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Re: Order of the Pearl and Teaching




Poster: Morgnne@aol.com

::::::waving her hands weakly in the air::::

I surrender!  Apparently, my thoughts about the difficulty of judging a
person worthy of a Pearl for teaching and/or research were taken by some to
mean "I don't think that a person should be given a Pearl for teaching and/or
research."  Not so!  There are difficulties in any process of selection.  I
merely meant to point out that there may (please note the "may" ) be more
difficulties in obtaining personal knowledge of the "product" of the teacher
(which, in Teleri's post.....once again, my perspective.... included the
people taught).  These difficulties do not make consideration impossible.
 Nevertheless, I would have a responsibility to be aware that the
difficulties exist.

Certainly, a paper that has been well-researched, thought-out, and written in
a good style, with the proper citing of sources can be considered a product
as well.   A research paper is just as much of a tangible product as, say, a
finely tooled leather belt (and yes, I do know what makes a good research
paper is, having recently graduated cum laude from University of Richmond.
Lord knows, I've done enough of 'em to last a lifetime!).  The point I'm
trying to make is that it is the knowledge that a person has been given that
is intangible, and therefore to a certain degree ephemeral (unless you want
to go around quizzing people, that is.... otherwise you have to encourage
them to teach!) So . . .

If I attend a University class taught by Lady X on the uses of medicinal
herbs in the 14th century, and the class is well-taught, well-documented, and
interesting,  then certainly, I might be thinking along the lines of a Pearl
candidate.  I would especially be thinking along those lines if Lady X
continued to teach on a regular basis classes that were well-taught,
well-documented, and interesting.  Just as seeing a certain item at an A&S
competition raises a "hmmmm" in my brain, so does a good teacher. I certainly
wouldn't sniff, cock my nose to the sky, and go, "but what does she MAKE?"  I
would, however,  make it a point to keep track of Lady X to see if she
continues to exhibit the high level of work that originally raised the
"hmmmm," and if she continued to exhibit a trend of quality teaching, would
not hesitate to recommend an award. 

Dame Teleri's post says it better than anything I could come up with (with
pardons for the length of the <snip>):

<<For example, I have seen one display at a Kingdom Twelfth Night several
years
ago that was well researched and museum quality in itself--while it did
display a "craft" made by the displayer, it was presented in a way that put
that item in its social and cultural context. I came away understanding a
great deal more about Anglo-Saxon society from this display. I felt that
the displayer was as commendable as an "historian" as she was a
"craftswoman." While research papers/articles are an excellent way to
display research/teaching abilities, classes, workshops, demonstrations,
and museum-type displays are also good ways to do this as well.>>

Exactly! Many thanks, Dame Teleri!          :-)   <---------here's your
"smiley face"

Meanwhile,

::::::raising her mug of ale high and grinning:::::::::

"Est modo ludus."

(Bar-keep, a round for the house!)


Toujours,


Morgaine




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