The Curse of the Bleeding 8th Graders
My classroom was cursed, and then the curse returned. Read on for the full story.
Book Smart Aleck
I have been teaching 8th grade for almost 11 whole years now. In this column, I share my thoughts on teaching itself, the 13-year-old semi-human lifeforms I work with, and public schools. I will probably tell some funny stories. I may occasionally get emotional. And you will get a behind-the-scenes look into my classroom. No, teachers do not get plugged into a charging port in the school basement each night after the kids leave. They do get to come home to their families, and sometimes they write about the adventures they have and the shenanigans they witness during their long, tiring days in the classroom.
Closing Time Of My Life
Middle school students say some… amazing… things.
Poetic Virtues and Devices
April was National Poetry Month, but in 8th grade Language Arts, mastering the use of poetic devices isn’t necessarily the most important thing about the poetry unit.
Standardized Test Subject
A teacher’s-eye-view of standardized testing in 8th grade.
Recently on Ink 19...
Le Combat Dans L’île
Screen ReviewsThe hidden gem of the French New Wave, Le Combat Dans L’île gets a lovely Blu-ray from Radiance Films.
Ani DiFranco
Event ReviewsThis fall, Ani DiFranco brought new Righteous Babe labelmate Kristen Ford to Iowa City, where Jeremy Glazier enjoyed an incredible evening of artistry.
Garage Sale Vinyl: Ian Hunter
Garage Sale VinylThis week Christopher Long grabs a bag of bargain vinyl from a flea market in Mount Dora, Florida — including You’re Never Alone with a Schizophrenic, the classic 1979 LP from Ian Hunter.
Archive Archaeology
Archive ArchaeologyBob Pomeroy gets into four Radio Rarities from producer Zev Feldman for Record Store Day with great jazz recordings from Wes Montgomery, Les McCann, Cal Tjader, and Ahmad Jamal.
Archive Archaeology: Phil Alvin
Archive ArchaeologyBob Pomeroy digs into Un “Sung Stories” (1986, Liberation Hall), Blasters’ frontman Phil Alvin’s American Roots collaboration with Sun Ra and his Arkestra, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and New Orleans saxman Lee Allen.
A Darker Shade of Noir
Print ReviewsRoi J. Tamkin reviews A Darker Shade of Noir, fifteen new stories from women writers completely familiar with the horrors of owning a body in a patriarchal society, edited by Joyce Carol Oates.
The Blasters
Music ReviewsMandatory: The Best of The Blasters (Liberation Hall). Review by Bob Pomeroy.
Garage Sale Vinyl: The Time
Garage Sale VinylFeeling funky this week, Christopher Long gets his groove on while discovering a well-cared-for used vinyl copy of one of his all-time R&B faves: Ice Cream Castle, the classic 1984 LP from The Time, for just a couple of bucks.
Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir
InterviewsDuring AFI Fest 2023, Lily and Generoso interviewed director Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir, whose impressive debut feature, City of Wind, carefully examines the juxtaposition between the identity of place and tradition against the powers of modernity in contemporary Mongolia.
Juliana Hatfield
Music ReviewsJuliana Hatfield Sings ELO (American Laundromat Records). Review by Laura Pontillo.
