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LIVE & LEARN - lifelong learning!

LIVE & LEARN – lifelong learning!

Life is a pilgrimage of learning!

Completing 2009 today, I have been reminded through 2009 that life really is a pilgrimage of learning! We educators are always talking about “lifelong learning,” but too often we are thinking within our institutional boxes called schools, colleges, universities. WHY do we NOT pay more attention to the famous “university of hard knocks”?!

And now, the 21st century has put virtual education on the front burner! (Having taught for our - Wisconsin Virtual School which works with K-12 local school districts throughout WI to provide credit recovery courses, Middle and High school courses, including several of the Advanced Placement courses which afford students preparation for the National AP Exam taken in May each year which may earn the student recommendation for college credit from various colleges and universities. Our UW system has a strong, Regent mandated, policy for the awarding of credits in the UW system for successful achievement on AP exams. Use this link for additional information, about Advanced Placement program, including courses. Janesville and area schools offer a wide-range of AP courses. Some of the students with whom I worked at Parker HS over the years earned sufficient credits to start college/university as a SOPHOMORE – yes, a full year of credit earned through AP courses w/exams!

I am sure that YOU TOO are keenly aware of the truth of “LIVE & LEARN” from your life experience through 2009 – correct? You want to comment?

There are numerous meaningful, even inspiring quotes which reflect the truth of “live and learn,” including: "Minds are like parachutes. They only function when they are open,” “Where there is an open mind, there will always be a frontier.” The assertion of Charles F. Kettering, one of the greatest researchers, inventors and business innovators in US history and the challenging quip by Gracie Allen, “Don't put a period where God has put a comma.”

EVERY MONTH of 2009 had various LIFE LESSONS for me… let me reflect on some of them as we bring 2009 to a close today.

January – One of the most effective programs for democracy/civics education in the US is “We the People” with its 2 separate curricula – “The Citizen and the Constitution” for high school students and “Project Citizen” for middle school students. This program has been developed by the Center for Civic Education with very significant funding from the US Government. I have been involved with these democracy/civics education program for years. I am a judge for the state competitions each year – January for “The Citizen and the Constitution” and May for “Project Citizen.” IF you need to be encouraged as to the preparation of our youth as CITIZENS of the US, I urge that you visit one or both of these events at our WI State Capitol. For information on dates, contacts, use this link for the “Law-Related Education” section of the Wisconsin State Bar Association website.

February – February 12, 2009 was the BICENTENNIAL of ABRAHAM LINCOLN’s birth! Marilyn (my wife) and I went to SPRINGFIELD, IL to join in the celebrations from Wednesday – Sunday, Feb. 11-15. The annual Lincoln Association Birthday Banquet was the key celebration. US President Barack Obama, former US Senator from IL was the keynote speaker. He cited Lincoln’s definition of the purpose of government. Springfield was filled with special Lincoln Bicentennial events of all kinds, so we had wonderful days of living and learning!

March – Semi-annual meeting of the Political Science Department of the UW-College system in Madison. In the UW-College system there are 13 campuses (I teach at UW-Waukesha) with one chair of the Department and faculty on most, if not all, of the 2-year campuses. This is a KEY time for the department to work together to develop a departmental curriculum. It is also a key opportunity for professional development. Last March we had a guest speaker from UW-Green Bay who had been a long-time consultant training instructors to use the new instructional device, “THE CLICKER.” With his actual lessons from Political Science courses, he persuaded us of the benefits of using “The Clicker” in classes. The larger the class, the MORE beneficial is “The Clicker.” For additional information re. "clickers," click on this link. (This is one of several “clicker” suppliers and is NOT intended to be an endorsement.)

April – Every time there is a Presidential Election, awareness of and discussion of “THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE” comes to the front burner. Some citizens want to repeal “The Electoral College” because they see it as “non-democratic” since the FEDERAL (states) principle of our US Constitution is the foundation for the “Electoral College.” Others, argue that the founders were “geniuses” in their design of the indirect election of the US President through the “Electoral College.” As a member of the Janesville League of Women Voters (JLWV), I joined a team of JLWV members to offer an opportunity for citizens to learn about and evaluate the appropriateness of the “Electoral College” in the US in the 21st century. That event generated dynamic discussion with civility!

May – In memory of one of the members of our JANESVILLE TANK COMPANY, RAYMOND HILL, fulfilling a long-standing commitment to his mother, EDITH HILL which started in the mid-1970’s, I accept the privilege of participating in the MEMORIAL DAY OBSERVANCE at the TANK COMPANY MEMORIAL downtown Janesville the last weekend of May. Raymond Hill was one of the youth of Rock County who desperately wanted to service his country BEFORE Pearl Harbor. He was the only surviving son of Edith, so exempt from service in the US military. Nevertheless, in spite of the begging of his mother, Raymond enlisted with the National Guard and lied about his age. Several of the Tank Company members had lied about their age. I hope you know the full story of our Janesville Tank Company, including the fact that it shipped out to The Philippines to defend that US territory as the Japanese had been expanding in the Pacific. They were on duty in the Philippines just before the Pearl Harbor attack… in fact; the Japanese attacked the Philippines the day after Pearl Harbor – Monday, December 8, 1941. The Japanese invaded the Philippines and forced the US troops to surrender. Then came the infamous “Bataan Death March.” Some of the Janesville “boys” survived came home after the war and some of them invested time to help our US History students at Parker HS understand that part of World War II as it had been directly related to Janesville!

