I did my BEd at a small Catholic university. The program came highly recommended. I had my BSc from a much larger university and figured there was some merit to having experience at a different institution.
A friend who had graduated from the program told me I should take Father T’s Philosophy Of Education course.
“Is it a good course”, I asked.
“It’s okay, he does a good job, but every time there’s a related funeral mass you’ll get the class off.”
I signed up for the course.
It was true.
Occasionally we would arrive for a Monday morning class and there would be a note on the door.
Dear students, I am terribly sorry but class is cancelled today.
I’ll be attending a funeral this morning.
Other times, a class would end and Father T would say, “I’m terribly sorry but Friday’s class is going to be cancelled. I have a funeral mass to attend.”
When he told us this he was genuinely apologetic. It was obvious that he was torn between two loyalties whenever he delivered this message.
One time, and I think I was speaking on behalf of the class, I said, “It’s okay Father. It’s where you should be. No need to worry.”
I wonder how Plato felt when Socrates cancelled a class. Do you suppose he slept in? That may have been part of his method.
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Published by Gary Caines
Gary Caines is a retired teacher. During his 32 year career he taught in Newfoundland and New Brunswick and in private and public schools. He has been a principal, vice-principal, district supervisor and, something of which he is quite proud, has taught at least 1 subject at every grade level – yes, that includes kindergarten.
Over the years he has served as Aide-de-Camp for three Lieutenant Governors and retired as a navigator from the Naval Reserve with the rank of Lieutenant-Commander. He directed and produced school musicals and coached rugby at four different high schools (he was still playing the game at 58). He is a recording artist, a past-master of the Masonic Lodge and, for ten years, served as a volunteer ambulance driver. He has climbed mountains in BC and been bitten by mosquitoes in Labrador. He has backpacked in Europe and sung in Irish pubs. Gary has sailed from Halifax to Thunder Bay and return.
He once taught a class in Appenzell, Switzerland and twice performed with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. He is a part-president of his curling club and of Imperial Theatre. Currently he is the founder and artistic director of the Fundy Sea Shanty Festival. Oh, and something else of which he is proud, he has two beautiful children and three incredibly beautiful grandchildren.
He has a lot of stories to tell.
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5 W's of Education 