Professor Carol
Here we are, once again marking Thanksgiving. Only last week did I realize that that this year marks the 400th anniversary of the founding of the colony at Plymouth. Four hundred years! We do not get to celebrate many quadricentennials here in the US. The … Read more
Twenty-six years ago today, on a Saturday at noon, Hank and I were married in Dallas at the architecturally grand Church of the Incarnation. What was intended to be a tiny gathering spun out of control after the news of our upcoming nuptials hit my … Read more
After months of wishing to do so, I am taking advantage of a free course from Hillsdale College called Classic Children’s Literature. You may have seen this course advertised with its colorful promo extolling the vitality and efficacy of works like Treasure Island, Beauty and … Read more
“It’s such a nice songbook. We had been looking to find something just like it. But how do we use it?” Now there’s a good question. When we spent the “spring shutdown” creating Hurrah and Hallelujah—a volume of songs dedicated to restoring our heritage of … Read more
When parents talk with me about ways to bring music into their children’s education, I often hear the words “composer studies” or “composer biographies.” If a discussion ensues, I try to frame my responses in a measured way. On the one hand, how grand it … Read more
Cut to the chase. What you don’t know can hurt you—or at least hurt the sweater. Book learning (facts, figures, concepts) is a wonderful thing. But learning from books lacks the punch of real-world learning. Not knowing or understanding how things work can cause small … Read more
Term papers, yikes! These words can bring terror, even if schooldays are a distant memory. Students often perceive term papers as a maze beset with dangers, rather than an opportunity to tackle something useful and rewarding. That’s why I decided to launch a series directed … Read more
On occasion, people ask my thoughts about a tricky matter: How to introduce children to art that includes adult themes. When that question first popped up in my “Professor Carol” adventure, I confess to being surprised. The arts historically have been created by adults, for … Read more
Learning, as a child, involves assembling vocabulary and a body of information sufficient to build a structure of understanding. Learning as a teen requires a conscious, often arduous effort to strengthen this structure in order to weave a more solid tapestry of understanding. Learning as … Read more
During the first class with a new group of high-schoolers taking our America’s Artistic Legacy course, I asked an important question. The question was posed after my initial presentation of what falls in the category of “American Art”—in short, the whole range of artistic expressions … Read more