Fresno Famous

fan and cheerleader, but---- are you kidding me..?

do you know Craig? Clearly not, as you would not second guess his acumen if ya did.
A degree and/or a credential is moot in the case of this dude.

You better ask somebody, before you comment.

another great one

...not a talk album per se:
but there's a Zappa track (Joes Garage?,) that has this whole thing about some kid learning three chord rock, totally pissing of the neighbors, (I don't know how many times in a row my first band did 'Rocky Mountain Way' but we were headed for a record... sort of.)

it has this whispered narrative ending (from the Police Officers perspective,) where he says:

'...we gave him a jelly donut, and told him to stick to church related activities...'

I don't know how many times I've walked past a cruiser, or have stood at lecturn during services and had this replay in my mind...
(my current priest is a former cop, too,,, I don't think I've even told him this one...)

A miss-spent youth is still well-spent...

'...freebiiiiiiiiird...'

I downloaded it

I found it on i-tunes, and will play it at the beginning of class on the 30th. sometimes we have to amuse ourselves.

Craig
Fresno: Garden City under the Sierra Nevadas

I always loved hearing

...after Sister Mary nearly blew up the mic with the 'shut-up,' the total silence... then the one stoner half whispering:

'...wow, man,,, far-out...'

the kids are allright

I usually have a desire to impersonate Sister May Elephant from Cheech and Chong (class, Class, CLASS...SHUT UP...thank you) or Chef from South Park, when addressing the class (Hello Children).

Craig
Fresno: Garden City under the Sierra Nevadas

Wayul Mistah Shahton, Ah du declayuh

...Blake is a married mayun, you know...

(But I think his lovely missus could let him out for the event... Having been formally invited, I'd definitely have to say yes... (Maybe even Blake's lovely missus could come out as well.)

This sounds cool.

Dunno if ValleyIsFerLubbers is in town that day, but she and her sweetie would dig this as well.
This is encouraging.
Thanks.

PS: in my statement about college students today and I said 'sorry,' kids? I'm not calling them sorry, I'm apologizing for using the word 'kids,' in advance... you see someone who was born when you were just out of college, Now in their twenties (and starting a business, planning cities, -or painting like caravaggio? and it's pretty cool... what once were anklebiters now are accomplishing stuff we never thought of (back then.) Hats off.

You are invited

Please join our end of semester presentations at Jon Jon's on December 7th, 3:30 to 6:00. Some will be interesting, some probably pretty straightforward, some funny. This is my third semester teaching this class and although I've loved every one, this class has done unbelievable work.

They had one assignment, as a class to photograph every vacant building and commerical space in the Lowell/Jefferson neighborhoods. They were looking for potential sites for a grocery co-op. They were not given intructions on how to divide the work or how to accomplish the project. They organized quickly and the resulting presentation was outstanding.

Void, please come by the presentations and trip over me, then you'll know me fer sure. Bring Blake too.

Craig
Fresno: Garden City under the Sierra Nevadas

here here...

I second the opinnion of valley...

One of the things I happen to like about Scharton, (and no, we don't know each other, and no he is not paying me to say this,) is that (when he's broadcasting, and talking with folks on KFSR and such, he isn't afraid to stick to common sense, and has a nice blend of school of hard knocks along with good theory and what worked and didn't work for others.)
I sense a low bullshit factor, here.

Personally, I'm shocked by two things that I've consistantly run into in Fresno.

1. No matter what I've seen (be it arts or sciences,) from either City or State, the students who have come out of there really have had good mentoring and have obviously been dicing it up with someone who knew what they were teaching, --and yet really encouraged and challanged them to grow on their own. (That makes for a tremendous student, and a very strong individual.)

2. Second thing I'm shocked by?
How few people in the area actually take education seriously.

But when you find someone who does, they are a house on fire.

I see a lapse, actually.
Back in the day when dinosaurs ruled the earth, (and the Police were a new band,) the schools started to be more focused on tests and just teaching to get through the exam.... (and this was on college level.)
I was lucky to catch some of the last of the real 'paper chase,' proffs. in my schools.... and it was beautiful.

Then, this long dry spell of too much arrogance and competition, -and nobody really thinking, or really learning, and a whole league of people who could only follow the herd.

Now their kids are hitting college, and are comeing out, and THEY are taking the time to not just be technically correct and pass the grid with a 4.0 cum. ---but are sensitive to such things as philosophy, and 'why.'

We're reaching the end of the era where people just did stuff without asking if they should, (and only went with if they could.) -like in Jurassic park... They care about reason behind it.

There's hope for the ones in the middle... but when I see and hear what (sorry,) kids today are coming out with in business and the sciences and the arts? it's a very very beautiful thing.

I'm glad that folks see the value in the educators (such as Scharton who may be just an 'adjunct,' -but understand that you have (in some cases only a few opportunities to learn, and then pffffffft, that's it.

As someone who has taught, and truly loves the whole learning process, (as well as loves seeing the lights go on, and somebody finally 'get it,' and put it on legs...)

Dis is a beeuteeful thing.

(funny thing, actually,,, I'd not know Scharton if I tripped over him...)
Such is life...

