Well, folks, it's time to make this official.
As of today, I'm shutting down this blog.
The keeping-up-with-friends that I did on this blog I do now via Facebook and Twitter. The thinking out loud that I did here? *Sigh* Well, I hope it was of use to somebody, but given my promotion debacle this year, I think we can all say that it didn't serve me very well, and it's sure not going to help me in the future.
If you think that's galling, imagine how I feel about my NEH seminar work. My college made it clear: teaching an NEH seminar for K-12 teachers is less valuable than writing a peer-reviewed journal article, even if the former changes lives and the latter usually drops without a ripple into the MLA / JSTOR / MUSE vortex.
I could cry, folks, but what's the point? The Powers That Be have spoken.
I'll still be on line; you can find me at Teach Me Tonight and Romancing the Blog and maybe my old Big Jewish Blog too. But my heart's just not in this blog anymore, and with this school year coming to a close, it just seems time to stop and take stock of what's worth going on with, at least in professional terms.
Maybe this summer will set me right. Maybe working with teachers again, or going to Brisbane, will make me want to take up blogging about poetry and teaching again. For now, though, I'm just sad, and tired, and done.
Thanks for reading!
--E
4 comments:
So this is farewell? You're at the moment of ritual death? Fortunately, according to some excellent sources, it may take a while but you will reach the recognition that fells the barrier :)
Meanwhile, may you read something that takes your breath away.
I suppose you weren't posting here so much any more, but I miss those longer posts. Tweets aren't the same.
Hi Professor Selinger,
I'm not sure if you remember me, but my name is Maria Brown and I took your first (?) Popular Romance Fiction class at DePaul during the first summer session of 2006. I was one of two students that built a romance website that was put posted on the DePaul romance website for a time.
I'm writing just to say that I've followed both Say Something Wonderful and Teach Me Tonight. I want you to know that, even though the University doesn't recognize you, I truly appreciate the work that you do. Because of your class and your support (even though you may not realize it), I've incorporated blogs into my AP class curriculum. I've given presentations and workshops at my school (Thornwood H.S.), showing teachers and administration that blogging can be academic. I showed them all your blogs so that they could see that blogging is also a big part of the college academics; many of them follow Teach Me Tonight passionately now.
What is my point? My point is that in the midst of this struggle, you have inspired people, me, to step outside the box and try new things regarding teaching, various literary genres, and technology. I SINCERELY thank you for that. I'm so truly sorry that the 'powers that be' do not recognize or understand the contributions and help that you have provided for your students and how what you do really makes a difference.
I will continue to follow Teach Me Tonight. Thank you for sharing yourself with your fellow teachers and bloggers. Have a great day!
I'm sad! But I get it.
This K-12 teacher will miss your posts... I look forward to them and have used your posts and links as a resource on more than one occasion to help make poetry sing for my students.
Please stay in touch, Eric.
Post a Comment