The Things Teachers Say
Long-time history teacher Dr. Jim Davis gave a masterclass last night to a group of parents and alums exploring existentialism, which is also the topic of a popular senior elective he has taught for many years. As he discussed Søren Kirkegaard and Frantz Fanon, BUA graduates who took the class years ago started to engage in the online chat. Then the questions started, then an open-ended discussion. An hour-long class stretched to 90 minutes – in good BUA fashion. Several alums told Dr. Davis that their time with him in this class years ago – the readings, the discussions, the questioning – had not just stayed with them but shaped who they are and how they think about the world. Some talked about how the class helps them think about our nation’s political challenges. Others talked about how those discussions have helped them work through personal challenges.
In a 1907 autobiographical work, Henry Adams famously wrote, “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” Dr. Davis’s masterclass was a powerful reminder of the power of a loving, inspiring teacher.