Ewan discusses how his students reacted when he arrived to teach at his school in bare feet. He describes the reaction of the students and how this turned into one of the best days of his teaching experience.

The following quotes were some of the initial response to his act of solidarity with the Burmese monks and people murdered for their support of democracy:  “This guy is a disgrace - a very bad example to set to the youngsters.” & “If this is the type of superficial hippie that we have teaching our children its no wonder we are turning out people wholly unequipped to survive in the global economy.”

Of course newspapers' letters pages are a known repository for those who believe their opinions should be more widely known however once hearing Ewan speak about his students response it is very clear who has a more credible grasp of education needs in practice. Below is the extract from Ewan's blog reflecting on all of the responses he received.

Saturday, 3 November 2007

Reflections of a dreamer

I have been open since the beginning about the fact that I was motivated by pain in the form of grief. Since this is so rarely acknowledged it is in itself a powerful statement. Something I have learned over the past month is that by taking action it is possible to hold onto that grief and still feel good about life. The situation in Burma is still desperate and yet by becoming actively involved I am empowered by the possibility of change for the better. This is the personal benefit of action. I have been accused of being a dreamer and perhaps I am. If the alternative is to be a cynic I am certain that I am better off dreaming.

I heard it said recently that a cynic is someone who has given up but not yet shut up. I was searching unsuccessfully online for the originator of the quote and came across the following:

“The cynic is one who never sees a good quality in a man, and never fails to see a bad one. He is a human owl, vigilant in darkness, and blind to light, mousing for vermin, and never seeing noble game.”
Henry Ward Beecher
(Rather mean to owls I think)

“What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.
Oscar Wilde

“A Cynic is a man who, when he smells flowers, looks around for a coffin.”
H. L. Mencken

“Cynicism is not realistic and tough. It’s unrealistic and kind of cowardly because it means you don’t have to try.”
Peggy Noonan

“An idealist believes the short run doesn’t count. A cynic believes the long run doesn’t matter. A realist believes that what is done or left undone in the short run determines the long run.”

“A cynic is not merely one who reads bitter lessons from the past; he is one who is prematurely disappointed in the future”
Sydney J. Harris

“A cynic is just a man who found out when he was about ten that there wasn’t any Santa Claus, and he’s still upset.”
James Gould Cozzens