About Alex Springer

I'm a secondary English teacher with experience working with junior high and high school students. In addition to a B.A. in English teaching, I've received an M.Ed. in Educational Psychology. Though I pride myself on my practical knowledge, I'm a big believer in supplementing curriculum with my vast storage of geeky pop culture factoids--for example, did you know that the 1983 film Strange Brew is loosely based on Hamlet?

Jeff Bliss: Ignorance Is Bliss Or Is Bliss Just Ignorant?

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Recently, I saw this video in which an angry student named Jeff Bliss went on a tirade against his teacher because he felt she wasn't actively teaching the students in her class.  After a few minutes of Internet surfing, I stumbled upon this … [Read more...]

Five Lessons For Everyone Who Works in Education for a Living

scene from the film "Glengarry Glen Ross"

The dvd cover of the 1992 film Glengarry Glen Ross has the following tagline: “A story for everyone who works for a living.” Though the film is about a tumultuous weekend in the lives of a handful of real estate salesmen, there’s a lot in there … [Read more...]

Teaching Through Trickery: A Snapshot of Theory vs. Reality

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During my first year of teaching high school, I inherited a remedial reading class that consisted of about eighteen unmotivated juniors.  Having just finished a graduate program in educational psychology with emphasis placed specifically on reading … [Read more...]

Kill Your Idols: A Case for Contemporary Literature

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When I go out to eat, I often eavesdrop on the conversations of my fellow diners.  Not long ago, I listened in on a particularly interesting discussion that involved two teachers.  They were discussing a familiar quandary among English teachers: … [Read more...]

Based on a True Story: A Critical Look at Teachers in Movies

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I remember having a romanticized view of teaching while I was in college.  Though I can attribute some of this to a few overly idealistic professors, I mostly blame the movies.  It was probably one week into student teaching when I came to the … [Read more...]

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