Tapping the hive mind

[icepixie]

Anyone have a favorite short story about education? I'm redoing some of the reading for my persuasive arguments unit, and the theme is education. I'd like to include some fiction, but at the moment all I can think of that treats education and/or school are novels, and we just don't have time for one. I would particularly like things that could lead into a discussion of what constitutes "an education."

(Google is being uncharicteristically unhelpful on this matter, alas.)

Comments

[sleepingcbw.livejournal.com]

You could always give them an excerpt from A Separate Piece. If you've not used Ender's Game, there's always the (eponymous) short story on which it's based, which they've probably not read.

Also, if you give them Feynman to read, you'll officially be the coolest freshman English teacher ever.

[vallentine.livejournal.com]

Also, if you give them Feynman to read, you'll officially be the coolest freshman English teacher ever.

I heartily agree. I think everyone should read Feynman - he is the most kick ass physicist ever and he's got a lot to say about living life to the fullest.

[icepixie]

You could always give them an excerpt from A Separate Piece.

...of pie? (Sorry.)

I have actually not read that one. I should look it up.

If you've not used Ender's Game, there's always the (eponymous) short story on which it's based, which they've probably not read.

Just looked it up online, and holy crap, that's long! I need stuff in the five to ten page range for this semester, sadly.

Also, if you give them Feynman to read, you'll officially be the coolest freshman English teacher ever.

Very tempting...

[sleepingcbw.livejournal.com]

...of pie? (Sorry.)

ACK ACK ACK. Peace. A Separate PEACE.

(That is by far not the silliest thing I've said today. I haven't quite got the hang of Wednesdays yet.)


I have actually not read that one. I should look it up.

It was on my top-five list for awhile. It's still on the list of books I'm supposed to read at least once a year to keep myself human. Not terribly challenging, though.

[icepixie]

ACK ACK ACK. Peace. A Separate PEACE.

Heh. I knew that was what you meant, but I couldn't help teasing.

(That is by far not the silliest thing I've said today. I haven't quite got the hang of Wednesdays yet.)

I'm not a big fan of them myself. Though Mondays are much, much worse.

It was on my top-five list for awhile. It's still on the list of books I'm supposed to read at least once a year to keep myself human. Not terribly challenging, though.

Hmmm...