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At my age, I have made a return to my shelves to read books I may have been introduced to in college but really didn’t understand. This time it’s Truman Capote’s novela Breakfast at Tiffany’s. I’m not to sure I understand it any better forty years after the first time I read it, but I…
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For me, Frida’s personal story will forever be an inspiration. Unfortunately, I haven’t studied art to sufficiently recognize the genius of her painting, but in reading her story, I’m drawn to her strength and courage to live each day to the fullest. She lived a life on her terms. This semester, my students and I will…
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This spring I hope to incite Fridamania in a few of my classes. It is for this reason: many of my past students have (happily) chosen to base their research papers on the strength, courage, and creative genius of Frida Kahlo. IT WORKS. In her life and her art, they all seem to find something…
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I’m so happy to have reread Joan Didion’s novel Play It As It Lays a second time – like maybe forty years after the first time. When I read it in college, I wasn’t at the maturity level to truly appreciate the Great JD, but now I look at her with new eyes. This novel…
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In my Spring 2026 classes we will examine how images can make a visual argument. We are reading a fictional novel about Frida Kahlo that will lead us to a Mexico City research paper. My students will begin their semester writing journey by preparing a critical analysis of a visual image, advertisement or poster that relates…
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I’ve asked my students to share their MVP ( Most Valuable Part) of their Reading and Soundtrack Selection from their Fall Semester 2025. They will need to think back to the authors, short stories, and poems we have read. Here is the cool part: There is no right or wrong position in a student’s vote…
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This week I invite my students to go to the movies with me. I mean, we are not going to watch anything on the big (or small) screen, but we are going to download movie posters to help us develop our visual analysis skills. Everybody loves their movies. Visual Analysis is an important academic…
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SUMMER WAS FUN – FALL WILL BE A BLAST! This summer in ENGLISH 1000 we went to NEW YORK CITY – Come On! – In what other class doyou ever have the opportunity to do THAT? To supplement our PARADISE TRAVEL novel-reading experience, I asked each of my students to choose a JUICY…
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I don’t know much how other people choose their books. I never hear it come up in everyday conversation. I’m sure many book readers go to their own secret websites and podcasts. I DO. Choosing the right book is a big deal for me. As I get older, I have difficulty squeezing my reading…
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Does anyone ever ask how you choose the books you read? Probably not. Sadly, over the last forty years or so, I have seen a gradual decline in reading. NO INTEREST. That’s not news, but that’s not GOOD. I’m an ENGLISH TEACHER. When I ask my students where they find their books, they tell…