-
Why Do I Have to Learn This?
Every so often, students ask me, “Why do we have to learn this?” It’s no use telling them that learning is a good thing, period. They’re taking seven or eight classes. Some are doing “part-time” jobs that have them working thirty hours a week. Making out with their boyfriends is a good thing. Playing Mortal… Continue reading
-
Life and Death and Anthologies
Anthologies are odd. They’re compiled of a lot of stuff that someone thinks we should read, and so they have little to do with the real experience of reading. Being a “reader” is as much about wandering down the aisle of a bookstore looking for attractive covers, or downloading an excerpt on a Kindle based… Continue reading
-
How Do Games Help Us Learn?
In an early post of mine, you can read about a couple of games that I have used in my classes to get students moving, talking and thinking: a getting-to-know-you game, and a grammar relay race. A few weeks ago, a reader (OnQuicken), left a comment on that old post, asking to hear about more classroom games.… Continue reading
-
How to Cheat
So I came across this Wikihow site the other day. It details 120 ways to cheat on a test. Does this say something about: a) kids these days? b) human nature? c) the inevitable descent into absolute amorality/immorality for which the internet will prove responsible? d) a revolution in human thinking that I’m too old and prissy… Continue reading
-
What It’s All About
I’m on hiatus this week after last week’s glut of posts, but I couldn’t resist sharing this with you: Your task is not to find a path, but to study the one you’re on. – Cary Tennis Continue reading
-
University Isn’t Everything
This is the final post in our series “What Students Think Should Change About School.” In today’s post, Ruth explains that our fixation on getting everyone to university means a poorer education for everyone. * Society has this idea that certain levels of education are necessary for a person to have any worth. I think… Continue reading
-
Students Need To Know Why They’re In School
It seems that there are a lot of things students would change about school if they could. For example, MaplesAndMerriment thinks that students need a clearer understanding of why they are in school at all. This is Post #4 in a 5-part series on what students think should change about school. * If I could change… Continue reading
-
Lighten Up About My Grades
What else should change about school as we know it? This is Post #3 in my series on what students would change about school, if they could. Today’s post is from Katy George, who believes that we need to change our attitude toward grades. * I am currently a senior in college majoring in journalism… Continue reading
-
If You Can’t Pay for College, Don’t Go
What would students like to change about school? Our series continues. Today’s post is from Aewl. His perspective? College should be reserved for those who can pay for it. * I’m currently a Freshman at a local Junior College. All my classes are online classes as I work during the day full time as a… 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 