Scholars Who Have Influenced My Thinking

    There are a number of thinkers, both within and outside of the field of education, who have influenced my thinking and my life. One scholar who has had a powerful influence on my thinking is the great American mythologist and writer, Joseph Campbell. Campbell’s work on comparative mythology and comparative religion is fascinating, as it covers a wide spectrum of human experience. His philosophy of life is often characterized by his famous quote, “Follow your bliss.” Campbell believed that a person has an inner sense of when they are on the right path, when they have truly found his or her life’s journey. As Campbell stated, “Find a place inside where there's joy, and the joy will burn out the pain.”

    Another scholar who has influenced me is Ron Clark. Ron Clark’s passion for teaching and commitment to his work is an inspiration for anyone of any vocation. As an educator, however, I believe in his philosophy of maintaining high expectations in an engaging educational environment that leads to success for all students. Clark maintains that when students respect the teacher and see that he or she cares about them and is truly trying to help them, they are far more likely to take ownership of their learning. What is important for Clark is that educators put a spark in their teaching that bonds everyone together and provides a sense of unity and teamwork. And above all else, the teacher must have passion and enthusiasm.

    Robert William Service is a third scholar who has had an impact on my thinking.  Robert Service was a poet and writer who has been called the “Bard of the Yukon.” Service was born and educated in England but moved to Canada when he was 21. "The only society I like," he once said, "is that which is rough and tough - and the tougher the better. That's where you get down to bedrock and meet human people." Service was a “people’s poet” and wrote extensively on the human condition. The vastness and extreme conditions of the Yukon Territory in the early 1900’s became a metaphor for the hardships we all face on a daily basis, which he addressed in his writing.  His ballads flow effortlessly and seem to transcend the superficial differences between people, striking at our collective nature as human beings.