John Downes-Angus
@johndownesangus.bsky.social
Public HS English Teacher in NYC.
Oink is by far our worst animal onomatopoeia. They sound nothing like that
November 15, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Oink is by far our worst animal onomatopoeia. They sound nothing like that
Think that the pressure from standardization/standardized tests that we produce classes with across-the-board proficiency is an under-appreciated cause of grade inflation. There are some weird consequences of aiming to design classes so that all kids succeed in exactly the same way.
November 15, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Think that the pressure from standardization/standardized tests that we produce classes with across-the-board proficiency is an under-appreciated cause of grade inflation. There are some weird consequences of aiming to design classes so that all kids succeed in exactly the same way.
What I like about Henry James—and maybe what I like about every book I’ve liked—is that it would be pointless to read him quickly
November 14, 2025 at 9:58 PM
What I like about Henry James—and maybe what I like about every book I’ve liked—is that it would be pointless to read him quickly
It’s called dramaturgy—look it up
November 14, 2025 at 8:07 PM
It’s called dramaturgy—look it up
NYPL trip w the kids: Thoreau’s pencil and journal; Annie Proulx’s journals and manuscripts; Jack Kerouac’s journals; nature photo archive diving
November 14, 2025 at 5:54 PM
NYPL trip w the kids: Thoreau’s pencil and journal; Annie Proulx’s journals and manuscripts; Jack Kerouac’s journals; nature photo archive diving
One of the fun ironies of education/ed policy stuff is that efforts to offer simple answers almost always either produce or conceal chaos. Years ago, when I had a class w the principal of Rikers, I asked him for go-to solutions for tough students. He laughed at me. I get it now.
November 14, 2025 at 1:09 AM
One of the fun ironies of education/ed policy stuff is that efforts to offer simple answers almost always either produce or conceal chaos. Years ago, when I had a class w the principal of Rikers, I asked him for go-to solutions for tough students. He laughed at me. I get it now.
For anyone interested in the scene shortening thing. It’s fun!
November 13, 2025 at 8:46 PM
For anyone interested in the scene shortening thing. It’s fun!
As a teacher, you either feel like you’re nailing it or like you’re faking it—there is no in-between
November 13, 2025 at 8:40 PM
As a teacher, you either feel like you’re nailing it or like you’re faking it—there is no in-between
Going to do that lesson tomorrow where you have students reduce a section of a play down to like the most important 2-3 lines for each character, then act it out. This is fun. But also we’re reading Oedipus and so some kid is going to have to be him, which they don’t love.
November 11, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Going to do that lesson tomorrow where you have students reduce a section of a play down to like the most important 2-3 lines for each character, then act it out. This is fun. But also we’re reading Oedipus and so some kid is going to have to be him, which they don’t love.
Something “The Great Gatsby” does get right is that rich people are completely insane
November 11, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Something “The Great Gatsby” does get right is that rich people are completely insane
Milly, knowing she’s terminally ill—this book is so good. “The beauty of the bloom had gone from the small old sense of safety - that was distinct: she had left it behind her there for ever.”
November 11, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Milly, knowing she’s terminally ill—this book is so good. “The beauty of the bloom had gone from the small old sense of safety - that was distinct: she had left it behind her there for ever.”
Have not stopped thinking about that Balkan spider web freak show thing since I saw it at like 530 this morning, what the hell
November 10, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Have not stopped thinking about that Balkan spider web freak show thing since I saw it at like 530 this morning, what the hell
/classrooms
OutKast is inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame:
“We started in a little room. Great things start in little rooms”
“We started in a little room. Great things start in little rooms”
November 10, 2025 at 12:11 AM
/classrooms
“tragedy, ecstasy, doom”
November 9, 2025 at 5:59 PM
“tragedy, ecstasy, doom”
Would say that about 60% of my students own a sweatshirt that says
ESSENTIALS
FEAR OF GOD
on it
ESSENTIALS
FEAR OF GOD
on it
November 9, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Would say that about 60% of my students own a sweatshirt that says
ESSENTIALS
FEAR OF GOD
on it
ESSENTIALS
FEAR OF GOD
on it
Great little volume/a reminder that one of the best things about caring about poetry is hearing what others have made of things you’ve liked
November 9, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Great little volume/a reminder that one of the best things about caring about poetry is hearing what others have made of things you’ve liked
If you’re looking to support good politics, consider donating to @joel4jc.bsky.social. He’s a dad, a friend, a union organizer—and clearly qualified for the job he’s running for. Headed for a runoff in Jersey City.
secure.actblue.com/donate/joel-...
secure.actblue.com/donate/joel-...
Donate to Joel Brooks
Show your support with a contribution.
secure.actblue.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:55 AM
If you’re looking to support good politics, consider donating to @joel4jc.bsky.social. He’s a dad, a friend, a union organizer—and clearly qualified for the job he’s running for. Headed for a runoff in Jersey City.
secure.actblue.com/donate/joel-...
secure.actblue.com/donate/joel-...
Rereading “the wings of the dove” since it’s insanely immersive and fun, and I forgot that “iced coffee” makes its way in—find that surprising for some reason, like I thought cool cafes invented that
November 8, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Rereading “the wings of the dove” since it’s insanely immersive and fun, and I forgot that “iced coffee” makes its way in—find that surprising for some reason, like I thought cool cafes invented that
I love this insane album art. “Let’s…scatter the cover with things that look like playing cards. Marble background.”
November 8, 2025 at 5:36 PM
I love this insane album art. “Let’s…scatter the cover with things that look like playing cards. Marble background.”
One thing you learn with experience is that even successful test prep, the kind that produces good numbers, can be bad pedagogy. You could just do this kind of stuff instead—but only if you’re given the latitude to determine the ends of a literary education for your kids.
My AP Lit teacher (some 15 years ago, now) pretty much ignored AP until the weeks immediately preceding the test. We read Moby Dick, Heart of Darkness, he even assigned the entirety of Gravity’s Rainbow lmao.
November 8, 2025 at 5:13 PM
One thing you learn with experience is that even successful test prep, the kind that produces good numbers, can be bad pedagogy. You could just do this kind of stuff instead—but only if you’re given the latitude to determine the ends of a literary education for your kids.
One fun thing about teaching in NYC is that we have orgs like @thecity.nyc to keep us all posted—they were the subject of our HS journalism meeting yesterday, since our kids read their morning emails to stay up to speed. Good stuff—donate if you’re looking for somewhere to spend money usefully
November 7, 2025 at 1:34 AM
One fun thing about teaching in NYC is that we have orgs like @thecity.nyc to keep us all posted—they were the subject of our HS journalism meeting yesterday, since our kids read their morning emails to stay up to speed. Good stuff—donate if you’re looking for somewhere to spend money usefully
There's a Divinity that shapes our ends, Rough-hew them how we will
November 6, 2025 at 9:51 PM
There's a Divinity that shapes our ends, Rough-hew them how we will