"All this happened, more or less."

12/4/23 When I need inspiration to write, I often read a poem-of-the-day on one of the following sites: Poets.org - https://poets.org/poem-a-day   PoetryFoundation.org - https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/poem-of-the-day   12/4/2023 Inspiration: “Yiddishland” by Erika Meitner https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/57958/yiddishland   My poem… “Memories, Forgotten” by Amber Counts I listened to my grandmothers’ stories. I swear I did. I leaned forward with anticipation each time They shared their experiences, Told tales of our ancestors whom I would never know (But whose choices still shape reality), Or allowed glimpses into who they were– Separate from my grandmothers–           Who they really were–           I listened. And I remember a great deal, but not enough. My ancestors’ names have begun slipping through Gaps in my memory. How many siblings accompanied each of my great-grandparents Alo...

Mentor text (from movingwriters.org): My list using the above mentor text as inspiration:

Mentor Text:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/national/mass-shootings-in-america/?noredirect=on Quote from mentor text used as inspiration: “ Public mass shootings account for a tiny fraction of the country’s gun deaths, but they are uniquely terrifying because they occur without warning in the most mundane places.  Most of the victims are chosen not for what they have done but simply for  where they happen to be . ” “Where they Happen to Be” by Amber Counts Statistically, the chance of a school shooting occurring at any one given school is small. Yet it constantly weighs on my mind. Lest I forget, even for a second, that this hypothetical horror could become a reality, we have the annual compliance training to remind me. Avoid. Deny. Defend. Lockdown: Locks! Lights! Out of Sight! I just read that “victims are chosen not what they have done but for simply where they happen to be.” But what if they happen to be in schoo...

As part of training on Writing with Mentor Texts, we've been asked to access the movingwriters.org site and find mentor texts to use as inspiration. It's a great resource for finding mentor texts to use for personal writing and/or with students. Check it out! Mentor text used (from movingwriters.org): My poem inspired by this piece: “What they Did Yesterday Evening” by Amber Counts June, 2020 They staged a protest in front of my school; I selfishly worried that they might loot my classroom, as my window faces the front of the building. I thought about all the treasures I might lose – drawings made by students, little scraps of origami with notes to the teacher, framed photos of students who graduated years ago, stuffed animals representing inside class jokes – representing the class culture I always work to build – the inclusive culture I always hope to build – and I think about the students who left these treasures behi...