Well, That was Unexpected.

Well, That was Unexpected.Jerz’s Literacy Weblog) I showed my five-year-old son the two recent blog entries in which he features (Johnstown Flood and The Meatball), and to my surprise he spent the next 40 minutes dictating responses to all the comments left by readers. It was interesting watching his composition process… the sentences are choppy…

A Galling Interview

My sister let herself into my hotel room and sat on the edge of my bed. I said: “This was awful. I threw up in front of two members of the search committee.” Her response was kind and gentle: “It could have been worse. You could have thrown up on two members of the search…

A Visit with Castro

Notwithstanding all his efforts, the only semblance of a revolt of the poor is the antimodern Islamic tide, which from the Marxist point of view floats in a medieval dream. With us he seemed pathetically hungry for some kind of human contact. Brilliant as he is, spirited and resourceful as his people are, his endless…

When Our Students Don't Respect Us

He never learned to use the MLA citation method, but today he’s a successful engineer who supports the local arts council. | What counts as intelligence depends almost entirely on context. I find that my students are as smart, diligent, and idealistic as they have always been — as I was. But what they know,…