Culture
Did Bob Dylan Really Ruin English Class Forever? Some Say Yes (But They Are Wrong)
Did Bob Dylan Really Ruin English Class Forever? Some Say Yes (But They Are Wrong)
When Bob Dylan won a Nobel Prize, some started to decry the fall of literature–including the teaching of English. In…
Baby and Jesus Are the Top Two Names Used in Popular Music? Go On….
Baby and Jesus Are the Top Two Names Used in Popular Music? Go On….
Want another reason to teach computer science in humanities classes? Check this out. In their latest project, the data journalists…
No One Really Cared About Shakespeare’s Work When He Died, So His Friends Did THIS
No One Really Cared About Shakespeare’s Work When He Died, So His Friends Did THIS
I never knew that Shakespeare’s work wasn’t really that popular when he died. As explained on a recent Annotated podcast,…
‘Learn’ Used to Mean ‘Teach’ or Why We Should All Read the Dictionary
‘Learn’ Used to Mean ‘Teach’ or Why We Should All Read the Dictionary
I do enjoy me strolls down etymology lane, I’m not gonna lie. Though I never considered that “to learn” actually…
228 Issues of Vogue Magazine. Can You Guess How Many Featured Women with Dark Skin? Look.
228 Issues of Vogue Magazine. Can You Guess How Many Featured Women with Dark Skin? Look.
What a fascinating example of data journalism by the folks over at The Pudding. Explore trends in skin color as…
Middle-Earth at the Morgan Library? Yes, Please.
Middle-Earth at the Morgan Library? Yes, Please.
I have 18 days to get myself to the Tolkien exhibit at the Morgan Library, where they have on display…
Let’s Take a Moment to ‘Love’ Shakespeare on the Day of His Birth…and ‘Death’
Let’s Take a Moment to ‘Love’ Shakespeare on the Day of His Birth…and ‘Death’
We often learn to read literature by looking closely at a text. You know: focusing our attention on a word…
Chris Rock Implores Parents: Stop Telling Your Kids They Are Special
Chris Rock Implores Parents: Stop Telling Your Kids They Are Special
Allow Chris Rock to play the role of Shakespearean fool whose wisdom proves to be undeniable. In this clip, he…
Picturing the Digital Age for What it Is
Picturing the Digital Age for What it Is
The digital isn’t as ephemeral as it seems. It’s really concrete. Wireless made possible by cables. Computers powered by rare…
A Bunch of Celebrities Who Majored in English and Could Have Been English Teachers
A Bunch of Celebrities Who Majored in English and Could Have Been English Teachers
Good Morning Ms. Watson, Mr. Diesel, Ms. Witherspoon, Mr. Legend, and all you other celebs who followed your humanistic hearts…
Language is Always Susceptible to Bias. That Includes Algorithms.
Language is Always Susceptible to Bias. That Includes Algorithms.
All this digital stuff is comprised of software. And software is comprised of languages. That means, just like human languages,…
Lady Chatterly’s Lover: The Book That Keeps on Giving
Lady Chatterly’s Lover: The Book That Keeps on Giving
When I taught 9th grade English, a student approached me one day very shyly. He was already an avid reader,…
Wyclef Jean’s New Album Starts with a Poetic Indictment of Public Education
Wyclef Jean’s New Album Starts with a Poetic Indictment of Public Education
You ever notice how schools and learning are portrayed in music? It’s seldom well. Someone needs to analyze that. I’m…
My 15-year Bookish Quest FINALLY Comes to an End
My 15-year Bookish Quest FINALLY Comes to an End
When I was an undergraduate, I double majored in philosophy and English. (Readers who know my scholarship can attest to…
Literacy Nerds: Stop Now. Look at this Visualization of Name Misspelling
Literacy Nerds: Stop Now. Look at this Visualization of Name Misspelling
I am at peace with my misspellings, and have had a fair share of gaffes. But to see how thousands…
Jay-Z Reminds Us that When Students Have Something to Say, You Can’t Stop Them From Writing
Jay-Z Reminds Us that When Students Have Something to Say, You Can’t Stop Them From Writing
I love scouring the internet for hidden gems of insight about learning and teaching. The other night, I was binge-watching…