Mentor Text: “U” excerpted from The Alphabetical Diaries by Sheila Heti Techniques: Background – Although I’m largely an analog reader, I can’t deny the allure, and ease, of reading digitally. Especially using a library app like Libby. I’m lucky enough to have a pair of library cards active in my Libby account, and I find myself […]
Mentor Text: Fall From Grace by Mitchell Toews Techniques: Background – I mentioned last time how a combination of some chaotic work days and my insomnia had me on a real reading tear. You had to know that the sharing I do here would be impacted by that. I pulled Mitchell Toews’ Pinching Zwieback off the […]
Mentor Text: the series of poems about turning different ages from Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renee Watson Techniques: Background – This post almost didn’t happen. Between different events, field trips and weather closures, I’m in one of those times where as a teacher you feel absolutely overwhelmed and ineffective. I’m pretty flexible, but we’re […]
Mentor Text: Tuning In by Rick Rubin Techniques: Background – When you’re talking to friends, and that old hypothetical classic, “What would you do if could have any career in the world?” comes up, I’m pretty boring. There’s not much I think I want to do except what I do. I know it’s cliched to call […]
Mentor Text: Things to do Around Winnipeg when you’re Black by Michael Fraser Techniques: Background – I’m drafting this at the end of the second day of the second semester. That means I’ve survived the madness of the end of the first semester, exam week, marking everything and getting the report cards done. And, I’ll be […]
Mentor Text: Emile Nelligan by Carmine Starnino Techniques: Background – Whenever I’m near a magazine rack that carries it, I grab a copy of The Feathertale Review. Though I grabbed my first issue because the cover illustration featuring a monkey was silly, I’ve come to love the offbeat approach to being a literary magazine that it […]
Mentor Text: from Empty Spaces by Jordan Abel Techniques: Background – I’m stepping out of holiday mode long enough to drop this here for you. Both a colleague and I picked up Jordan Abel’s Empty Spaces to read early in December. It’s a hell of a text, an effort to explore modern Indigenous identity through a […]
Mentor Text: Excuse Me As I Kiss The Sky by Rudy Francisco Techniques: Background – I am one of the teachers that teaches right until December 22nd. And we’ve got our provincial assessment back this year, which takes place the week we return from the holiday break. And I’m a parent with a couple of kids […]
Mentor Text: McSweeney’s Bingo Cards by various Techniques: Background – So, I often take a quick social media brain break at lunch. And today, after discussing the initial planning stages of some essay work with two of my classes, McSweeney’s sharing the “NIMBY Public Comment Bingo” card got me thinking a little bit.
Mentor Text: dedications of poems I cannot write by Joseph Fasano Techniques: Background – I am very much lamenting the slow decline of Twitter as a teaching resource and community. Yet, as frustrating as it is, I hang on. Honestly, what I’m sharing this week is part of the reason. I’ve loved what Joseph Fasano has […]
moving writers 