"All this happened, more or less."

12/5/23     "No Inconsequential Choices" by Amber Counts I reflect on the combination of random, wild, mindless, labored, right or wrong choices made by my parents that resulted in my existence. If one ponders the infinite possibilities or potential parallel universes created by each decision, a mental fight, flight, or freeze reflex takes hold. I feel overwhelmed by the near impossibility of me . Calculating these moments of fateful decision-making as they compound exponentially through ancestors and time, I freeze in awe not just of my own existence but also of everyone and every historical consequence throughout human history. And it's not just the choices my ancestors made but also the choices made for them, about them, and around them that continue to shape reality in ways foreseen and unforeseen. For we are all part of a great human tapestry women both together and in isolation, and the thread I carefully weave might be reinforced or unraveled by another. If we let ...

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...

With a busy and diverse holiday season approaching, my creative writing students and I read and appreciated Alberto R í os's poem " November 2: Día de los Muertos ." After discussing the poem's craft and vivid imagery, we talked about how families celebrate, or do not celebrate, various holidays in their own ways. Students felt comfortable writing a poem of at least 15 lines (in honor of  R í os's stanza length) on a holiday of their choice in any tone and structure. I believe it is important to approach such topics with an inclusive attitude rather than the traditional "what do you love about Christmas?" approach. Since Halloween was on the horizon, I modeled the following writing process as my students worked on their poems. I have included my draft with revisions as well as the final product. I like to show them that writing is always a process, so they see me look at what I've written, make a face, take time to think of elusive words, and choose...

 

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...

I asked my students to craft an epistolary poem using Dwight Okita's "In Response to Executive Order 9066" as inspiration. I joined them in the activity, and this is the result. I think this is a great writing activity for students, of course, but also an opportunity for teachers to share something of themselves with their students. I also asked them to mark at least 3 literary devices they incorporated into their pieces. A few of the devices I labeled for them in this poem include: anaphora, parentheticals, intentional fragments, and shifts. Link to Okita's poem:  https://www.nps.gov/manz/learn/education/dwight-okita.htm “Dear Students”  by Amber Counts, August 30, 2019 Dear students, Of course I care about you. I am sorry that not every adult you’ve encountered has made their support abundantly clear. You should be able to expect this from anyone charged with your care. Some of you look at me with distrust in your eyes, and I underst...