Louis Schmier: A Student-Centered Teacher

Have you ever heard of Louis Schmier? He was a history professor whose "Random Thoughts" I used to read on some listservs. Newer teachers would likely not have heard about him. I have found him to be an incredibly valuable resource in my teaching.

http://www.therandomthoughts.com/

He was an old-time hard/demanding lecturer/teacher/professor. Then his epiphany came in the form of a health issue. As he discusses, he changed his approach to teaching. His views have been influential in my approach to students. It's the person first, then the content. He asks many questions about his teaching and reflects on these questions, along with conversations he has with colleagues and students. If you are a person who values students and are a risk-taker, you will enjoy his writing. He took chances on both his teaching and on the humanity of his students. 

You can find his complete collection here:

http://www.halcyon.com/arborhts/rt/

His publicity bio is here: http://ww2.valdosta.edu/~lschmier/publicity/

I find going back and reading one or two (takes less than 5 minutes) helps me recenter when I get away from my preferred approach to teaching.

posted by Chuck Schallhorn

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