Storytelling. Fact and fiction. One word at a time.
When I was in Grade One, our teacher, Mrs. Lawrence, would put a piece of paper that was super big (probably only 11x17 but it felt gigantic) on each desk and then she would go around the class with a permanent marker and make a line or a squiggle on everyone's page. From that single... Continue Reading →
My friend Ashlee reminded me that today began one of the craziest weeks of my life---so far. Those last two words leave room for more wild times, and why not? It's easy for her to remember my crazy week as it is also around the birth of her first born. As I think about that... Continue Reading →
Sometimes the day to day grind is a royal pain in my ass and frustration follows me around like a cliché that I can't think of right now. And, mostly all the things that make me want to scream are out of my control. The only thing I can control is myself. This also reads... Continue Reading →
My magazine Let me begin by telling you that I don't feel strongly about Facebook. There are things I like about it and things I don't. I imagine my Facebook is like Angie's Magazine. It sits there and I put pictures in it, articles, the weather, stuff I did, I repost ideas and happenings I... Continue Reading →
A Young Visitor "Hey Ms. C." A teen pops his head in to say hello, interrupting my noon hour marking which was okay with me. He was in my homeroom, at least when we used to have homeroom. "I didn't actually know how much I liked homeroom until the schedule changed and it was taken... Continue Reading →
Art is never finished, only abandoned.Leonardo Da Vinci My friend Emma (yeah, I named you) reached out to tell me that she was completely stressed out. Her stress maxed because she was making art for someone. For those of you who do not create things regularly making something to give as a gift is hard... Continue Reading →
I remember so vividly, at my first teaching job I had befriended an educational assistant. That was about 24 years ago and I couldn't even tell you her name, what she looked like or what classroom she worked in with me. I can, however, tell you that she wrote one of those Christmas letters about... Continue Reading →
I am officially on Christmas holidays. I just finished up the second quint of this school year. For those of you who don't know, a quint is a mini semester, created to help teachers reduce daily contact with students. It went smashingly well. Here's why: I had an incredible intern who did her practice teaching... Continue Reading →
I've fallen in love with my commute. I walk. It's just under two kilometers. It's through a park and over a bridge. It's beautiful. Walking to work doesn't happen much anymore. We drive---mostly. Even walking to school is something that doesn't happen for the children like it did when we were young. We've created a... Continue Reading →
A boy named Alex This is the story about a boy I taught just a couple of years ago. Let's call him Alex. Let me give you some background. This kid was quiet and quirky in grade 9. He was quite talented but he was like a disco ball—His light flashing everywhere. I couldn’t seem... Continue Reading →
Angie Counios 