Greatest Hits
This week, I am going to do something I have not done before with this newsletter. I am going to look back at the last 80 weeks of writing to offer the most commented and read posts to my readership again.
I am doing this for two reasons. First, last week’s post, entitled Burn Out, was perhaps more personal than I might have let on. Second, I am absolutely buried with grading this week. So instead of a new post, I offer a reprise of this newsletter since it began 94 weeks ago.
My most popular newsletter, in terms of reads, forwards, and comments has been:
I think that is interesting, particularly in light of the upset going on over at Twitter, after Elon Musk completed his purchase of the company. I am working on a longer post about Twitter, but it is not quite ready. And the situation is in flux, to say the least. Stay tuned!
My second most popular newsletter was:
In this post I describe - or try to - the extra effort that truly dedicated teachers put in to their work. Day in, and day out. When I wrote it, I was pretty sure I was nuts, but I am thrilled that it struck a nerve for many of you.
In third place is a post written from some notes taken during a conversation several years ago with my friend and colleague Fred Cheever.
I have dedicated my new book to Fred (and my wonderful wife Kathy) and some of this I used in the dedication in the book.
Next up is a newsletter about the service orientation that teachers have (and, I argue, must have):
In the new book, I take this idea a bit further: that in many professional (graduate) schools, teachers should imbue their students with an attitude of service as well.
Another weekly missive that seemed to strike a chord with many readers was this one:
This newsletter was also followed by a second post on the same subject, Hybrid Textbooks II, and a Guest Post from Joel Neff entitled Beyond Hybrid Textbooks.
So, there you have it. The most “popular” posts over the last 1.5 years of weekly writing. They run the gamut of topics I try to cover here - from dedication to teaching, to teaching with technology, to the impact of social media on our students.
Thanks for reading!
Letters of Recommendation
I am currently enjoying The Bookseller of Florence, written by Ross King (who also wrote the excellent Brunelleschi’s Dome). It sheds light on the obscure book hunters of 15th century Florence who found, reprinted, and thus revived many ancient Greek and Roman texts which otherwise might have been lost to history. Read together with The Swerve, by Steven Greenblatt.
Q of the Week
The Q of the Week this week is a Quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson:
Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year and this time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.