Discovering together

I was unaware of the unique expectation of teachers at St. John's University until reading this article in the NY Times. Teachers are expected to teach ("or tutuor in the St. John's vernacular") courses in which they have no background or training; "leveraging ignorance as much as expertise." (SJU has a core curriculum of sixteen year-long courses which all students take. There are no majors.)

Michael Dink, graduated from St. John’s in 1975 and earned his master’s degree and Ph.D. in philosophy from the Catholic University of America. Like most professors here, he long ago traded the traditional three-course academic career — writing journal articles, attending conferences and teaching a specific subject — for the intellectual buffet at St. John’s. His first year included teaching Ptolemy’s “Almagest,” a treatise on planetary movements, and atomic theory. He since has taught 15 of the school’s 16 courses, the exception being sophomore music.

Sounds like a vibrant place. Each day a day of discovery for everyone. No laurels to rest on, just laurels to share.