In the late 1990s, one of renowned English teacher Jim Burke’s students basically called him weird. This is what they said: It’s so weird. Mr. Burke talks about reading and all this stuff like it actually matters.” This specific kind of weird, I’ll argue, is exactly what we need 1,000,000% more of in American education. […]
Observe Average Teachers, Too
The other day, I came across some advice* from writer Alan Moore in which he argues that writers ought to read not only great books but also terrible ones. Here’s what he said: As a prospective writer, I would urge you to not only read good books. Read terrible books as well, because they can […]
Unpacking a Student Letter
Several years ago, I received a letter from a student whom we’ll call Finn. It was one of those treats we get as teachers — an earnest note of appreciation. All that I would like to do in today’s article is unpack how the note describes changes in Finn’s Five Key Beliefs. I’ll share the […]
Thankful for You, Colleague
Dear colleague, Because I publish blog posts on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I’ve had the privilege of writing you this note a time or two before. I love Thanksgiving because I love the reminder to be thankful for things in life. I’ve spent some Thanksgivings surrounded by family, and I’ve spent more than one pretty much […]
Dear Workaholic Colleague
Dear colleague, As those of us in the United States approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I want to use today’s post to remind you of some of the practical and professional arguments for resting seriously and earnestly. Human beings can only take so much pressure before their performance declines. Psychologists Yerkes and Dodson codified this idea […]