Monthly Archives: March 2021

“But no less than the daily food we eat, the daily literature we consume can have significant benefits.”

Posted on March 31, 2021 by Kate Stover

Can reading a great book be therapeutic? Every English teacher I know would say yes. Some of us, in fact, prescribe books to our friends who might want help in delicate situations. What’s new here is the idea that neuroscientists … Continue reading →

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“Some people hold the view that if you are a learned scholar in a field, that should be enough to make you a good teacher.”

Posted on March 22, 2021 by Kate Stover

We all know this isn’t true. Is there a person alive who hasn’t suffered through a class taught by an expert who was boring? And yet, it seems to me that we are reluctant to acknowledge that “emotion” can support … Continue reading →

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“We unite in the same dissonance: the need to produce effective writing, yet the failure to attain it by willpower alone.”

Posted on March 11, 2021 by Kate Stover

Ah, willpower!  Nearly everyone jumps to the conclusion that difficulty in writing has one root cause: a lack of willpower. It is easier to fall into the trap of blaming oneself than it is to consider another possibility: things are … Continue reading →

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