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Playing Video Games in AP English Literature and Composition – Why?

[This post is part of a broader project I'm calling "Pop Culture Pedagogy" where I write about ways pop culture finds its way into my classroom] Recently, I mentioned attempting to integrate video games in my AP class (along with hip-hop, and movies) in an online forum.  Someone sarcastically compared this to having students read … Continue reading Playing Video Games in AP English Literature and Composition – Why? →

The Second Krabappel – or – What is Composition?

[This post is part of a broader project I'm calling "Pop Culture Pedagogy" where I write about ways pop culture finds its way into my classroom] [after class the next day] Bartocrates: You emailed my parents without telling me?   Ms. Krabappel: Yes? B: I feel violated. K: I’m supporting you, it’s part of my job.  … Continue reading The Second Krabappel – or – What is Composition? →

The Krabappel – or – What Is “AP Literature and Composition” – A Socratic Dialogue in Two Parts

[This post is part of a broader project I'm calling "Pop Culture Pedagogy" where I write about ways pop culture finds its way into my classroom] Part 1 - What is Literature? Edna Krabappel: Okay class, please turn to page 357 of Tedious Times, where we left off yesterday, analyzing Dryprose’s prophetic critique of education … Continue reading The Krabappel – or – What Is “AP Literature and Composition” – A Socratic Dialogue in Two Parts →

Dungeons and Dragons in AP Lit Part 4 – Assessment

[This post is part of a broader project I'm calling "Pop Culture Pedagogy" where I write about ways pop culture finds its way into my classroom] This was tricky for me because they were being asked both to create the texts they would eventually analyze, and then in later analyze them.  Here’s what I did: … Continue reading Dungeons and Dragons in AP Lit Part 4 – Assessment →

Dungeons and Dragons in AP Lit – Part 3 – Day to Day Lessons

[This post is part of a broader project I'm calling "Pop Culture Pedagogy" where I write about ways pop culture finds its way into my classroom] The Adventure - ~3 weeks of class time (5 85-minute blocks) This post and the next will be more nuts and bolts - I’ve previously written about the why, … Continue reading Dungeons and Dragons in AP Lit – Part 3 – Day to Day Lessons →

Dungeons and Dragons in AP Lit – Part 2 – How I Set Up the Unit

[This post is part of a broader project I'm calling "Pop Culture Pedagogy" where I write about ways pop culture finds its way into my classroom] How I Tried to Make This Work in the Classroom [I will write more later about how the individual class days went as things got moving, and also how … Continue reading Dungeons and Dragons in AP Lit – Part 2 – How I Set Up the Unit →

Dungeons and Dragons in AP Lit – Addendum to Part 1 – White Supremacy – What Counts as “Literature”

[This post is part of a broader project I'm calling "Pop Culture Pedagogy" where I write about ways pop culture finds its way into my classroom] “What do D&D, the Odyssey and Hip-Hop Have in Common?” This question may feel strange because your vision of D&D may conjure up some very specific images of a … Continue reading Dungeons and Dragons in AP Lit – Addendum to Part 1 – White Supremacy – What Counts as “Literature” →

Dungeons and Dragons in my AP Lit Classroom – Part 1 – Why Did I Want to Try This?

[This post is part of a broader project I'm calling "Pop Culture Pedagogy" where I write about ways pop culture finds its way into my classroom] Part 1 - Where Did I Get this Idea?  - Or - What do D&D, the Odyssey and Hip-Hop Have in Common? Ever since I first read The Singer … Continue reading Dungeons and Dragons in my AP Lit Classroom – Part 1 – Why Did I Want to Try This? →

Twice Inna Lifetime (Track 13) and Conclusions about Teaching

[This is the final part of a longer series – previous track - "Thieves in the Night"] https://www.youtube.com/embed/DZ7dlo3PWhk Reaching the end of these posts I'm brought back to the beginning, the first time I listened to Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star. I got to "Twice Inna Lifetime", about 4.5 miles into the 5 mile … Continue reading Twice Inna Lifetime (Track 13) and Conclusions about Teaching →