Got one!

21 November 2021: Whenever I see a student in ENGL 204 who shows real talent for literary analysis, I tease them/encourage them to consider an English major or minor, even if I know they never will. I figure it can't hurt to be told you are good at something.

One of the reasons I love teaching ENGL 204 is that I get to help non-majors see that they have smart and interesting things to say about literature and that literature connects to their lives. Bishop's "One Art" is a poem that, if you put the work into teaching it right, works so well to prove these points. It never misses. 

Anyway, I just got an email from one of my students saying that she is now going to be an English minor. She writes, "Ok so after Friday's class, especially after discussing One Art, I've decided I really want to pick up an English minor. I know if I stop pursuing it I'm going to be really mad at myself, so I wanted to ask you for any advice you had to give to me."

Counting this as a little win today. Shout-out to the amazing Elizabeth Bishop.