Real?

Dear students,

I am real.  I am here. I want to teach you and I am glad you are here!

I have recently been struck by the perception of my students that I am somehow not real.  They do things like apologize for calling or emailing.  Do students in brick and mortar classes apologize for raising their hands?

They also seem surprised when they learn I have kids, pets, and hobbies.  I know brick and mortar schools can create the same surprise when a kid sees their teacher out to dinner, but not so surprised that they actually doubt what they just saw.  And yet a student this week posted to a discussion "you actually grocery shop?"  ( we were talking about consumer messages about product safety)  Um...how did they think I got food and toilet paper?  mail order?  online shopping and delivery?


So kids, yes I am real.  I am here and I want to teach you!

Turns out my students are not alone.  Innosight Institute recently blogged about this unreal teacher feeling are-online-learning-teachers-real-teachers?

So in a world where some of my students most real friendships are carried out online via social networking how can I improve my reality perception?  I think therefore I am???? But computers have logic ...are they?
So I reached out to friends (well discussion boards friends) on the subject and they had the following thoughts on the subject:

-You are right that in order to think a thinker must exist (anything that "does" or manifests is proof the thing exists). However, often this debate is about whether thinking itself is what defines existence, and that is definitely not true because if it were, then one would cease to exist if one stopped thinking. It is quite possible to learn to stop thinking, and when one does one becomes more aware of one's existence, not less aware. In terms of existence, all thinking makes one aware of is the existence of thinking.

-I exist, the rest of you are just computer simulations created for my amusement. Prove me wrong.

-I think therefore I am" is wrong, it should be… “I believe therefore I am”...

-If I run up to you on the street and (in a fit of rage) I bite off your little finger, how much more real is it if you think I bit off your finger vs. you believe I bit off your finger?

-"If I run up to you on the street and (in a fit of rage) I bite off your little finger... "Is this something we should be worried about? How often does this impulse come over you?

Seeing that as unproductive I am left wondering does it matter if I am real? 

And I have concluded that what matters is if the learning is real.  I happen to believe that I have a direct impact on student success and perseverance in learning subject matter.  So, if I am unreal and effective then I am OK with that.

They use me to accomplish real learning therefore I am content with my own dubious existence really  I am....