Education
The Implications of Google + on Classroom Hybridization
Jul 26th
You may not have heard of Google +, which is commonly heralded as “Facebook but not Facebook,” a social networking site that works in myriad different ways than Facebook. It’s run (obviously) by Google and has, I believe, many different features that can be viewed as beneficial to a classroom environment. But before I get into specific features, I want to talk a bit about what I look for in web tools for teaching/being a student.
- Accessibility: This is why Blackboard can be a difficult tool to implement–you can only access it from going from annoying link to link and generally More >
What Makes a Bad Teacher?
Jul 2nd
So frequently we have discussions about the qualities we should (and would like) to see in a “good” teacher. With Cameron Diaz’s Bad Teacher looming in the box office, however, I couldn’t help but wonder why we don’t discuss the traits that create a “bad” teacher. In the movie (which I have not seen, but have read summaries about), it seems the things she brings into the classroom are disdain for children, drug usage, heavy drinking, cheating, stealing state test exams, and blackmailing people.
Ok, that IS pretty bad.
But it’s not particularly realistic either. Teachers who are that abysmal get kicked More >
New Pedagogical Techniques with Classical Topics
Jun 2nd
I’m constantly conflicted in my pedagogical beliefs and methodologies, primarily because I believe so strongly in technological implementation into the classroom but also believe in a more classical form of education. These practices frequently class with each other: there’s nothing classical about implementing blogging and gaming into a classroom. Yet, on the other hand, as a means to rectify these issues, I find that the two can interact quite well to achieve great ends. Perhaps this is where English education needs to head.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. I suppose I should begin with some of my proposed methods and More >
What it Means to be a Scholar
May 28th
Being a scholar would seemingly be a dream job. Sit and think. Read. Come up with something new. Sit on your laptop and peruse Facebook amidst stacks of dusty library books, expensive anthologies and texts that you bought, printed out essays and articles, and crumpled up pieces of crappy material you’ve written. Sit on a broken couch with plywood under the cushions to prevent it from caving in. Sit with oatmeal. Sit with Ramen. Sit with oatmeal again.
Sit.
And think.
But being a scholar isn’t always that easy. Especially if you’re considering pursuing a Ph.D.; you have the lovely “pre-Ph.D.” work, “in-Ph.D.” More >
“I have to Write HOW Many Pages?!” Or, Writing a Master’s Thesis
Oct 1st
Well, I’m in my final semester of my MA; I’ve completed all my coursework and am just working on my final thesis. Depending on your MA program (or in some cases, BA program), you will most likely need to write a final culminating essay to illustrate some sense of mastery in a specific area in your field. This may be from 20 pages (particularly if you are a BA) to 60-80+ pages. You may need to create your own study, conduct research, or–like me–check out many (MANY) books from your library and read. But what does writing a thesis actually More >
How to Focus for School, or “I Have to Read Over 100 Pages by Tomorrow!”
Jul 15th
I am ridiculously distracted today, and yes–I need to read over 100 pages from Arthurian Romances by tomorrow (and write a response on it!). Arthurian Romances was written by Chretien de Troyes and is a compilation of five stories dealing with the Arthurian Legend. I need to read the story about Yvain, also known as “The Knight with the Lion.” If I wasn’t absolutely sure I could pull this reading off, I wouldn’t be writing this post. However, I am certain I can pull this off and I’ll tell you why–focusing. (more…)
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The Origins of the Blogosphere (It’s Not What you Think)
Jun 24th
So today was the last day of my first graduate course, which was based on eighteenth century literature. Now, because of this, today’s post is going to be a little different. I want to reflect a bit on the class, some ideas I had in it, etc. You will, regrettably, not learn the difference between got and gotten (because I’m still trying to figure that out) or not and knot (because that seems too easy), or anything else today. However, you will gain a little insight of who I am. So today we’re going to look at the eighteenth century and the blogosphere More >
Annotation, or “How Do I Read a Book and Write a Paper in Three Days?!”
Jun 5th
Welcome to my newest blog feature! If you’re a regular reader of my site, you probably know that I’m now back in school for my Master’s degree. Well, after some thinking (more like my husband’s thinking!), I’ve decided to make “Master’s Musings.” This category of posts will explore things that I’m going through as a Master’s student, and some of the coping mechanisms I use to pull through the tough times. While these posts will be a little more narrative and reflect on my own life, there will be a moral to each story that you can walk away with–something that More >
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