This is what most organizations call their 'vision' or 'mission' statement. It is a bit long and rambling, so you might want to look at the Background and Contact Info section first (if you haven't already): the paragraph on "Rationale" may be enough for you!

My reasons for, and goals in, establishing EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE reflect my perspectives as a scientist, an educator, and a civic activist. I view education as (among other things!) a vehicle for solving (or resolving) many problems. A central thread in my thinking is a message I tried to convey to my students. It is a variant on the notion of the 'big picture', the idea that one needs to look at the entirety of a situation in order to make sense of some smaller part. I prefer "The BIGGER PICTURE", because it is my contention that, no matter how far back one has stepped in trying to understand a problem, there is ALWAYS a still-bigger picture: one can almost always step back a bit further OR one can look at things from a different angle (perspective). In helping medical (and/or graduate) students 'figure out' something they were viewing in a microscope, I learned that - while most students tended to want to look closer (i.e. use a higher magnification lens) - it was/is striking how often the crucial insight that leads to a 'solution' to the question at hand comes from using a lower power lens, sacrificing detail for broader perspective. So my vision (or mission, or perspective) is very broad, and how I view any given 'problem' is constantly changing from 'big picture' to 'fine detail' and back again.

I originally established EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE with the goal of making some extra money by providing some specific services (for appropriate fees), and while that is still one of my goals, my concerns about public education have lead me in other directions and much of what I now do is done with no expectation of being paid - at least not in terms of money (i.e. is 'pro bono' work). Broadly put, I believe that we do not do a good enough job in educating our children AND we (adults) do not use the education we have received as well as we might. This perspective derives from having taught medical and graduate students for some 37 years and having come to understand that our educational system had not adequately prepared them for the challenges of the 'higher education' process. So I have spent - and continue to spend - some time and effort working to improve public education. And I try to show adult learners (aren't we all?) how they can use what they have learned to do more. The folder entitled Pro Bono Activities contains more specific examples of what I mean.

As to activities for which I DO intend to be remunerated, these span a wide range, based on my experience as a scientist and educator, as well as an adult learner who believes in the value of teaching oneself. Accordingly, the services I offer include teaching specific topics/courses, writing (and/or editing) selected books/book chapters, and continuing to do some research - mostly for fun, but also in a way that allows me to provide specific research-related services if others are interested. The folder Services for a Fee has examples of such offerings.

Last modified: Thursday, February 12, 2009