Articles, essays, editorials, and meditations on T&W’s mission, “educating the imagination.”
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By Christian McEwen One summer, I taught a poetry workshop at the Edinburgh Book Festival, working with a mixed group of seven-to-thirteen-year-olds. The classes were held in an open tent with two long trestle tables and a scatter of folding chairs, and our theme was “Questions Without Answers.” I told the children about my brother…
by Marvin Hoffman Marvin Hoffman was an early Director of Teachers & Writers Collaborative, from 1969-71. The photos included here were originally published in Teachers & Writers Magazine volume 4, issues 1 & 2, 1971. Wisdom is an automatic by-product of age. At least that’s what most people believe, but my experience suggests otherwise….
By Karen Decker In a cabinet in my classroom, I keep a stash of small books of Edgar Allen Poe’s poetry. At least once a year, a student comes in and says, “Can I recite ‘The Raven’ next time I go to the podium?” My answer is, of course, yes, and I hand him or…
Amina HenryWriter-in-Residence, Spring 2019 Introduction Yay! It’s been a pleasure to once again work with the Gifted and Talented 3rd and 4th grade classes at PS188Q. This year we focused primarily on personal memoir, or exploring the ways in which we can express ourselves – our memories, our feelings, our dreams, our hopes and fears…
Marsha Gildin and Robin Bady Writers-in-Residence, Spring 2019 Introduction Teaching artists Marsha Gildin and Robin Bady led a workshop at the Selfhelp Innovative Senior Center in Flushing, New York. The workshop focused on the theme “our working lives.” Participants learned storytelling techniques as they shared their stories with each other and at a culminating celebration….
Using Creative Writing to Inspire Choreography By Matthew Burgess The following was originally published in the Teachers & Writers Magazine, Summer 2010 issue. This piece is dedicated to the memory of David Martinez. David had been hired to teach Martha Graham technique at summer dance festivals in Italy, so the obvious question was, Can I…
By Katherine Watkins For Back to School Night, my principal requested an extra police officer on campus and asked all administrators to take 15-minute shifts in my classroom to ensure I was never left alone with the parents. The tension was incredible. Threats of violence and death pervaded my thoughts instead of my anticipated “Welcome…
Memoir Writing at Frasier Meadows Retirement Community by Naomi Rachel Telling our stories is good for our brains and it can also be a great deal of fun and help build community. We all have great stories to share and only need help getting started. Last year, a friend in Canada told me about the…
The following is an excerpt from Spellbound: The Art of Teaching Poetry, a new book from Teachers & Writers Collaborative. Edited by Matthew Burgess, Spellbound offers a range of exciting ideas to inspire students of all ages to explore their potential as writers and creators.
by Melisa Cahnmann-Taylor As a professor of language and literacy education as well as a poet, it has long been my goal to train educators to be teaching artists in the classroom, able to engage in creative and playful approaches to curriculum and instruction in languages, literatures, and creative writing. In 2017 I had the…