Another Brick in the Wall

Signed copy of Mr. Stossel's latest book

     "I'm so mad at you."
     "But why Mr. House?"
     "Cause I really wanted to go to New York."
     "Ugh, I didn't win the essay contest?"
     "No but you were named a FINALIST!"
     "Really, that is awesome!"
     "You did a great job."

     That is paraphrase of a conversation that took place in my room yesterday afternoon.  One of my Economics students entered an essay contest that was conducted by John Stossel.  If you are not familiar with Mr. Stossel he is a Libertarian leaning journalist with his own show on Fox.  He is not obnoxious the way most of the commentators on Fox tend to be, rather he is a traditional reporter that asks common sense questions with people that he is at odds with and plays the devil's advocate with guests on his show that are like minded.  I like his journalistic style.  I also like his take on Economics.  I was trained as a traditional Keynesian in college, as was almost everyone that took Econ classes in the second half of the 20th Century.  But after I started following the career of Representative Ron Paul in the late 80s and 90s I became very interested in the Austrian School of Economics that Mr. Paul advocates.  If none of what I just said makes any sense to you, don't worry.  Schools of economic philosophy are not daily conversations for most people. If you would like to see a funny (to nerdy econ people) video that pits the two leading philosophies of John Maynard Keynes and F. A. Hayek click here. 

     Mr. Stossel also provides educational materials to teachers to use in their classroom and I have on occasion used some of his resources.   So one day a few months ago in the middle of a lesson I mentioned that when I was looking at the "Stossel in the Classroom" website I saw that they were conducting an essay contest.   I suggested that some people in the class might want to enter it because the 1st and 2nd place winners would get a trip to New York to be on the Stossel show and even better they would get to take me with them and, "that with a sweet deal like getting to hang with me in "The Big Apple", it would be off the hook".  I didn't understand but not everyone jumped at this opportunity.  But one kid did and he wrote a fantastic essay.  I sent it in and they sent him a certificate and a check and they sent me a signed copy of the newest Stossel book.

    Yesterday was one of those moments teachers live for.  It was an opportunity to share in the thrill of someone's academic success.  I knuckle bumped him, I smiled with him, and I told him that I was proud of him.  And I watched him as the realization of what he had accomplished unveiled itself to him.  It was über cool!  A teacher usually does not get to experience these moments everyday.  So when an event like this does happen and you're lucky enough to be there to share it with a student, you savor it.  When I received the package in the mail and I realized what it was I was already smiling in anticipation.  We are a medium small school, about 500 -600 students, so I was able to tell my principal, the councilors and other teachers about what this kid had done and without fail they were all happy for him.  I use a day like yesterday as motivation when I read an article about how teacher retirement promises are bankrupting state budgets and I won't be able to retire until I'm 75 or that we don't compete on standardized test scores with the Japanese.  Yesterday was a gold brick day.

adapted from The Star Thrower by Loren Eiseley (1907-1977)

     Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

     One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

    As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

     He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"

     The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."

     "I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.

     To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."

     Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"

     At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "It made a difference for that one."

List of finalists in the Stossel essay contest.  Sorry but they wouldn't list me as Brick House.