Recent Posts - page 2

  • Kids today

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    “What’s the matter with kids today? Why can’t they be like we were, perfect in every way?” OK, that’s satire. But I’ve heard plenty of teachers say, in all seriousness, “Why don’t students read instructions anymore?” Or, in a tone… Read More ›

  • East Side Story

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    An oxymoron? East Side Story is a fascinating 1997 documentary about musical comedy from the Soviet bloc from the 1930s, ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s! OK, it does sound like an oxymoron. But it turns out that it isn’t. This German documentary starts… Read More ›

  • The wrong way to order steak

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    “Properly” is the answer my friend Meredith always gives when a server asks “How would you like your steak cooked?” Or your pork. Or your salmon. Steak is supposed to be rare. Pork and salmon are supposed to be medium-rare…. Read More ›

  • 4 3 2 1

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    As soon as I first heard about it, I knew that I had to read Paul Auster’s apparently semi-autobiographical novel 4 3 2 1: not only did the author grow up as a secular Jew from suburban Essex County, New Jersey,… Read More ›

  • June Academy: Create Your Own Country

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    For the second week of June Academy, my colleague Mary Fierabend and I co-taught a course called Create Your Own Country. Mostly working in pairs, students imagined and created their own countries, emphasizing one or more themes: maps political structure/government… Read More ›

  • June Academy: Egyptian Hieroglyphics

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    For the first week of June Academy, I taught a 15-hour course on Egyptian Hieroglyphics. Many students produced spectacular results, as you can gather from this poster showing their name cards (explanation to follow): The student work is visually beautiful, much of… Read More ›

  • June Academy

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    Usually a school year ends with final exams — at Weston and elsewhere. As we know, final exams are designed to reduce stress and pressure by providing a relaxing time when classroom temperatures are over 90°. Right? No? You say… Read More ›

  • Cinquecento

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    You were probably thinking of 16th-Century Italy when you heard the word Cinquecento, right? That was my first thought too. Italy, yes, but in this context it’s an Italian restaurant in the South End of Boston, appropriately labeled an “authentic… Read More ›

  • William makes it clear.

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    William makes it clear whose iPad this is.

  • The long hiatus is over.

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    Resuming my blog after a hiatus of too many months — eight, in fact! — so, stay tuned!