Arts + Letters

Shakespeare’s Spreadsheets: Use Data and Charts to Take Reading to Another Level

We can use numbers to better understand literature. That’s right: there are fruitful ways for readers to deepen their analysis…

You ever notice how schools and learning are portrayed in music? It’s seldom well. Someone needs to analyze that. I’m…

News of poet Mary Oliver’s death hit me hard. I’ve read her work for decades after being exposed to her…

If you read Gradgrind’s, you know I love Black Thought’s work. He does it again with his insights in this…

This fresco from the 1st century depicts a holding both wax tablets and a stylus. Maybe it’s just me, but…

It goes without saying that teaching is almost always portrayed in television and film thinly. Teaching is a craft, a…

There’s so much we can learn about teaching literature–and much more–by watching the way artists talk about each other’s work.…

Wisconsin used to have one of the strongest public higher education systems in the United States. But that all seems…

You know I love me some John Milton. After an intriguing seminar in college piqued my interest, I later did…

I take that back. There IS educational merit here. Every English teacher knows the value of theatrical readings of texts.…

Do whatever it takes to help your child become a reader and a writer. That’s what I say. So when…

File this under “B” for “book chic.” This might be the most fabulous literary shirt design I have ever seen.…

Analyzing texts is a core skill in school and life. But can be really difficult for students and teachers get…

Look no further for guidance on how to integrate technology into English classrooms. A commission of ELA and tech experts…

Ever hear that reading is in sharp decline as social media and digital devices sweep away traditional forms of reading?…

I walked into a bookstore last week. There were stacks of perennial Best books, but no book called The Best…