A Christmas Treasure

“It came without ribbons! It came without tags!”
“It came without packages, boxes or bags!”
 
Before the gifts had been unwrapped, before the mince tarts and the turkey and the gravy had been set upon the already groaning table, before a single Christmas cracker had been snapped, I had already celebrated the spirit of the feast.

It was a message of humanity and caritas, thanks and optimism, care and compassion, wrapped simply but carefully in plain e-mail text on December 21.

Former student Chris wanted to let me know that he had found employment, and even better, employment in the field he most desired.  He prefaced his good news with some context, to help the aging prof recognize who was writing.  Chris could not know that this was a young man whose contribution to my class was as unforgettable as it was inspirational.  I knew exactly who he was, and I could recall vividly the defining moment he distinguished himself in my class.

Chris told me how he thought about our class in computer-mediated communication, instigated by some recent funding for a new computer at his workplace and the implications that digital social networks, as well as "cheap pay-as-you-go cellphones" could have on his otherwise marginalized clientele.   It was a totally new perspective on computer-mediated communication, a view that I had not previously considered and I was so deeply grateful that Chris had shared this with me. 

Each year, I tell my students that the "So what?" reflection that each of them must include in their final project is the most important part of the exercise.  "So what?" is the ultimate expression of learning outcomes -- "I have created a video/built a game level/written a paper about plagiarism -- so what?  How does this project relate to my life as a human being within a digital world, and how does it relate to discussions/debate that we have had in class on so many topics?"  In other words, what have I learned in my discussion with others, in my reading, in my personal reflection?

Chris had just articulated in a few well-crafted sentences of his e-mail the ultimate "So what?" with clarity, passion, and humility.  He wrote that he is still inspired by our class of 2009, and I replied to tell him how inspired I was by his e-mail.  And that is what learning is, to my mind; a mutually inspirational exchange of ideas.  The roles of teacher and learner are seamlessly interchangeable.  Chris understands this too, for he closes his note (with a wee bit of sarcasm about my appointment as Director of the CTLET!), "I hope you're enjoying your new cushy gig while still inspiring (and being inspired by) all the students that grace your presence."

I closed the e-mail, bursting with pride for his accomplishments and for his sustained reflection on his learning and how it relates to real life.  And it does not get any more real than in the job he is doing, believe me. 

So thank you Chris, for a remarkable, unforgettable Christmas treasure.   I am forever indebted to you.  You have taught me something that I must now pass on to next year's students, so you will have taught them as well.

Treasures such as this are surely the reason I love teaching and the reason I love learning.


By the way, Chris:  Your PS was "Update your blog!"  Thanks for the inspiration.