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FW: politeness etc.



As long as you are able to avoid taking it personally, blunt critiques
are the best. One of my biggest complaints as a beginning teacher is
that I struggle to find people (other than my students) who will be
critical of my work. Telling me that I'm doing a fine job doesn't help
me to progress. That being said, I know that I tend to get defensive
when people are critical of my work. Its important, yet not easy, to
take care how you express your criticism.




-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Ford [mailto:tomford@THESCIENCESOURCE.COM]
Sent: Tuesday, February 04, 2003 8:35 AM
To: PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu
Subject: Re: politeness etc.

I have always COUNTED ON the J. S. Denker "bluntness"
to quickly carve to the center of an issue in this
marvelous "distance learning" we have going here. I have
taken no offense and recognize this is not poetry class.

Tom Ford


At 04:43 AM 2/4/03 -0800, John Barrere wrote:
If the price we have to "pay" for your clarity and
wisdom is a bit of bluntness (I'd say bluntness, not
rudeness), it is one of the great bargains of all
time!! John Barrere

--- "John S. Denker" <jsd@MONMOUTH.COM> wrote:
Hi --

It has been pointed out [off list] that some of my
recent posts have been far too rude. I see that
now. I need to get a lot better at seeing such
things without being told. I'm tryin to get better.
I hope people will continue to remind me if/when
I fall off the wagon.

Also, I hope people will see this as a blind spot
of mine, not as a mean streak. I get no joy from
insulting people. I was trying to help, really,
however clumsily.

I've met a few people who are selfish to the core
and deeply disrespectful of others, yet they hide
it behind a veneer of politeness. I can't abide
that, I'm pretty sure I'm not like that, and I
respect this community precisely because the people
here aren't like that. I beseech you to see in my
notes genuine respect, occasionally hidden behind
a crust of unintended impoliteness.


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