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"The Education Rectangle" by Don Gerz
Over the course of twenty-two years of teaching adolescents English composition and literature in seven private high schools, each with radically different missions, I have been fascinated with a phenomenon I call “The Education Rectangle” and how its dynamics fundamentally affect education in general and teachers in particular. Part of my ( Read more... ) -
"The Boy in the Sycamore Tree" (Autobiographical Outline of a Mind)
After reading a recent post about a motorcycle I used to ride when I was 25 (http://dongerz.livejournal.com/#post-dongerz-33040), Brit Butler recommended I should try writing about my “wild youth” (his words). For those interested in such matters, a number of autobiographical references can be found in part two of the following ( Read more... ) -
A Philosophy of Teaching
I began my teaching career in 1970 and have taught over thirteen hundred high school students in a number of courses at eight vastly different schools. Some institutions were very exclusive college preparatory schools, while others provided education to adolescents with learning disabilities and other academic, social, and psychological challenges ( Read more... ) -
Letter to High School Students about 9/11
Seven years ago, I sent the letter below about the 9/11 tragedy to my students. As you can imagine, they were frightened, depressed, and horrified…as we all were. The letter was my attempt as their teacher to address those feelings. - Don
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9/11: Three Days Later
September 14, 2001
Dear Students,
We ( Read more... ) -
Doing Nothing? Nothing Doing! (An Update)
Soon after retiring, a former colleague asked me, “How can you just sit at home doing nothing?!”
Although I retired in January ‘07 after twenty-two years as a high school teacher, please be assured that I stay busy these days writing essays, poetry, experimental fiction, satire, PowerPoints, a review for a soon-to-be published book on special ( Read more... ) -
"Will You Help My Son?"
A woman called last night wanting me to tutor her son.
She said, “He doesn't turn in his homework and other assignments. Now he's flunking.”
I asked her, “Why does he not turn in his work, especially his homework?! Does he not understand the material?”
The mother said, “No, he understands it. I guess he just thinks he can get away with it.”
I ( Read more... )
