarly literature assumptions about what is normal and what (Klass et al. 1996), but that is a minority isn’t. voice in the larger discipline. How would we Didion’s CBE submission provides us with a evaluate this book? As one of my colleagues chronology of events in the life and death of indicated, maybe the most academically her husband intertwined with her daughter’s appropriate thing would be to recommend illness. The ongoing need to avoid places that the student receive 2 1⁄2 credits in of remembrance that continue to beset memoir writing! Or, perhaps we would her at regular intervals illuminates not the secretly think that submitting this material supposedly necessary experience of “moving for evaluation in the field of bereavement is on” so dominant in bereavement literature, just one more element of this student’s own but the wish not to be drawn back to the “magical thinking.”

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 94

Core Values of Empire State College (2005)

he core values of Empire State We value learning-mentoring processes that: • recognizes that learning occurs in College reflect the commitments multiple communities, environments • emphasize dialogue and collaborative of a dynamic, participatory and and relationships as well as in formal T approaches to study; experimenting institution accessible and academic settings; dedicated to the needs of a richly diverse • support critical exploration of • attracts, respects and is enriched adult student body. These values are woven knowledge and experience; by a wide range of people, ideas, into the decisions we make about what we • provide opportunities for active, perspectives and experiences. choose to do, how we carry out our work reflective and creative academic in all parts of the institution, and how we engagement. We value a learning-mentoring organization judge the outcome of our individual and and culture that: We value learning-mentoring modes that: collective efforts. More than a claim about • invites collaboration in the multiple what we have already attained, the core • respond to a wide array of contexts of our work; values support our continuing inquiry about student styles, levels, interests what learning means and how it occurs. and circumstances; • fosters innovation and experimentation;

We value learning-mentoring goals that: • foster self-direction, independence • develops structures and policies that encourage active participation of • respond to the academic, professional and reflective inquiry; all constituents in decision-making and personal needs of each student; • provide opportunities for ongoing processes; • identify and build upon students’ questioning and revising; • advocates for the interests of adult existing knowledge and skills; • reflect innovation and research. learners in a variety of academic and • sustain lifelong curiosity and critical We value a learning-mentoring community civic forums. inquiry; that: • provide students with skills, insights • defines each member as a learner, and competencies that support encouraging and appreciating his/her successful college study. distinctive contributions;

EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING 95

Submissions to All About Mentoring f you have read a book or article that interested you; attended a stimulating conference; had a valuable, surprising or difficult mentoring experience, or a “mentoring” moment you would be I willing to describe, please consider submitting it to All About Mentoring. If you have a scholarly paper-in-progress or a talk that you have presented, All About Mentoring would welcome it. If you developed materials for your students that may be of good use to others, or have a comment on any part of this issue, or on topics/concerns relevant to our mentoring community, please sent them along. If you have a short story, poem, drawings, or photographs, or have reports on your reassignments and sabbaticals, All About Mentoring would like to include them in an upcoming issue. Send submissions to Alan Mandell (Empire State College, Metropolitan Center, 325 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10013-1005) or via e-mail at [email protected]. Submissions to All About Mentoring can be of varied length and take many forms. (Typically, materials are no longer than 7,500 words.) It is easiest if materials are sent via e-mail to Mandell as WORD attachments. In terms of references and style, All About Mentoring uses APA rules (please see Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association or http//library.albany.edu/users/ style/ap2.html). All About Mentoring is published twice a year. Our next issue, #35, will be available spring 2009. Please submit all materials by November 15.

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MENTORINGA PUBLICATION OF EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE Issue 34 • Fall 2008 ALL ABOUT MENTORING ABOUT ALL

Issue 34 • Fall 2008 Fall • 34 Issue

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