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I was going to write this month’s Letter from the President about NADE’s stance on corequisite courses: about how they work well for some but not all students, how they must be instituted correctly with appropriate professional development, and blah blah blah. But in light of the tragic events of the past week, I temporarily have lost my passion for corequisite courses unless that corequisite course is one in humanity and civility.
Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee.
—John Donne, Meditation XVII - Meditation 17
By tragic events, I am referring to the deaths in Minnesota, Baton Rouge, and Dallas, and in Baghdad, Pakistan, Iraq, and everywhere we look. I do not know all of the questions, but I do know the answer to most everything is education. And as developmental educators, it seems as if we are best prepared and poised to step in at this critical time to help our students learn beyond the academics. NADE’s motto is “intended to convey the fundamental belief that developmental education services enhance academic, personal, and professional achievement for all learners” (nade.net/aboutnade.html), and all of our power is needed now to enhance the behaviors that recognize the humanity of others.
This world of ours... must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be, instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower
So how do you do that? Luckily it does not take extra money or materials. The truth is there is no curriculum because we teach trust and respect through our relationships with our students and others. It all begins with us. We can make a difference one relationship at a time. And we, as developmental educators, are especially attuned to the impacts our attitudes and actions can have. So I am asking you, as you prepare for the next semester, to keep this joyous burden of teaching our students how to love and respect one another at the forefront of your agenda. Here are a few ideas, and I welcome your contributing more to our discussion board at http://tinyurl.com/gud3o8l or to our facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NADE.DevEd .
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