Introduction

Who’s Who

The “About the Intern” section on the left side of this page gives a brief glimpse of me, but I ought to introduce myself more completely. I’ll start by commenting on what that little paragraph says, step-by-step.

1. My name. I use my full name often in writing, but no one calls me by my full name. When I was little, my mother would use my middle name when I was in trouble, but that hasn’t happened in a long time. Philip will do. Some people also prefer Pip, a nickname I inherited sometime in high school, liked, and want to keep for those who will use it. At St. John’s College, where all students address each other formally in class, I’m Mr. Mohr, but only in class. Though I don’t like the third one as much, if I am to be a teacher in a public high school some day, I should get accustomed to hearing it.
2. My education. St. John’s College is a strange and wonderful place. There I have no major, because the students don’t choose them. But if you had to compare the coursework to the conventional collegiate curriculum, you could say that I’m a dual-major (philosophy and history of mathematics) and a dual-minor (the classics and comparative literature). It’s a Great Books Program implemented shortly after development at the University of Chicago. All of our classes are round-table discussions. Its aim, in brief, is to tackle the liberal arts as a whole, using primary texts as much as possible and keeping students responsible for their own learning in and out of the classroom. There are some great things about this kind of education, and some drawbacks. The College has a lot to offer, and also sacrifices a tremendous amount. I consider myself blessed to be there, because I’ve found a place where I learn well and am exposed to much that I wouldn’t have looked for otherwise. The peculiarities of the Program have opened my eyes to the major questions in education. I don’t think the Great Books are for everyone, but I want to bring my experience in this setting and my learning got from those authors to the table in the future discussions about public high school education. St. John’s College itself hasn’t yet equipped me with any answers, and I don’t think it really aims to, but it has equipped me with the most powerful questions, in several subject areas, for me to continually ask myself and one day ask my students.
3. My internship with the MTC. This is a bit mysterious to me. I have read the blogs from the past two interns, Lauryn (’07) and Molly (’06), but it seems like it won’t be the same this year as it has been in past years. Whereas then they had only one intern, this year there are over half-dozen of us. I’m not sure what to expect on the “work” side of it. I have some plans of my own, though. For me, it’s a scouting mission. I want to get a feel for the South. I want to know the ins and outs of the MTC, being myself a prospective for the program. I want to know the questions and problems that educators in Mississippi are dealing with—to see it in a way that no website or newspaper article can show me. And, not of least importance, I want to help a program that seems to be making a big change in the lives of students and teachers who are in need. The particulars of my time there are not for me to describe in this post. I’ll let my blog unfold it for you.
4. My learning. Not to get into any comprehensive (incomprehensible) epistemology, my views on learning are in the works, and probably will be for the rest of my life. I only see that the road I’m currently on is a life full of discovery. I enjoy all subjects—from biology to philosophy, linguistics to individual languages (particularly Greek, Latin, English, and French), literature to physics, chemistry to music, history to psychology, and mathematics most of all. Along with these studies, I always intend to ask myself questions about learning in general. I’m currently working on tough ones: What is purpose to my learning? Should I only concentrate on what’s “useful”? What’s “useful”? Is it all a futile endeavor? Will I someday say, “I learned that all my learning was not worth learning”? The questions are loaded, and I’m not going to stall myself out while trying to answer them. I could get frustrated and give it all up; but really, without my learning during my liberal education at St. John’s College, I wouldn’t even have the wits to ask them. So I remain dedicated to learning, and I know that the MTC is full of people with the same drive to discover.
5. My teaching. I have a little bit of public school teaching experience already. During my year of work after high school, I was a substitute teacher at a district in upstate New York. I did everything from middle school special education to senior English classes. There were some weeks where they called me every day to come in. I also, simultaneously, worked and taught as an interim youth leader at a small church in my hometown. It was during that time before my arrival at St. John’s that I was given a full view and acknowledgment of my talents and enjoyment for teaching. I like all age groups, but I most prefer high school juniors and seniors, who are heavily burdened by the conflicting worlds of school and sports and work and a misty, unknown future at college or elsewhere. I remember this age, and I also remember how important it was for me to have caring people there to help me, in and out of class. I dream of returning to that conflict between worlds as a teacher and aid to students. While studying at college, I’ve been making good use of some time to continue teaching by writing excessively, leading a Bible study, and visiting a small community center in Annapolis. I must say, I feel most “out-of-my-element” in the community center, working with first and second graders, but it’s a great learning experience. The more I get to observe those students in an after-school settings, the more I want to be involved.

Regarding the last bit of the “About the Intern” section, pointing to my other blog, I should say that I’m a believer in God and disciple of Jesus Christ, and it’s not at all an afterthought in my life. My faith will come out in my writing, because it’s in my thinking, but this blog has a particular purpose apart from my preaching. So if y’all are at all interested in how I’m doing spiritually over the summer, I would like to have people read my other blog and write me comments.

What’s New

Now I’m here in my hometown, little old Bath, New York, preparing for my stay down in Oxford. All of my “preparation” actually involves getting my junk organized. I’ll be sorting through my clothes this week, making a pile of stuff not to take to Mississippi. Growing up in the North means that I have an accumulation of sweatshirts, turtlenecks, fleeces, heavy socks, and a winter coat or two—all of which are useful only as packing material in Mississippi. Having traveled to India three times for short-term missions work, I have experience in hot and humid places. I don’t, however, have a wardrobe to match. Oh well. Like I said, I’ll be sorting through it.
And in the mean time—that is, whenever I feel like procrastinating—I’m leisurely working my way through Augustine’s City of God and a book on the calculus by Michael Comenetz.
I won’t likely write again until I leave for Mississippi. Y’all can expect a report around 29 May.