June – The Rock County Board extended to me an honor which truly surprised me when it voted Judi Kneece and me into the Rock County Hall of Honor in May and then inducted us on Sunday, June 7 at UW-Rock County. For the last week in June, I joined my long-time colleague and friend, Dr. David Canon, Professor of Political Science, UW-Madison, as co-instructor for the AP US Government & Politics Seminar for Teachers which is part of the UW-Madison’s Advanced Placement Summer Institute. We have taught this seminar together for 14 years and are now preparing for the 15th round in June 2010.

July – At the invitation of The Janesville Gazette with its experiment to use “community blogs,” I launched this “WE THE PEOPLE” blog on the 4th of July.

August – Accepted special appointment to teach 2 sections of “Ethnic Politics” at University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. With a faculty resignation 2-week before the Fall semester started on September 2, I took on the last minute teaching opportunity. BELIEVE ME, talk about “LIFE & LEARN”! I learned a great deal through the Fall ’09 semester as I kept studying and preparing to keep ahead of my students. The course studies the realities and issues of DIVERSITY in our American culture, including: race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, religion. The most significant resource I learned about and was able to use as the capstone resource to bring the semester of learning to a close was, “Race the Power of an Illusion.” (Click on this link if you want the DVD's website.)
That video truly generated very significant critical cogitation among my students!

September – The most significant RED LETTER date in September in my LIFE & LEARNING experiences was Sunday, September 27, 2009 when the Janesville community celebrated the days – October 1-3, 1859 – when Abraham Lincoln came to Janesville at the invitation of William Tallman. Having missed the train on Sunday morning because he did not go downstairs without his boots, Lincoln went to church with the Tallman family – First Congregational Church on Sunday, October 2, 1859. That church is still on the same location as it was in 1859 with a newer building. The church planned for a grand community celebration with special leadership and investments by JANET & JIM HAY. The First Brigade Band played during the service and later led a parade from the church to the Lincoln-Tallman House where they played an outdoor concert on the lawn.

President and Mrs. Abraham Lincoln along with Mr. William Tallman enactors participated in the special celebration service at First Congregational United Church of Christ on the 27th of September. I had the privilege of sharing the message focusing on Abraham Lincoln and his religious faith.

October – One of my special “LIVE & LEARN” experiences which was underwritten by the Political Science Department at UW-Whitewater was the “Working Together: Understanding Hmong Culture” professional development conference sponsored by the UW-Extension in Rothschild. I gained new information, awareness and perspective on the Hmong people who were brought to the US with many of them settling in the Wausau area of WI. This was valuable for me to better teach the topic/issues of the Hmong as one of our newer immigrant groups in our US.

November – Many of you are already aware of the significant of Friday, the 13th of November in my “LIVE & LEARN” experience this year. I shared that experience in “WE THE PEOPLE” which I entitled “Thanksgiving Day 2009” emphasizing the whole new dimension of GRATITUDE I gained through my experience of emergency brain surgery at St. Mary’s Hospital, Madison. I reported that my neurosurgeon, Dr. Alan Lozier, told me when he checked on me in ICU, “John, today was the LUCKIEST FRIDAY the 13th in your WHOLE life!” Since then, I have had the blessings of skilled surgery with healing! I am blessed that I did NOT suffer any debilities whatsoever! I do have to cope with my “brain” – the surgeon keeps tell me, “Be patient!” I have to lay down to rest my brain for 20-30 minutes every 60-90 minutes… that is VERY frustrating to me. After the “lost week” (Nov. 13-21) at St. Mary’s, I was “behind the 8 ball” the rest of Fall semester. I tell you I felt very significant relief when I filed the FINAL SEMESTER GRADES for my students – both “Ethnic Politics” at UW-Whitewater and “Global Politics” at UW-Waukesha on Friday, the 18th of December! VERY satisfying to complete the semester! GRATEFUL for the stamina and persistence to “JUST DO IT!”

December – Friday, the 18th of December was another RED LETTER date for me with the filing of the final semester grades bring a close to Fall ’09 semester! That started my break from school routine which continues until we start Spring 2010 semester at UW-Waukesha on Wednesday (1/27) – I will be teaching “Introduction to Politics” – the general introduction to the study of political science, government, politics with focus on our American political culture and system.

And now, today, December 31, 2009, we bring 2009 to a close. I have learned a great deal through these 12 months. Have YOU? Why not comment?

I KNOW I have the responsibilities of KNOWLEDGE and seek to conscientiously participate in the UPbuilding of our REPUBLIC. Many of you heard the conversation re. “republic” vs. “democracy” that Stan Milam asked me to develop on his Stan Milam Show on Monday, December 22, 2009. “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the REPUBLIC for which it stands…”

I have the AUDACITY of HOPE that 2010 will be a BETTER year than 2009… do you? What are your comments?

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010! Here we go...

Mr. E.

John Eyster lives in the Edgerton area. He is an adjunct professor of political science at UW-Waukesha and an advocate for democracy/civics education in Wisconsin high schools. John is a community blogger and is not a part of Janesville Gazette staff. His opinion is not necessarily that of the Janesville Gazette staff or management.