The Champion of Verbs — Folk Singer, Peter Alsop
Exploring grammar, a long career, and Alsop’s 2020 album, Camping with Dads
Verb: A word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence….
Noun: A word used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things….
According to Peter Alsop, nouns label. They are static and limiting. Verbs describe behaviors, and behaviors can be shaped, molded and transformed. But perhaps most importantly, behaviors open up dialogue while nouns limit it.
“I don’t want to know that someone is a Republican. There’s nothing to do with that. It just is. I ask ‘What do Republicans do?’’ explains Alsop. “Now we have something to talk about.”
Though probably known best as a folk singer, that is far from the only hat Alsop wears. Dr. Peter Alsop is also an Educational Psychologist who brings his philosophy of putting verbs over nouns to his work with students and educators. When standing behind a podium, Dr. Alsop encourages educators to question labels like “problem child,” and to consider replacing the label with a description of what the child does. Alsop believes that every individual is doing the best she or he can with the tools they have. By understanding how the behavior serves the individual, alternatives can be explored and…
