Author Archives: Dr. Ayers

Nate Silver uses the prevent defense to explain Mitt Romney’s slide in the South Carolina polls. Reasonable?

Here’s a game. Watch this twelve-minute TED talk with Clay Shirky, and find the following: * an analogy * an emotional appeal * a metaphor (hint: it’s in someone else’s argument that Shirky is paraphrasing) * antithesis * Fun fact: … Continue reading →

I’ve impulsively changed the name of this blog from the bland “AP Language & Composition” to the bold and provocative “Now Read This.” I’m crazy! What will I do next?! This is really meant to signal my intention to post … Continue reading →

Today we’re discussing Stephen Bloom’s essay, “Observations From 20 Years of Iowa Life,” which was published in the online edition of the Atlantic Monthly. Here are a couple of responses prompted by the essay (and there were many): Des Moines … Continue reading →

There are two reading assignments for Thursday. First, read Mary Wollstonecraft’s essay “On National Education.” I recommend you review the one-pager from last term if you still have it. Second, read the introduction to definition in the Bedford Reader, which runs … Continue reading →

Hi Folks, I’ll be thinking of you on my way to Jacksonville tomorrow morning. While I’m gone, please read Margaret Talbot’s essay “Best in Class” (p. 113 in Language of Composition). I think you’ll find it interesting. Read it, and … Continue reading →

If you missed either Tuesday or Wednesday, we were starting our discussion of argument and persuasion. We watched these two videos of Sir Ken Robinson, who speaks on education and creativity.