Category Archives: Education

on the state of public education

Posted on May 25, 2016 by Wordsson

The fiasco that is increasingly the norm in public education in the United States is not particularly a partisan issue, as far as I can tell, though of course the teacher unions are among the biggest donors to the Democrat … Continue reading →

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managing student interaction

Posted on May 16, 2016 by Wordsson

At this time of the school year I’m always pondering ways to improve student interaction with the class, including performance and timeliness on submissions. Forcing them to actually talk with me and address their issues and concerns might help. Here’s … Continue reading →

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Things that help me sleep well

Posted on May 21, 2014 by Wordsson

include the fact that the institution where I teach doesn’t employ academic helicopters. As Stanley Fish once pointed out in an essay that I never tire of quoting, we get to choose “not between a closed environment and an open one … Continue reading →

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Things that keep me up at night

Posted on May 20, 2014 by Wordsson

(an occasional series) From the economics to the politics, colleges and universities are looking less like serious places to improve one’s mind and one’s prospects, and more like expensive islands of frivolity and, sometimes, viciousness. And that is likely to … Continue reading →

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on Common Core

Posted on May 8, 2014 by Wordsson

Nice work by Peggy Noonan on the problems in the promotion of Common Core: The Common Core establishment appears to be largely led by people who are well-educated, well-meaning, accomplished and affluent, and who earnestly desire to help those in … Continue reading →

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Ayaan Hirsi Ali unbound

Posted on April 12, 2014 by Wordsson

The disgusting spectacle of the craven university administration at Brandeis illustrates deep corruption where there should be a source of human flourishing. Yet perhaps as a result more people than ever will be made aware of the significant work of Ayaan Hirsi … Continue reading →

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things that keep me up at night (cont.)

Posted on June 8, 2013 by Wordsson

The U.S. Department of Education, in concert with the U.S. Department of Justice, have produced an outline of principles they intend to apply to universities covering allegations of sexual harassment. Regrettably, their outline, if implemented, will effectively criminalize a substantial … Continue reading →

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Quote of the day

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Wordsson

“The liberally educated person is one who is able to resist the easy and preferred answers, not because he is obstinate but because he knows others worthy of consideration.” — Allan Bloom

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of progress and parents

Posted on April 9, 2013 by Wordsson

There’s been a little bit of attention paid to an MSNBC commentator’s remarks about “our” failure to properly invest in children: The quote of the day comes from this reflection on her idea about “communal parenting”: “The truth is that … Continue reading →

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more on FAU and incompetence in intercultural communications

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Wordsson

The depressing state of affairs vividly displayed at FAU is helpfully described, analyzed, and put in the wider context of higher education in the United States by Greg Lukianoff, whose organization does yeoman’s work in helping students defend themselves and … Continue reading →

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