education
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Why Do I Have To Learn This? Blogiversary Post #3
I asked my students to read the essay I discuss in this post, and to explain which of Menand’s three “theories” they subscribed to. Their responses were mixed. Then they asked me which theory I believed in, and I was unable to give them a definitive answer. Almost three years later, I’m still not sure. What about you? This,… Continue reading
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10 Reasons I Hate Grading Your Assignment: Blogiversary Post #2
I hesitate to put this post out there again! Not only does it feel outdated (I haven’t asked for a paper copy of an at-home assignment in three years), but at the time it was published, it attracted some passionate critics (and defenders); if you go to the original and read the comments, you will see what I… Continue reading
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Summer Book Club Final Week: The Middlesteins
This will be the final installment of this year’s Summer Book Club! I’ve enjoyed this project a lot – both the incentive it gave me to read a lot of books, and the comments from all of you about what you’ve been reading. My intention is to hold a blog book club again next summer. Thanks… Continue reading
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Summer Book Club Week 10: Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?
Guidelines for the Summer Book Club: if you’ve read this book, what did you think? If not, what are you reading this week? Please comment, or post on your own blog and link in the comments below. I am by nature a worrier, and one of the things I worry about is what will happen… Continue reading
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Summer Book Club Week 8: The Saga Series, Vol. 1
Guidelines for the Summer Book Club: if you’ve read this book, what did you think? If not, what are you reading this week? Please comment, or post on your own blog and link in the comments below. Brian K. Vaughan’s Y: The Last Man is my favourite graphic novel series; in 2010, one of the installments made my… Continue reading
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Summer Book Club Week 7: Why Libraries Rule
Guidelines for the Summer Book Club: if you’ve read this book, what did you think? If not, what are you reading this week? Please comment, or post on your own blog and link in the comments below. I began and tossed aside a number of books this week. The only one I read through was… Continue reading
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Summer Book Club Week 3: The Signature of All Things
Guidelines for the Summer Book Club: if you’ve read this book, what did you think? If not, what are you reading this week? Please comment, or post on your own blog and link in the comments below. Sometimes I think I just don’t like reading any more. Then I pick up a book like The… Continue reading
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Summer Book Club Week 1: Rutu Modan’s The Property
Guidelines for the Summer Book Club: if you’ve read this book, what did you think? If not, what are you reading this week? Please comment, or post on your own blog and link in the comments below. I recently finished The Property, the latest book by Rutu Modan, the graphic novelist responsible for one of my… Continue reading
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Summer Book Club: What Are We Reading This Week?
I love the idea of book clubs, but the last thing an English teacher needs is more assigned reading. So I thought: what if we had a book club where we all just talk about whatever we’re reading right now? That way, we can read whatever we want! And talk about it! Once a week,… Continue reading
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Science, Art, and the Myth of the “Discipline”
I’m always delighted to read about college teachers who are are taking unusual approaches to pedagogy. Jailson Farias de Lima is one such teacher. In an article published on ProfWeb yesterday, he describes an innovative project he has designed for his chemistry students, challenging them to express their understanding of scientific concepts through art-making. Science… Continue reading
About Me
My job is to teach people to read and write; aside from that, I like to learn things.
Classroom as Microcosm 