This week, after writing my forty-seventh and final recommendation letter for the fall, I indulged in the written word of others and devoured three books. This time I turned to non-fiction since writing letters of recommendation borders on fiction, and I needed a respite. Book One For students and teachers alike: How We Learn: The Surprising Truth about When, Where, and Why it Happens by Benedict Cary. Actually, who cares if you are currently a student or a teacher, just read it. Here are just a few of the ideas along with the corresponding research that Cary presented: some fallacies behind the value of routine in learning, the good that can come with well-placed distractions, sleep -- when it is best to sleep in and when best to wake early for maximum results--, the importance of being wrong and what you can learn from it. Book Two
The Late Starters Orchestra by Ari L. Goodman a journalist, college professor's journey as he reconnects with his cello, Bill. This is a story of relationships with with family, with teachers, with music, and with oneself. It also about the power of starting something today even if you fear you will never be "good enough". Good story about the value of amateurism, learning, doing and community. Book Three Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite & The Way to a Meaningful Life by William Deresiewicz. The most selective undergraduate institutions in America are not a meritocracy. (I know, surprise, right?) This book repeated a lot of material I have read elsewhere with the added benefit of it being all in one place. Then again, I keep up on the college admissions world, and perhaps for others this would be new terrain. Deresiewicz makes a case for liberal arts education (good) although he was a little too self-congratulatory (annoying). Not sure I'd want him as a colleague, but there was material worth pondering and a good starting point for discourse. "Statiscally speaking no one goes to Harvard" a reminder that even without graduating from Harvard most people go on to have happy and productive lives after attending any number of fine institutions where they (gasp) were afforded excellent educations. According to Deresiewicz, some graduates of places like Harvard/Yale/Princeton, etc. have a hard time believing that there are other places that are preparing students as well or better than Harvard etc. That's the tip of the iceberg on the elitism part. Then the whole book was the elitism part since here was an Ivy League grad, teaching at an Ivy League, examining his own belly button, so to speak. Can't fault him for not writing what he knows. Spoiler alert: now comes the part where I digress. Part of me really enjoyed this book because I have been waiting for high school students of today to join forces and go on strike. Go on strike against the over testing and endless round of visible and invisible hoops that they are supposed to jump through. This is not entirely Deresiewicz's thesis, but his book could become an inspiration for such a movement, if students were so inclined. I would love a good groundswell of student disgruntlement. Ah, hope springs eternal.
0 Comments
|
To Blog?Why not? Categories
All
Archives
April 2022
|