Mr. Locke’s Classroom

Happy Thanksgiving! Now that the turkey-leftovers are growing cold, and the football games are over, it’s time to get started with Mr. Locke’s cruel, evil, Thanksgiving homework… Instead of posting topics for discussion on each separate film, let’s maybe focus on things they might all have in common: What (from the perspective of the film) [...]

Academic Decathlon Invitational Competition has come and gone, and a pile of neglected work stares me in the face, saying “It’s my turn. You promised.” Sometimes I wish I could be a bad teacher–you know, the ones who arrive right before school starts, leave as soon as it’s over, and don’t assign any work so [...]

So we launch into a new six weeks (yes, I realize this is a bit late) and a new theme, as we follow Steinbeck to Europe for his non-fiction journalism during World War II. Two prominent themes become apparent in part one of the book, “England.” Superstition in the face of powerlessness/fate, and The use [...]

As the dust settles on yesterday’s elections, it seems that for the second time in two years, every single candidate I voted for lost. I even had to vote for some Libertarians just to avoid voting for the Repubs uncontested by Democrats. Even the candidates I was rooting for in other districts all lost. We’ll [...]