July 23, 2021, 8:31 a.m.

Let's Get Back in Touch With Teaching

PershMail

Hi, everybody!

  1. Blog: Some researchers have developed a “change-resistance” explanation for how elementary school experiences can make it harder to learn algebra.
  2. “Writing the book was a way of taking a breath and saying, “Let’s get back in touch with teaching, and let’s get back in touch with the short story form by going back to the woodshed.” George Saunders in Esquire, on the book he adopted from his own course on Russian short stories.
  3. When I was a kid, I was obsessed with Stephen King’s On Writing, which is a very good book. But Saunders’ book is better, and I think at least part of why it’s better is because Saunders teaches writing.
  4. “The problem was the teaching. I liked me coworkers and loved the kids — even the Beavis and Butt-Head types in Living with English could be interesting — but by most Friday afternoons I felt as if I’d spent the week with jumper cables clamped to my brain. If I ever came close to despairing about my future as a writer, it was then.” That’s Stephen King, on teaching.
  5. My son adores Marilyn Burns’ books, especially Math for Smarty Pants and The I Hate Mathematics Book. Both books are just overflowing with wonderful mathematics.
  6. I listened to Strong Song’s podcast episode on “You’ve Got a Friend,” a gorgeous Carole King song. He points to Donny Hathaway’s gorgeous live recording, where the audience takes the chorus, a stirring bit of communal singing.
  7. Some good free workbooks for elementary students: here
  8. A teacher once told me that he thought all moral improvement came from looking up to role models. Not sure why I’m thinking about that, but I think that’s maybe right.

Your’s truly,

Michael

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