Quintín Lame
09/10/2016
We will talk about this. I would like to teach Quintín Lame along with Macunaíma and other Indian things, and perhaps I will. Axé.
Category: Teaching
Synopsis of Postman, “The end of education”
21/09/2016
The “school problem” has two dimensions, as he sees it. One is the engineering aspect: the means by which young people acquire an education. The other is the metaphysical aspect: the underlying purpose or mission — the “end” — of education. Postman believes that the debate over the future of America’s schools focuses too much … More Synopsis of Postman, “The end of education”
Don Quixote
30/08/2016
I have an idea for a course on Spanish literature: books that talk about the book industry. Help me make the syllabus, yes? Meanwhile, everyone should reread the Quixote, for the language. Here is a piece of it. Sucedió, pues, que yendo por una calle alzó los ojos don Quijote y vio escrito sobre una … More Don Quixote
Sarmiento du jour
29/07/2016
Ricardo Piglia once pointed out that the apocryphal quotation at the beginning of Domingo Sarmiento’s Facundo (1845) — the French sentence “on ne tue point les idées,” written by Sarmiento on a wall after being attacked by a federalist gang — can be taken as an emblem of Argentine literature in its foundational moment. Not … More Sarmiento du jour
Slow adopters
29/06/2016
I am adamantly opposed to the idea that shrinking the production of Ph.D.s is good for history as a professional endeavor. So am I. Claire Potter appears to be writing an interesting book. Axé.
Carlos Alonso on curriculum
28/06/2016
Here are some of his 2013 thoughts. Watch the video and tell me what you think. What is the value of the humanities education, the Ph.D., and the life of the mind generally? Axé.
On student evaluations and gender bias
07/06/2016
Here. Axé.
Those MLA language consultants
27/05/2016
“The report acknowledges the intrinsic value of language study but also argues for the necessity of thinking more about instrumental applications of language.” Should we invite one of these consultants or are they wolves in sheep’s clothing? Axé.
Things that would make it all right
20/03/2016
I would like to teach foreign languages if I didn’t have other things I wanted to do, and if I could be involved in something like this — a cool project with colleagues and resources. I would also gladly teach foreign languages as a sideline or as service teaching if I had a leader who … More Things that would make it all right
J’ai compris
10/03/2016
The reason I do not like being a professor, I finally see, is traditional language teaching. I never learned languages this way and when I said I was willing to teach foreign languages as service, although it was not my principal objective in life, I meant it — but did not realize that what I … More J’ai compris
coldhearted scientist وداد 