I try to teach “A Modest Proposal” to every senior class I have. I love their reactions to the proposal itself. What really gets me is how few of the students understand that the entire proposal is a satirical piece, that he is being facetious.
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“Guns Don’t Kill People.” “Guns Save Lives.” What?
I once saw a guy wearing a shirt that said,
“guns don’t kill people.”
On that shirt was a sticker:
“Guns save lives.”
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13 Reasons Why I Recommend “13 Reasons Why” for Teen Readers
1. It’s a book. I recommend reading books.
2. It deals with a serious and relevant issue: teen suicide.
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The Case for Dual Enrollment
Some universities have declared a cold war on dual enrollment.
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How We (for the most part) Potty Trained Our Son in 3 Days (and How You Can Too!)
We did it. We potty trained our son in 3 days.
Let me provide a disclaimer: It wasn’t easy. It’s not perfect. There are still accidents. Number 2 hasn’t quite caught on like Number 1 has. But overall, it worked.
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The Apple on ThisTeacher’s Desk
I have an apple on my desk. (not this one—this one just looks prettier)
An apple—that sweet symbol of education: Knowledge, as many have depicted it as Eve’s forbidden fruit; Nutrition, in mind and body; Red, the color of exes on wrong answers and of the weight of test grades; Folk patriotism, as Johnny Appleseed’s token gift; Autumn, when school activities begin; Frontier Heritage, the rustic nostalgia of the little schoolhouse in the country; Well-roundedness, like the Greeks, like the Renaissance; Social Support, as the apple was one of the gifts given to teachers by parents to feed them; hard cider, because alcohol is a common use of retreat from the stress of teaching.
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Book Review: Bethlehem Road by Michael Whitworth
As his latest addition to a series that may eventually culminate in a commentary/guide to every book of the bible, Michael Whitworth has selected the love story told from the time of Judges in Israel’s history—the book of Ruth.
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Peter Pan—the original fruit ninja
“Coming Back to America: My One Fear” -THABITI ANYABWILE (link)
“Coming Back to America: My One Fear”
by Thabiti Anyabwile
“O There You Are Peter!” What Robin Williams Taught Me About Funny Serious People
I got a little teary-eyed today when I remembered that part in Hook where the little lost boy plays with Peter Pan’s face, takes that grownup frown and tries to force it back into a smile. He sees the happy smiling boy he once knew.
It’s one of the most touching children’s movie moments I’ve ever witnessed. It still gets me.