Teaching at the university

As a student, I have found that the professors I have loved (and learned from) the most have been those who have invested the most of their time and passion and efforts into educating us on how to be more effective in the world at whatever we do. Whether they have a PhD or just a Bachelors degree, I don't care as long as they are into making sure are minds are being challenged. (This isn't necessarily true for my science classes, where it really is necessary for the prof to have a PhD, because we need the experts in the field).

Long story short, I really don't think we can judge a teacher on their degree, but on the effectiveness of their teaching and their passion for the subject. I go to Cal Poly. Our motto here is 'Learn By Doing'. And honestly, the best classes have been the ones where we are outside getting our hands dirty and doing research in real-world problems. Theory is great, but from what I have seen, only relevant to a certain point. This urban entrepreneur class seems really interesting, with some thought-provoking assignments. I know I am stoked to see that kind of education at Fresno State.

I guess you'd have to ask the studnets if they got the $ worth

I teach under the direct supervision of Dr. Timothy Stearns. He is the Professor of record. I am an adjunct, which isn't that unusual.

Craig
Fresno: Garden City under the Sierra Nevadas

Scharton

is teaching people to think, and how to make wise choices at very young ages.

That doesn't require or warrant credentials.
It does deserve a freakin' medal.

re: fan & cheerleader/teaching requirements

the ability to teach @ various levels depends on the requirements of the institution.

to teach in a public school (k-12) in california, you must meet several requirements (cbest, valid teaching credential, no child left behind hoops to jump through and on and on).
to teach @ a private school, there are other requirements (i'm not sure what you might need. i'd assume a bachelor's.)
to teach @ the university level, usually you have to have at least a master's degree, and most universities desire (if not require) a phd or other "terminal" degree. universities do not require a teaching credential.

as for this specific class, and its affiliation w/local agencies, scharton will have to provide specifics on how they determine ability to teach, as well as formal guidelines.

maybe the occassional clog is worth it

Maybe the occassional clog is worth it.
For some of those students, they wouldn't have experienced Downtown if they hadn't been nudged out of their comfort zone. Some of them came away with a new understanding of their town.
The same is true here.
Maybe they've been opened up to a new community--a new place to discuss things.
If they did it on myspace, they'd be staying within their own comfort zones.

is it right?

Can someone teach a class at college level if they don't have a teaching credential or college degree? Is this what we, as students are paying tuition for? Anyone can teach us? Sorry. It sounds like a great class, but I still feel that college classes should be taught by professors.

Otherwise, I love your enthusiasm and ideas, and the way you inspire others. I just don't understand how it works. Several years ago, a world class artist was going to teach an artclass at CSU Fresno. There was much fanfare about it, and excitement / press. When he arrived at the office and was asked for his documentation showing he was eligible to teach, he reported that he had none - he had never finished college. Sad, but true, the class was cancelled as he was not qualified. Has that policy changed?

Sorry, Edluv

The good news is...I only teach the course every other semester. The students asked if they could blog on myspace, but I don't have a myspace account, so I said no. Maybe by next year I'll get one!

Craig
Fresno: Garden City under the Sierra Nevadas

dang scharton

i gotta say, i think i hate your assignment. not because it's exposing people to places like downtown or tower, but because it's clogging it up around here.

UE

Thanks for asking. It is part of the Lyles Center which is somehow a sererate institue but is also magically connected to the business school. I think that there are somewhere near 125 Entrepreneurship majors in the program. Last year they were ranked #8 in the country.

As for Fresno State's planning program, it has been defunct for several years. I don't know what the reason that it no longer operates.

Craig
Fresno: Garden City under the Sierra Nevadas

What program or major is

What program or major is this urban entrepreneur class part of? I am presuming business, but does state have an urban or city/regional planning program? I heard it lost its accreditation or something along those lines. Anyhow, it sounds like a really neat class.

Brilliant!

DJ,

I loved your reply. I was hoping that more people might enter into dialogue with the youngins. I've noticed that a lot of the back and forth in the blogoshere is incredibly harsh. It would be great if more folk viewed themselves as teachers and opened some of these minds to other ways to see the world. Like not blaming the economically outcast.

Jump in there and let them know how others see the picture.

Craig
Fresno: Garden City under the Sierra Nevadas

It's refreshing...

...actually to read these, as the majority of them are in support of downtown Fresno, except for the occasional racist airhead that blames all the negative things on poor families with no homes. Having finished a long mis-edification at FSU, I'm really suprised there are not more of the negative posts...

-s

AHA!

Now the Urban entrepreneurs have invaded today's Fresno Bee editorial pages too...nothing is safe!!!!

Craig
Fresno: Garden City under the Sierra Nevadas

The Posse was chasing me into the endless canyon

No matter how fast I rode, there they were...Jarah, the Oz-Man, the Beaver...hot on my trail...I just couldn't go on, they were relentless...I broke, I admit it, I had no choice...they just kept on coming.

Craig
Fresno: Garden City under the Sierra Nevadas

Ha! I knew it. They were

Ha! I knew it. They were interesting to read, though, and no where close to as annoying as those Shanghai posts.