Validating the Student

I had a professor who taught all over the world. In Zambia, he said, students were riotous with their opinions in the lecture hall. In Japan, quite the opposite. There was such deference towards the professor that none would speak. I discussed this with my professor because of my difficulty with the American way -- which was cautious, even sly. Not long ago, I would have put South Africa with the Zambians -- now we seem closer to the Americans. It will be our changing culture -- but also the professors. OBSERVATION: It is not a good development. Apart from discussion being the fuel of learning, the cautious or sly response -- or silence -- does not validate the student. Even robust disagreement validates the student.