Touchstones 1 A Teaching Anthology

In the fevered twilight of the 1960s, when liberal arts were just beginning to emerge from academia like a shy butterfly emerging from a chrysalis, two enigmatic figures—MG Benton and P Benton—conspired to create “Touchstones 1: A Teaching Anthology.” With an ISBN conspicuously absent, one might suspect it has been whisked away by literary ninjas or maybe just forgotten on the dusty shelves of an old library. Either way, it has landed in the curious embrace of Crappy Old Books, where all the best secrets die a slow, delightful death.

The cover has been protected with vintage brown paper that has been carefully annotated with words Touchstones 1 - Poetry Book.

This anthology, as the title suggests, is not merely a collection of writings; it’s a veritable potpourri of ideas, musings, and instructional wonders that may or may not have ever graced a classroom. The Bentons, perhaps siblings, conspirators, or just two people who met at a bus stop, have woven together a tapestry that promises to inspire both educators and those who merely enjoy pondering the meaning of life while sipping lukewarm tea.

You might be asking yourself, “What exactly will I find in these pages?” A splendid question, dear reader! Prepare yourself for a mélange of pedagogical philosophies that might make you feel smarter just by holding it. Or at the very least, it may inspire you to don a tweed jacket and espouse the virtues of critical thinking to bewildered friends over a pint.

Within these pages, you can expect an array of delightful conundrums and whimsical anecdotes, such as:

• A rigorous examination of whether the Oxford comma is the true source of enlightenment.
• Frivolities of classroom etiquette that could pave the way for a revolution in behaviour, or possibly just awkward silence.
• Charming essays on how to incorporate existential philosophy into a lesson about arithmetic, because why not?
• A treasure trove of educational models that may or may not have been pilfered from an ancient scroll.
• Meticulously crafted examples of student-teacher dynamics that could rival the complexities of any Shakespearean drama.
• A chapter dedicated to the importance of tea and biscuits in maintaining classroom morale, naturally.

As you traverse the eclectic landscape of this anthology, you’ll find yourself negotiating the fine line between inspiration and mischief. There’s something oddly comforting about words penned in this unpretentious format, as if they are leaning in to share a secret, perhaps one that could only be told in an era when typewriters reigned supreme and students were still expected to know how to use a dictionary.

And let’s not forget the cover, which may have seen better days but carries a nostalgia that could make even the most hard-hearted among us feel a twinge of affection. Its dog-eared corners and the charmingly faded spine tell tales of its previous owners, who may have drunkenly debated its contents over too many late-night study sessions. One can almost hear them now, echoing through time, discussing the merits of the Bentons’ thoughts while half-heartedly critiquing the local fish and chips.

Condition: Used copies of “Touchstones 1” are perfect for anyone willing to embrace the quirks of timeworn literature. You’ll find the pages slightly yellowed, possibly adorned with the odd scribble or two, like a message in a bottle washed ashore from a bygone era. This is not just a book; it’s a well-travelled companion with plenty of stories etched into its creased pages, waiting for you to add your own.

In summary, “Touchstones 1” is not merely an anthology; it’s a conversation starter, a catalyst for debate, and a testament to the whimsical world of education. Only at Crappy Old Books can you find such delightful relics that remind us of the beauty in the imperfect, the quirky, and the outright bizarre. So grab a copy, settle in with your favourite biscuit, and prepare to step into a world where teaching is as much an art as it is a science, and where the only certainty is that nothing is ever quite as it seems.

Keep browsing: See more Poetry books Other books by MG Benton and P Benton