How to do just about everything
Thursday, February 28th by carlaI just discovered eHow, a resource of tips and tricks to help people through the everyday situations that make you stop and think, “What do I do now?”
So far my favorite entries are these:
- How to act smart (even if you feel stupid)
- How to save energy with your computer
- How to win every time at Monopoly
(I could not find “how to make the neighbors’ dogs stop barking.”)
eHow encourages users to join its community and submit articles. Those who submit popular articles can earn some money with them.
These pieces are short, well written, excellent examples of process writing. Why couldn’t students write these? This is exactly what we want them to do: break down a process into its parts, anticipate mistakes or confusion, and explain the steps to someone else.
A teacher with a little tech savvy could publish the articles on a Web page or class blog. And students with a little entrepreneurial spirit could submit them to eHow. Sounds like win-win to me!
February 28th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
You comment about “how to make the neighbors’ dogs stop barking” reminded me of this Billy Collins poem. I thought you would enjoy it, even if you’ve heard it before. It’s not a great “how-to,” but it’s a sort of “how-to-try-to…”
Another Reason Why I Don’t Keep A Gun In The House
The neighbors’ dog will not stop barking.
He is barking the same high, rhythmic bark
that he barks every time they leave the house.
They must switch him on on their way out.
The neighbors’ dog will not stop barking.
I close all the windows in the house
and put on a Beethoven symphony full blast
but I can still hear him muffled under the music,
barking, barking, barking,
and now I can see him sitting in the orchestra,
his head raised confidently as if Beethoven
had included a part for barking dog.
When the record finally ends he is still barking,
sitting there in the oboe section barking,
his eyes fixed on the conductor who is
entreating him with his baton
while the other musicians listen in respectful
silence to the famous barking dog solo,
that endless coda that first established
Beethoven as an innovative genius.
poem by Billy Collins
comment by Aram Kabodian
February 29th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
I wasn’t familiar with this poem, but I’m going to print it out and keep it handy the next time the barking starts to get to me. Thanks!