Living Life Twice

As the schools year gets into swing, it is timely to talk about the place of poetry in the classroom.  If we want young learners to view poetry books with a sense of enthusiastic anticipation we need to alert them to its potential. If we want young learners to have an answer to the question “ And tell me, who is your favorite poet?” then we must expose them to the world of poetry and its various forms. In exposing students to poetry we need to let them hear poetry, see poetry and feel the impact that poetry can have on the reader and listener. When we take this approach, students will begin to develop personal tastes in poetry. They will speak with authority about their preferred poets; their preferred styles. They will begin to truly know poetry. Poetry should sit comfortably along side other writing genres in a young writer's mind. It deserves to have a visible presence in every writer's notebook.  In The Beginning… When beginning this journey I frequently conduct a

The Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge is soon to begin. I commend this writing challenge to all teachers of writing. It is not only the challenge of writing and posting each day that makes it a worthwhile task, it is the self discipline it engenders. It is an opportunity to invest in yourself as a writer and opens up so many writing possibilities. I commend it to you. I have taken part in this challenge for a number of years, and can assure you of  the benefits that flow from participating.  The new expanded team at Two Writing Teachers  is looking forward to hosting the Seventh Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge,  commencing Saturday, March 1st, 2014.   I encourage you to take part in this 31 day writing challenge by sharing a story about your day, every day, during the month of March.  In order to keep things interesting, they have a bunch of prizes for participants, which Dana Murphy will announce later this month.   Not everyone is guaranteed a prize in March,