The Unemotional Teacher

     As I was reading Showalter's Teaching Literature, I came upon a chapter called "Teaching Literature in Dark Times".  In this chapter, she focuses on what options/reactions are appropriate to responding to current events (generally of importance to the mass population).  Showalter doesn't give a guide for a way that these events should be handled, rather she depicts several options that other professors have used and their results and reflections upon their handling of the event.  Showalter cites the thoughts of Rosenblatt by saying, "Rosenblatt believes that the teacher of literature should not assume a mask of unemotional objectivity or impartial omniscience".  Showalter also addresses the issue that teachers are not guided or taught possible responses in such matters, which can lead to an impulse reaction rather than a well thought out response plan.
     For sure there is no one size fits all plan for how to respond to a devastating effect as a teacher, but I do think that it is something that needs to be discussed at all levels.  I think that many people's knee-jerk reaction is to pretend that nothing has happened and go on with life/class as usual.  I think that this is a mistake, especially in the humanities; after all, I think part of this discipline is teaching humanity.  I clearly remember sitting in a college class when 9/11 occurred, no one rushed in to stop class and tell us what was happening.  We walked out of that class to a changed world.  Even after that class, not a single one of my classes ever discussed 9/11 and its repercussions in class.  One teacher commented on the sporadic attendance since the event, but just as a reminder that attendance is part of the grade no matter what.
     Another instance in my collegiate career was when I was heading to a meeting with a professor before our class started; outside the college, one of my classmates in that class took his helmet off and went to do a wheelie on his bike when he hit a parked car and flew off his bike smacking into the sidewalk head first.  I walked past him on my way to the meeting directly after it occurred, and I remember seeing his head cracked open.  I quickly walked away in shock and headed to my meeting. My professor could see that I was clearly shaken up and he did ask what was wrong, I told him about the student in class and what had happened and then we began our intended meeting.  The professor held class, despite the shock and awe of the students that began receiving texts that he did not make it.  The next week the professor did take a few moments to discuss his reflections on the past week and the revelation that he feels it would have been better to cancel class, as it wasn't a productive class anyway.
     I do not believe that instructors have to totally rearrange their syllabi to accommodate these events, but I do believe that it is our duty to acknowledge and give space to discuss these events.  I think that we need to be the frontline in demonstrating that everyone is human and these types of events do affect people.  They can change your mindset and your priorities, and that is not something that we should be glossing over if we want to create students that are not simply automatons.  Being humane and discussing life-altering events is not a waste of curricular time, it is necessary to humanity and especially the humanities.