In “Themes for English B,” an educator reflects on the essence of substantial learning, both within and outside the classroom. J.D. Scrimgeour juxtaposes his Ivy League background against the experiences of his pupils at a modest public college in an aging, gritty city in New England.

Scrimgeour’s responsibilities towards his students and his aspirations for them frequently interact and sometimes clash with the realities present in the classroom. Is the divide between students and teachers excessively wide? Can Richard Wright, Langston Hughes, or any other author Scrimgeour introduces possess relevant insights for a single mother balancing a full course load, two jobs, a sick child, and a malfunctioning vehicle? Yes, it turns out, and when it occurs, it feels extraordinary.

The learner within the educator surfaces when Scrimgeour encounters unforeseen opportunities for his own continual education. Pickup basketball matches at a nearby park transform into exercises in spontaneity, discovering new abilities to offset aging and injuries. His partnership on a word-and-movement art piece with a colleague, a dancer grieving the loss of a cherished niece, guides him into uncharted creative landscapes.

Each recollection, each interaction, compels adjustments to a life’s teaching plan. Scrimgeour’s writings present candid yet empathetic portrayals of the challenges inherent in learning.

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