Lens of An Educator- An Interview about Education and Environmental Mastery

"I think of education, in a loosely understanding, as a major factor in that as long as I can be reading high-quality writing, whether it's fiction or nonfiction, something I'm learning by or something to immersing myself in as an imaginative world, I think I could be in bad health a widow in an institution. And if I could listen to those tapes or have conversations with people who interested me, that would make life worth living." ---Kathie Linehan

Above is the opinion of Kathie Linehan, who is a former English Professor at Oberlin College. Kathie explained during our conversation that for her, the ability to read and to be immersed in an imaginative world enhanced her well-being, allowing her to stay positive even under adversity. In other words, education broadens one's view and takes the stress off whenever one faces adversity in the environment. This allows one to see what is happening beyond one's hardship. Such a variety of views can free one from the stress of the condition and help one establish a positive attitude in the environment, as discussed below in our interview with Glenn, a former professor of religion: 

What I think of is realizing my values just takes a load of stress off of me. And there's a sense of accomplishment when meeting a challenge, or overcoming an obstacle, or just staying the course instead of being carried life...Living by your convictions really means not being passive. So that even if your convictions are such that you're part of the majority all part of the trend, you're being active in directing your life. And that's a sense of accomplishment too. So I think it's (an) overall enhanced sense of well-being. -- Glenn Loafmann

Most importantly, education- according to Glenn- helps one realize one's value, making one more confident when facing adversity in the environment and equip one with the ability and confidence to handle what is happening in the environment.