NHT! Blog April 2008

Chris Eaton is the writer-in-residence at Pope John Paul II. This week, Chris and his Grade 9 students continued to write their "Choose Your Own Adventure" stories whilst the Grade 12 Writer's Craft students wrote dialogues and narratives without using the letter 'e'. Throughout the day, Chris also led a discussion on the definition of 'art' and brainstormed with his class on what would be the worst name for a Toronto football team. Chris Eaton, Mr. Santin and the Grade 12 Writer's Craft class at Pope John Paul II:

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Chris Eaton is the writer-in-residence at Pope John Paul II. This week, Chris and his Grade 9 students continued to write their "Choose Your Own Adventure" stories whilst the Grade 12 Writer's Craft students wrote dialogues and narratives without using the letter 'e'.

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Devon Code is the writer-in-residence at Dante Alighieri. Since beginning his residency, Devon has been introducing his Grade 9 students to the various elements (characterization, themes, point-of-view etc.) of short stories. Earlier this month, he asked his Grade 9's to describe Dante Alighieri as though they had never visited the school before. The purpose of this exercise was to explore how setting influences a story.

Devon Code leading a class discussion:

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Devon Code is the writer-in-residence at Dante Alighieri. Since beginning his residency, Devon has been introducing his Grade 9 students to the various elements (characterization, themes, point-of-view etc.) of short stories. Earlier this month, he asked his Grade 9's to describe Dante Alighieri as though they had never visited the school before. The purpose of this exercise was to explore how setting influences a story.

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Mariko Tamaki is the writer-in-residence at Madonna Catholic Secondary School. Earlier this month, she encouraged her students to use their personal experiences as inspiration for descriptive writing. Students were asked to provide as much sensory detail as possible to help their reader share their personal experience.

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Mariko Tamaki is the writer-in-residence at Madonna Catholic Secondary School. Earlier this month, she encouraged her students to use their personal experiences as inspiration for descriptive writing. Students were asked to provide as much sensory detail as possible to help their reader share their personal experience.

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Moez Surani is the writer-in-residence at Michael Power Secondary School. This week, Moez used the novel Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi, to introduce students to the graphic novel form. The class read the first chapter together and after a discussion on the conflicts' within the introductory passage - students had previously discussed other elements of story-telling including setting, point-of view etc. - the students then moved on to their own creative project where they could either write a short story or create their own graphic novel.

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Moez Surani is the writer-in-residence at Michael Power Secondary School. This week, Moez used the novel Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi, to introduce students to the graphic novel form. The class read the first chapter together and after a discussion on the 'conflicts' within the introductory passage - students had previously discussed other elements of story-telling including setting, point-of view etc. - the students then moved on to their own creative project where they could either write a short story or create their own graphic novel.

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Writing sample from a Grade 12 student at Dante Alighieri Academy.

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Mary Lou wrote a book review on Submarine by Joe Dunthorne in last weekend's Globe & Mail. See below: When he is bad ... MARY LOU ZEITOUN April 5, 2008 SUBMARINE By Joe Dunthorne Penguin Canada, 320 pages, $30 When I was 15, I liked the kind of boy that keeps fathers up at night. Bright and bad boys. Utter, narcissistic sociopaths. Like me. I was contemptuous of the hormones racking their bodies yet bewildered by their intermittent attention and aggression. I was bruised. I was abandoned. I was adored. I could not stay away.

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Last Wednesday I got a chance to visit Julia, our S.W.A.T. writer-in-residence, and two of her classes at St. Basil the Great. What a fabulous experience! As Program Coordinator, most of the work I do is confined to the Now Hear This! office, so what a treat it was to sit in a classroom and see S.W.A.T. in full action. The picture below is of Julia's Writers Craft class getting their groove on to Madonna. The dance-off was a great opportunity to get everyone on their feet for a series of improv exercises.

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Chris Eaton's band, Rock Plaza Central, is playing at Sneaky Dee's on Thursday, April 10th. Tickets are $10. Doors open at 9pm.

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On March 26, Jillian & Mariko Tamaki's graphic-novel, SKIM, was launched at the Gladstone Hotel Ballroom.

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