Description
Quickly! How do you define ‘a good education’? What does it mean to be ‘educated’? You can have 25 words for each question.
No matter how you answered either of those questions, you have simultaneously raised dozens of related ones—guaranteed. Public education has long been an incredibly complex venture, and— two decades into the 21st century in an increasing technological age—it is not getting any easier.
Released in October, 2018, Spitballs from the Back Row (Oghma Creative Publications) is a collection of Larry Campbell’s education columns from the Springfield (MO) News-Leader. Each of these columns gives a brief discussion of yet another small facet of the questions asked above.
This collection of MORE Spitballs . . . follows in those footsteps. The idea for these essays, as before, is not to give ‘right answers’, or even to convince. Instead, Campbell works to bring some of these subtle issues to the surface, raise different perspectives, minimize misperceptions, and provide balance, always in a light, readable, and even humorous style.
From the first essay (Teaching Fish to Climb Trees) to the last (Halloween Pranks and Library Thanks), and throughout the book’s ten sections, you’ll experience a wide range of thought-provoking topics, as well as an occasional chance to smile.
And, as before, these essays may also function as minor ‘nuisances’ of sorts. Not in a negative sense, but rather in the ‘forced-to-take-notice-and-think-about-it’ sense—like buzzing gnats… or Spitballs from The Back Row.
Jeanette D. –
EXCELLENT EDUCATIONAL READ!
This second edition of Dr. Campbell’s essays discussing current educational issues continues his tradition of very insightful, well-thought-out writings. It is a quick read that will cause you to pause and ponder!