We are the midst of a historic event. Now that many states are shutting down schools and looking at online teaching options, there are many swirling questions about education: When will we go back to school? How will learning continue in the meantime? I feel for the high-school students who have to face the possibility of missing proms, sporting events, performances, and graduations. As troubling as all this uncertainty is, here is an encouraging thought: Historic events like this one tend to reshape how we view our world and each other. Many previous generations have been defined by the obstacles they...
Comments from previous students have shown me that more often than not, it was my throw-away comments and actions—the things I said or did in a completely forgettable moment (to me)—that stays with them the rest of their lives.
Two of the greatest storytellers of all-time, J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and C.S. Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia, said that stories have a special power—a healing power.
Teaching Early American Literature isn’t easy. Native American literature covers many different tribal traditions and customs, so where do you start? Even those who deeply respect the Puritans, probably can’t categorize their writings as “fun.” And the more you learn about the first explorers here in America, the more you seem to dislike them. So why not just skip America’s early years? Aren’t they just our country’s awkward transition time? Well, not exactly.