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back view shot of students going inside the school

From Guide to Guerrilla: Teaching Anti-Racist ELA in Restrictive Times

by Dr. Michelle M. Falter Five years ago, my co-authors, Chandra Alston, Crystal Lee, and I published Becoming Anti-Racist English Teachers in the spirit of national reckoning. The call was clear: Listen. Reflect. Read. Interrogate. Act. For a brief moment, anti-racism moved from the margins …

red dice stacked on table on terrace

Press Play: 10 Ways to Gamify Poetry

by Stefani Boutelier Who doesn’t enjoy a game? Whether a gameboard, a video game, an athletic competition, or a mental challenge–we can all connect to some form of engagement through gamification.  I have had the pleasure of “playing with ideas” as I’ve been collaborating, learning, …

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Demi-Sonnet

This is the Open Write, a place for educators to nurture their writing lives and to advocate for writing poetry in community. We are here every month. The next Open Write is June 21-23. Our Host Sarah J. Donovan, PhD, is a former junior English …

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Heritage Poems

This is the Open Write, a place for educators to nurture their writing lives and to advocate for writing poetry in community. Our Host Sarah J. Donovan, PhD, is a former junior English language arts teacher of fifteen years and current Associate Professor of Secondary …

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Forgiveness or Unforgiven

This is the Open Write, a place for educators to nurture their writing lives and to advocate for writing poetry in community. Welcome. This year — May 2025 to August 2026– we are going to do just three days a month for the Open Write. …

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Teaching by Doing: A Step-by-Step Approach to Student Success

Welcome to “Tens of Reasons to Teach,” a celebratory series honoring 10 years of Ethical ELA by sharing the wisdom, strategies, and inspiration that shape ethical and inclusive English language arts instruction. Here is Dr. Leilya Pitre’s celebration.     Leilya Pitre teaches at Southeastern Louisiana …

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Congratulations, Verselovers 2025!

This has been Verselove, and together, we have created over 6000 poems and responses that did not exist in the world before then. A very heartful thank you to the hosts that have inspired and supported our writing this month: Jennifer Guyor Jowett, Leilya Pitre, …

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Holding Hands with Poems

Welcome to Verselove—a space for educators to nurture their writing lives and celebrate poetry in the community. Each day in April, we come together to explore the power of poetry for both heart and mind. Write with care, for yourself and your readers. When responding, …

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Showers to Flowers

Welcome to Verselove—a space for educators to nurture their writing lives and celebrate poetry in the community. Each day in April, we come together to explore the power of poetry for both heart and mind. Write with care, for yourself and your readers. When responding, …