About the Newsletter Title…

The title of the CTE newsletter comes from an article by Charles L. Brewer, Bending Twigs, Affecting Eternity, published in the Platte Valley Review Special Edition on College Teaching in Spring, 1996.  In his article, Dr. Brewer discusses some of the characteristics of outstanding teachers and the role of the teacher in our society.

Based on his observations of teachers practicing their craft, Charles determined that one of the most important traits of a good teacher is passion.  Good teachers have a passion for learning, for asking and trying to answer interesting questions, for enthusiasm, for parsimony, for preparation, for excellence, and for patience.

In reflecting on the role of the teacher, Dr. Brewer quotes Alexander Pope’s aphorism, “As the twig is bent the tree’s inclined,” and Henry Brooks Adam’s saying, “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”  Both quotes reflect the real reason for teaching, which is to make a difference and to make the world a better place by stretching minds and hearts.  Dr. Brewer concludes his article by maintaining that, “Teaching is not a profession; teaching is a calling—delightful, invigorating, mysterious, passionate, precious, and sacred.”

The Center for Teaching Excellence at UNK provides assistance to all teachers who aspire to be excellent in their profession and who value their calling.  The purpose of the Center is based on the belief that “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty.  Anyone who keeps learning stays young.” –Henry Ford