Susan D.
Blum

Author  |  Anthropologist  |  Educator

A headshot of Susan D. Blum.

I’m very excited to announce the third book in my education trilogy, along with my edited book on ungrading:

Books covers displayed left to right: Schoolishness; I Love Learning, I Hate School; My Word!; Ungrading

I’ve been obsessing for nearly two decades over the mismatch between humans’ natural learning abilities and the ways students struggle to learn and to thrive in schools. Since I began this quest, I’ve learned both about the difficulties and about the breathtakingly positive ways people have tried to combat them.

We don’t have to accept the alienation of schoolishness; we can strive to create contexts that promote authentic, joyful learning.

But we can’t do it if it’s just business as usual.

So join me to improve things for real learners!

I am an anthropologist who finds the world around me infinitely fascinating. After half a career studying China, I’ve been focused on understanding education, the universe within which I live every day.

I’ve been teaching in a range of institutions of higher education for over thirty years, and since 2000 at Notre Dame.

I write to figure out what I think. Feel free to check out my thoughts. I’m always wondering and always learning, so always changing.