On Teaching Modern Literature

The thing is, Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” is far better if no one tries to explain it to you. You may as well try to explain why pain hurts. The same is true of A Farewell To Arms. If someone doesn’t understand A Farewell To Arms, they are simply too young to read it.

This just isn’t true of the Aeneid, though.

You Are Obligated To Respect Others, Not To Make Them Feel Respected

“A humble man trains himself to feel respect when he is shown conventional signs of respect, while an arrogant man is unwilling to train his feelings and instead demands others train their actions around his feelings. The idea that anyone is morally obligated to make others feel respected is just godless relativism dressed up in fake politeness.”

-from my latest for CiRCE

Quit Asking Potential Teachers About Their “Personal Philosophy of Education.”

Skip asking potential teachers about their “personal philosophy of education.” That won’t tell you anything about them. Ask them to write a description of a school which calls itself classical, thinks of itself as classical, but isn’t. How have they fooled themselves? What allows the illusion to persist? When is the illusion likely to be shattered? If someone can answer those questions, they know what they’re doing. You can quit asking about a “personal philosophy of education.”

Resolutions For Classical Schools

This year, resolve to not pray that God would “help us all to have a good time tonight.”

This year, resolve to not call your students “you guys.” Your name isn’t Madison and you are not a Chili’s waitress.

This year, resolve to use the word “prayerfully” in ways that do not involve asking people to consider giving donations.

This year, tell your students to occasionally throw in a “If you’re actually reading this, circle this sentence in red” into the middle of their papers just to keep you on your toes.

And for the same reason, resolve to throw an occasional “If you’re actually reading this” sort of claim into the lesson plans you’re required to submit.