On Fri, 14 Feb 1997, Bob Gately wrote:
> Dutch Driver <
ddriver@cs1.mcm.edu> wrote:
>
> >>... CA is not a personality disorder
> or a function of personality it is a
> behavior and subject to routines of
> behavior modification...<<
>
> Are not personality traits behaviors? And who does the
> diagnosis and from where? The front of the classroom?
No. CA is different than introversion. There may be a high correlation
between introversion and CA, but CA is not a personality trait. Traits
are persistent and resistant to change. This not the case with students
who are CA. CA can be treated and thus changed.
> >>.. I should like to try to make an effort
> to make that impact on that small minority
> of students instead of tossing my hands in
> the air and giving in to their prevailing
> sense of apathy...<<
>
> I am all for each of us helping others to the best of our ability,
> however, I am against self-appointed therapists standing in the
> front of the class making determinations of which students need
> help to overcome some perceived behavioral affliction.
Not being self-appointed, but being hired by an accredited university to
teach to the best of my ability and with a vision toward future encounters
that the students are probably going to encounter when communicating with
another human being, I'll take this rap. I am guilty of trying to teach
them to communicate which generally involves a change in their behavior.
> >>... If the effort is futile, then I do not
> mind tilting at windmills because with each
> effort I improve my ability to stay in the
> saddle for the next joust...<<
>
> Uninvited attempts to "improve" another person's life,
> personality or behaviors are not considered by most people
> as a sporting event and definitely are not jousting matches
> to be won or lost.
>
> Bob
>
______________________
Great Optimism,
Dutch Driver
Dept. of Communication
McMurry University
Abilene, TX
ddriver@cs1.mcm.edu