Shoelaces

A lack of experience doesn't necessarily mean a lack of experience. On a small scale, some of my students don't know how to tie their own shoes. I, therefore, have the responsibility to tie it for them to prevent them tripping over their own feet. But I can't tie their shoes forever for two reasons (1) they'll have to grow up sooner or later (2) I only have, at most, 8 hours a week with these kids- there isn't much I can properly teach in that short time.

Still, with their imaginations as running wild as they do I'm surprised they haven't imagined a different way to tie their shoelaces. In their minds they can rob banks, or be the policemen who catch the robbers who rob banks. They can play house, pretend to be cats and dogs; climb mountains; score winning goals, but they're not creative enough to tie shoes?

Is it because it's too practical a task? It's not whimsical enough to use your imagination on?

I mean, when I was learning how to tie my shoes, I cried a lot of tears. A lot. I didn't receive my gold sticker for, like, ages.

I don't have a solution, but what would it take to transfer all that knowledge- all that imagination- to more 'practical' problems?

On a large scale, I was a never pleased when I knew that the school hired a teacher who didn't have a teaching degree, just a doctorate the field, or had a couple television shows-how's that so different from teaching a bunch of high schoolers?-hardly any sharks there. If its experience we want these children to grow up and have, it begs the question: what kind of experience?

Getting a high school diploma is a kind of experience, but surely it's not the only one. It wasn't until at least a century ago, and apparently, the world's much older than that- 6,000 or 30,000,000,000, a century's not very long.

That won't stop me from tying my students' shoe laces- seriously, they could hurt themselves if they trip! But I regret the day they think they can do anything, and are thwarted with, "Not Enough Experience."

"Experience" is too often equated with "qualifications": that undermines how much of an individual's life is truly out of his or her hands. She can get into RIT, Stevens, and Columbia, but she can't afford it nor does she 'qualify' for enough scholarships so she has to settle for community school. It may not undermine her determination and willpower, but it certainly undermines any potential prospects she could have had had she been able to afford RIT, Stevens, or Columbia in the first place.

We are responsible to make these choices, and take the consequences that come with those choices, but I think I need to stop imagining that every person has a multitude of choices from which to pick. Most of life choices are a fork in the road, not an overflowing buffet.

I don't know. I was just talking about having imagination enough to tie shoelaces in a different way, but I guess that doesn't look very good on a professional resume.

Eh, give and take what you can.

...but if you find out a different way to tie shoelaces, I know I'll be all ears.