| Tom: |
How is teaching college different than teaching high school? It is not all that
different.
|
| JW: |
The
basic principle is the same: we teach human beings not subjects. We are trying
to expand the thought processes of our students rather than imparting some
specific knowledge. Most knowledge changes so rapidly that what we teach today
may be out of date by the time the student actually uses it. Students need
the right thought processes in place so that they can investigate new knowledge
in a critical and informed manner.
|
| Tom: | The main difference is that undergraduate classes are
generally large so you do not have the one-on-one relationship with the
students that you do at high school.
|
| JW: |
Graduate
classes are smaller so you do have such a relationship and this is more
enjoyable for both teacher and student.
|
| Tom: |
With
all the high tech teaching aids, is teaching more fun than ever before? What is
your favourite high tech help and why?
|
| JW:
|
Since I
haven't done university teaching for some 15 years I have not had the
experience of using much high tech equipment. In lectures I give at
conferences I usually use power point presentations where you can also use
different kinds of media to make the presentation more pertinent
and enjoyable. I still prefer the blackboard because it is much more flexible and you can
add and modify information more easily than on a power point
presentation. It is also a more human way of interacting with students
than a machine!! The teacher's idiosyncrasies and character come through
on the blackboard and make the information imparted more memorable.
|
| Tom:
|
you own an iPod? |
| JW: |
Mine is an 80 gig machine |
| Tom:
|
What is in your 80 gig, (so huge) iPod?
|
| JW:
|
Mostly classical and folk songs: Songs of the Hebrides, All Schubert's symphonies,
Beethoven quartets, Mozart arias, all St Saens piano and violin concertos.
I have only used about 10% of the space so far.
|
| Tom:
|
I
have interviewed former teachers of SMS, some expressed they wouldn't want to
teach in present day school environment. What's your take on that?
|
| JW:
|
I
can't really answer this. It all depends on the school. When I did my
teaching practice in the UK in the 1950s some of the schools were
"blackboard jungles" where the teachers could only rule with the
stick. These were challenging especially since I didn't believe in using
the stick! If the students know you like them and will stand no nonsense,
you will usually be successful no matter what the school.
|
| Tom:
|
What
is your greatest achievement in your career?
|
| JW:
|
Leaving
a good memory with students who after 45-50 years still remember me with
affection and some of the things I taught!
|
| Tom:
|
Any
regrets along the way?
|
| JW: |
I
was at the University of Chicago doing my Ph.D I was quite good at reading
classical Chinese material on the geography and history of that country.
Unfortunately, I did not keep up this study and now find it very tedious looking
up characters I do not recognize. Also, my spoken Chinese (Cantonese) is very
rusty and I am too shy to expose people to my stumbling attempts! I
also wish I had kept up with my piano studies after I left high school but I was
too lazy to practice.
|
| Tom:
|
What
advice would you give to young teachers?
|
| JW:
|
The
same as I gave to your first questions: teach people not subjects
|
| Tom:
|
What
would you suggest to your students to make them better students?
|
| JW:
|
Be
critical of anything your teachers tell you until you have investigated
the material yourself and made it part of your life.
|
| Tom: |
You
have achieved a lot in your career and life, is there something you've
always wanted to do but haven't got to it yet?
|
| JW: |
Flying
an aircraft or a balloon.
|
| Tom: |
I would like to close
out with some Hollywood Celebrity type questions. Here they are:
What is your favourite word?
|
| JW: |
LOVE
|
| Tom: |
What is your least favourite word?
|
| JW: |
HATE
|
| Tom: |
What
is your favourite cuss work?
|
| JW: |
DANG
|
| Tom: |
When
you're at the Pearly Gate, what would you like to hear from Peter?
|
| JW: |
YOU'VE
GOT A CHANCE BUT GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES AND BEG!
|
| Tom: |
What
would you like to say to him?
|
| JW: |
GET
OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE
|
| Tom: |
What
is your idea of perfect happiness?
|
| JW: |
A
NICE MEAL, A GLASS OF WINE AND THE WOMEN I LOVE
|
| Tom: |
What
is your greatest extravagance?
|
| JW: |
BOOKS
|
| Tom: |
What
is your current state of mind?
|
| JW: |
TRANQUIL
|
| Tom: |
What
is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
|
| JW: |
LAZINESS
|
| Tom: |
What
is the trait you most deplore in others?
|
| JW: |
PREJUDICE
|
| Tom: |
What
do you consider the most overrated virtue?
|
| JW: |
TRUTHFULNESS
|
| Tom: |
What
is your second favourite job other than teaching?
|
| JW: |
INVESTIGATIVE
RESEARCH
|
| Tom: |
What
is your favorite occupation that you would like to do but don't have the
ability?
|
| JW: |
MUSICIAN
|
| Tom: |
What
is your most marked characteristic?
|
| JW: |
WEIRDNESS
|
| Tom: |
What
do you most value in your friends?
|
| JW: |
MINDFULNESS
|
| Tom: |
When
and where were you happiest?
|
| JW: |
IN
JAPAN IN THE 1960
|
| Tom: |
What
do you dislike most about your appearance?
|
| JW: |
PROTRUDING
STOMACH
|
| Tom: |
Which
living person do you most despise?
|
| JW: |
DICK
CHENEY
|
| Tom: |
On
what occasion do you lie?
|
| JW: |
NOT
FEEDING THE CAT WHEN I SAY I HAVE
|
| Tom: |
What
or who is the greatest love of your life?
|
| JW: |
DIANA
|
| Tom: |
Which
talent would you most like to have?
|
| JW: |
MUSICAL
|
| Tom: |
Which
talent would you most like to have?
|
| JW: |
BE
MORE TALENTED AT EVERYTHING
|
| Tom: |
If
you could change one thing about your family, what would it be?
|
| JW: |
HAVE
THEM LIVING CLOSER
|
| Tom: |
What
is your most treasured possession?
|
| JW: |
MY
MUSIC COLLECTION
|
| Tom: |
What
do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
|
| JW: |
TO
BE WITHOUT FRIENDS
|
| Tom: |
Who
are your favorite writers?
|
| JW: |
SOMERSET
MAUGHAM, GEORGE ELIOT, JANE AUSTEN, MAURICE COLLIS, GEORGE ORWELL
|
| Tom: |
Who
is your favorite hero of fiction?
|
| JW: |
JUDGE
DEE
|
| Tom: |
Who
are your heroes in real life?
|
| JW: |
ZHOU
ENLAI, CHURCHILL, TOMMY DOUGLAS, SHACKLETON
|
| Tom: |
What
are your favorite names?
|
| JW: |
JENNIFER,
RALPH
|
| Tom: |
What
is it that you most dislike?
|
| JW: |
LOUD
PEOPLE
|
| Tom: |
What
do you consider your greatest achievement?
|
| JW: |
STAYING
ALIVE TO NEARLY 80 SO FAR
|
| Tom: |
If
you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it
would be?
|
| JW: |
A BIRD
|
| Tom: |
If
you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it
would be?
|
| JW: |
A
MEERCAT
|
| Tom: |
Where
would you like to live?
|
| JW: |
SOMEWHERE
IN BC
|
| Tom: |
Where would you like to die?
|
| JW: |
SAME
PLACE
|
| Tom: |
What
is your greatest regret?
|
| JW: |
NOT
PLAYING MUSIC
|
| Tom: |
What
is your motto?
|
| JW: |
LEAVE
THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE THAN YOU FOUND IT
|
