by Meg Eden We remembered the old ghost stories, and we told one another that there would be many new stories like that. Personally, I don’t believe in the existence of spirits, […]
Tohoku Ghost Stories: a Poem
“Swept Away” by Robyn Sarah, via The Writer’s Almanac
Today’s poem on The Writer’s Almanac hits about seven different places inside me. What about you? Here’s the beginning: . Swept Away How innocent are lovers in the middle of their lives, […]
The Language of Water
Season changes always seem to direct our attention to the natural world, and through that, our true selves. Maine writer and sister siren Susan Casey gives us a lovely meditation on the […]
Sirens and Sisters Kick Essay Ass
Readers, take a look at the soon to be released Best American Essays, edited by Ariel Levy, and you’ll find not only amazing pieces and authors selected for inclusion, but an awe-inspiring list […]
Advice to a Friend Who Has Quit His Mediocre Job
“Altruism” by Molly Peacock
What if we got outside ourselves and there / really was an outside out there, not just / our insides turned inside out? What if there / really were a you beyond […]
Hot for Student: Yoga, Polyamory & Me
Tall, dark and lacking flexibility, Ricky (not his real name) nonetheless came faithfully to yoga. I often imagined this translating into an eagerness to please in bed. He was flirtatious and chatty […]
Shadow Syllabus
So true–all our private thoughts behind the syllabus and in front of the room: “The goals and outcomes I am required to put on my syllabus make me depressed; they are the […]
This Girl Can: A Celebration of Women In Motion
Back-to-school often means back-to-sports. It’s a time to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones while engaging and challenging the body and mind. We play sports for the challenge, for fun, to stay fit, and/or because we couldn’t imagine doing anything else. However, not all women feel comfortable enough with their own bodies to get moving.
On Gender Bias in Student Evaluations
To continue our conversation about anonymous online professor rating systems, here’s a study on the massive sexist bias female academics must contend with. From the article “Female Academics Face Huge Sexist Bias – No Wonder There are So Few of Them” by Laura Bates: “Reviews of male professors are more likely to include the words ‘brilliant,’ ‘intelligent’ or ‘smart,’ and far more likely to contain the word ‘genius.’ Meanwhile, women are more likely to be described as ‘mean,’ ‘harsh,’ ‘unfair’ or ‘strict,’ and a lot more likely to be called ‘annoying’.”