Decades ago as I settled into my seat the college professor began to pass out the syllabus and stated, “You could probably pass this class by just reading the book…but then again. I am telling you now there will be things on the tests that can only be learned in class. The text will not hold all the answers. So it is up to you. Come to class, don’t come to class. Pass or fail. I suggest for those who want to pass, regular attendance, should be one of your primary goals.”
Attendance wasn’t a problem for me. I was on campus everyday because of baseball. Going to class wasn’t the hard part. Staying awake through some of these “lectures” was a task unto itself. This teacher however was one I knew I would enjoy. He spoke clearly and at a good pace. He also presented himself well as someone who’d lived but hadn’t been crushed by the living.
He wasn’t there to scare us, berate us, or bore us. He was there because he enjoyed teaching. He wanted to share his experiences within the scope of the class.
In other words he liked to tell stories.
We moved through the breakdown of the semester, two tests, one project, and points for attendance. My kind of guy. Not only did he tell you attendance was important but he also attached value.
Something many teachers still don’t understand.
The class finished and two days later we were all back for more. Some of us anyway. Noticeably there were many empty seats. I watched the professor with a bit of pity. I felt bad for him. He had done a great job. His stories were entertaining, his points well thought out. He perused the room and then said, “Showing up is half the battle. You will not learn by being absent.”
He then started to speak.
After about 15 minutes I looked around the room. The professor had been talking the entire time and had everyone’s attention. No notes were taken, no chatting in the back, no trying to talk to the opposite sex. He had us in the palm of his hand.
He was teaching.
He talked about human behavior, ethics, and then mentioned off hand how one time he had a professor who gave a 100 question true/false test and all the answers had been true. Thirty five minutes later our fifty minutes was up and we shuffled out the door to our next destination. He’d given quite a bit of information but because he’d relayed it in story form I thought I would remember the important points.
Turned out I was right.
Two weeks later the class was packed as one of our two tests was scheduled. The prof entered, smiled, and said how lovely it was to see EVERYONE today. I laughed to myself as he started to pass out the test. Hand over head the test was distributed until each of us sat silently with our test, number two pencil and scan-tron.
“You have the rest of the class to complete your test. Once you are finished you are excused. We will go over them next time. Good luck.”
I turned my attention to the test and read the first question. I nodded and marked True. I read the next question. True as well. The third, fourth, and fifth questions were all True before the light bulb went off. I quickly skipped to the end. There were 100 questions. I read the last question. It was true. I reversed back to the middle and randomly selected another question. It was true. I almost laughed out loud. I looked up at the mad scientist at the front who was sitting watching the room. I shook my head and without bothering to read any other questions, marked every single one of them True. I did double check to make sure I’d filled in every single spot. I even counted them individually to make sure.
When you’ve got the magic code you want every single point and I had the magic code. After a few minutes I gathered my backpack and walked to the front of the room. I could feel the looks from many of the other students.
Some because they couldn’t believe I could read 100 questions that fast. They were right. I couldn’t.
A few others watched me as well because they too had the magic code but wanted to wait for verification that they were right. I looked at the professor with a quizzical set of eyes. It was possible I could be wrong and if so I was about to flunk this test. He met me with laughter in his and said “have a nice day.”
I barely made it half way to the door before ten other students were turning in their tests.
All True.
Two days later we were back in class. ALL of us. Our teacher walked in and started talking as always. While passing our scan-trons back the class sat as though in a spell. We all wanted to see our results. Even more importantly we wanted to hear more from this man. He had our attention because those of us who had “showed up” had been rewarded and those of us who didn’t, were not.
Knowledge isn’t about rote memorization, or the taking of tests. It’s about having experiences that lead to thinking critically.
Teaching is about provision of the truth and facts, and then the reward of those who learned through the experience by thinking critically.
In other words, “show up and get to work.”
There are too many in America who haven’t any knowledge and aren’t questioning lies.
There are too many in America who aren’t even showing up.
Generations on food stamps who believe they deserve a check.
Generations of bigotry who don’t support the United States but rather La Raza.
Generations of hate that call for the collapse of America and the killing of apostates and infidels through the word of Mohammed.
It’s time to “attend class” citizens of these United States. It’s time to show up in record numbers and vote properly.
If you were one who bought into Bill Clinton, I understand. The man is a world class liar and sociopath.
If you were one who bought into George Bush, I get it. What were the alternatives? Gore or Kerry? Hardly.
If you were one who bought into Obama, I get it…the first time. The second time…just plead insanity.
A second helping of a Clinton and a third helping of Obama?
There is no excuse. Those who continue to support Hillary Clinton, for any reason, are detriments to a free society, traitorous in their decisions, or ignorant beyond aid and can no longer be tolerated.
Democratic Politicians are calling for the “militancy of illegals against Americans” while naming anyone who wants the rule of law enforced a racist, bigoted, homophobic, xenophobe. Democratic Politicians support the Nation of Islam, Sharia Law, the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas.
OPENLY.
Some will tell you they don’t but lies of omission are still lies.
While Hillary takes money from Saudi Arabia, Obama is the greatest stimulus program in the history of Iran and they both continue to do it over and over again while the Press, Loretta Lynch and James Comey ignore or provide cover for their criminal behavior.
What do we hear from the Liberals (Republicans and Democrats)? They are worried about Donald Trump???
They aren’t worried. They are complicit and they know the only outsider since Ross Perot is going to raise the hood and start poking around.
If you have friends, family, or acquaintances that are supporting the demise of America you must defend our country. Stop worrying about their feelings. They aren’t worried about ours. Use your voice in whatever capacity necessary to show them the light.
The alternative will certainly be less agreeable to us all…especially to those who will be marked as traitors.
We either have the Rule of Law or we don’t.
Trust me Liberals you better hope we do.
Democracy has been a failure and a lie. We are a Constitutional Republic. If you cannot grasp this concept Comrade Obama has opened a path for all of you to visit Cuba.
“First they came for strangers and I did nothing. Then they came for my neighbors and I did nothing. Then they came for me.”
Jason Kraus
www.aleadernotapolitician.com
