Author Archives: michaeljarmer

#308: An Attempted Explanation

As soon as I decided not to go shopping for music the second day in a row, my car horn alarm went off and I couldn’t get it to stop. I sat there in the car, parked, engine running, horn blasting, poking and pushing every conceivable control surface, even the ones I knew wouldn’t work,Continue reading “#308: An Attempted Explanation”

#306: Letters to His Sister (Point of View Cluster in Frankenstein)

Q: Hey kids, what’s the point of view in this here novel? You know, who speaks and to whom are they speaking? A: Well, Walton, he’s the speaker, and he’s writing letters to his sister. But at some point, Victor is speaking to Walton who is writing letters to his sister, but then, Elizabeth isContinue reading “#306: Letters to His Sister (Point of View Cluster in Frankenstein)”

#305: The Offending Journal

I’ve seen students copy all kinds of stuff from one another, sometimes going as far as copying down word for word pages upon pages of a buddy’s journal responses, the act of copying all that text more work than actually doing the work, only with the added “benefit” of not learning anything. But I’ve never seenContinue reading “#305: The Offending Journal”

#304: Willy and Biff Loman Cross Paths with Talking Heads

(with gratitude to David Byrne and Arthur Miller) What have they asked of themselves? The tiniest slice of the pie belongs to that beautiful house, which mostly, they recognize because it’s a thing they can see and a 25 year mortgage they can feel, every month for 25 years. Am I wrong? They have difficulty with this–Continue reading “#304: Willy and Biff Loman Cross Paths with Talking Heads”

#303: The American English Teacher Strategizes for Kids Who Don’t Read

He assigns the pages and when class convenes he understands in short order that only a few kids have bothered to do the reading. The age old dilemma of the high school English teacher: what can be done if kids won’t read, not can’t, but won’t or don’t? Reading everything in class, either out loud or in silence willContinue reading “#303: The American English Teacher Strategizes for Kids Who Don’t Read”

#302: Uncle Meaney

My Uncle Meaney had a long white scar over his midsection, and when he was out boating on family vacations, crabbing, oystering, deep sea fishing, he’d go shirtless, and there was that scar as clear as the writing in the sky. I must have asked him, how’d you get the scar? I was attacked byContinue reading “#302: Uncle Meaney”

#300: The American English Teacher Gets His Courage Shit Together

“This shit works” –heard in conversation with Rick, and then later with Paul or Jeff, one or both of whom attributed it to Parker Palmer, perhaps apocryphally. 20 years ago I thought to myself there’s no way I can do this for another 20 years. I would need the strength of a half dozen supermen,Continue reading “#300: The American English Teacher Gets His Courage Shit Together”

#299: In a Dream, a Hammer Crushed a Teacup

In a dream, a Hammer crushed a Teacup, Seagulls flew overhead, one, wearing a Ballet Slipper, having lost its mate to a Shark. I sit at a Wobbly Table, recently crowned a third time by my Dentist, singing the Rowboat song. My therapist, who specializes in dream interpretation, is sad. He has no idea what it means. InContinue reading “#299: In a Dream, a Hammer Crushed a Teacup”