As an educator, I have the distinct honor and privilege of shaping young minds. I teach a required, general education course (writing intensive), called Perspectives On Leisure (now you know what inspired the name of my blog). In tonight’s class (our last), my last lecture reminds students of their newly discovered leisure ethic. Here is a snapshot of the end of my lecture:
“Class, it has been my pleasure as your instructor teaching you about leisure. When you walked into this class, most of you had no idea what the word “leisure” meant, let alone write a paper defining leisure. You challenged yourselves on the Ropes Course, some of you even making new friends at this event. You explored and identified your values. You also looked deep within yourself to write your ‘Prescription for Happiness’, how you described the rest of your life in 5-10-20 years in terms of your lifestyle, your career, and your leisure. Many of you wrote that you appreciate how important leisure is in your life.
Look how far you have come!
Most of you are leaving this class with a mature definition of leisure and a new-found leisure ethic. I wish you all the best in life and I wish you a life filled with leisure!”
My Monday night class is for majors in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration. At my last lecture Monday night, just before students did their final group presentations, I told them I was leaving them with some parting shots. Of course they heard “party shots” and uproarious laughter ensued. In all seriousness, my last comment to my Monday night Recreation Facility Management class was this:
“Some of you know that I am retiring from my 30-year job with the City. I will still continue to teach. I want you to know that as I look around this classroom, I can see that I am leaving the recreation profession in VERY good hands.”
They really liked that!
This is what I get to do. I resume teaching again in Fall 2015. During that hiatus, I will be creating a brand new course in Volunteer Management, as well as preparing to teach an online-hybrid course.
This is my future!
Second Wind Leisure Perspectives 