Seeds

Think twice before you speak because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in another.

~ Napoleon Hill

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This summer I got to teach law and ethics in higher education.  I love teaching.  I love it because it means I get to learn all the time.  I probably learn all the time anyway, but this makes it more structured.

They say that teaching is like planting seeds.  You give information and it grows.  I'm not sure I agree.  

I think some people - the way they teach - it's like spreading manure.  It's more about them cultivating followers and feeding their egos than really challenging ways of thinking and knowing.  For others it's like hammering horseshoes, you beat knowledge into people - whether they like it or not.  For still others it's like raising a barn - you build something with your students, but it still is prescriptive and you have a definite outcome in mind instead of waiting to see what the students might build on their own.

A few things you can learn from this post...  First, to me all forms of teaching apparently are like something related to agriculture.

Also, teaching is very much like planting seeds.  Especially if you're teaching a course called, "Seed Planting."

Finally, I like teaching.