Catalyst for Compassion

The dissemination of knowledge is only a small fraction of my mission. Yes I seek to impart what wisdom I possess; but the deeper truth is that if I do not impress upon others the importance of compassion, then what knowledge is acquired is shrouded in controversy. Time and again, it has become apparent that without compassion we fall behind. In situations of adversity, it is the love of our neighbors that brings us out of the darkness. In times of trouble, it is our own passions that transform us from ordinary people into engaged citizens. I have been blessed to have worked with amazing people in diverse communities. Through those experiences, I have learned that we have done a great disservice by operating in a manner that doesn’t put learners in the driver's seat. One goal as an educator is to ensure the sustainable transfer of knowledge, that what we teach is retained. However, if we operate as the sage on the stage and expect our students to become engaged outside of the traditional classroom, then we have only lied to ourselves. We must create environments where students are surrounded by choices, where students are able to manipulate the elements that exist in their world. We must think of knowledge acquisition as we do with environmental sustainability, considering how the economic, financial and social aspects of our students coalesce into the being seeking information. We must view education with a lens of justice and seek to expose our learners to transformative experiences. We must remove from our arsenal the methods that perpetuate the sins of the past and focus instead on the opportunities that lie ahead.AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Tony Staubach, OSU Extension educator, 4-H youth development, staubach.9@osu.edu (Corresponding Author)The dissemination of knowledge is only a small fraction of my mission. As an educator, it is my goal to ensure the sustainable transfer of knowledge to my students. However, if we operate as the sage on the stage and expect our students to become engaged outside of the traditional classroom, then we have only lied to ourselves. We must create environments where students are surrounded by choices, where students are able to manipulate the elements that exist in their world. We must think of knowledge acquisition as we do with environmental sustainability, considering how the economic, financial and social aspects of our students coalesce into the being seeking information. We must view education with a lens of justice and seek to expose our learners to transformative experiences. We must remove from our arsenal the methods that perpetuate the sins of the past and focus instead on the opportunities that lie ahead