Published on njliteracy.org blog, September 16, 2021 In the 20th Century, Olson argued against the weak simile. Pound called for a poetry that is “austere, direct, free from emotional slither.” Tristan Tzara announced the death of logic, and by extension, the logic of comparisons. …

by Melissa Bryan Transitioning Into September Last week, in an online educational leadership course I attended, we viewed a scene from the film Invictus. In it, Nelson Mandela (played by Morgan Freeman) explains to pro-Rugby player Pienaar (played by Matt Damon), what helped him survive imprisonment. Nelson relates that a…

In the summer of 2017, I attended an NEH program at Amherst College entitled “Emily Dickinson: Person, Place, and Poetry.” The core end-product of the program was a curricular unit to be used in the classroom which involved Emily Dickinson’s work. Our summer cohort studied Emily Dickinson’s poems and wrote…

Melissa Bryan Lead With Love Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu. May all beings be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and freedom for all. Valentine’s Day 2021 recently passed, and as I sit on the opposite…

Melissa Bryan In the summer of 2017, I attended an NEH program at Amherst College entitled Emily Dickinson: Person, Place, and Poetry. The core end-product of the program was a curricular unit to be used in the classroom which involved Emily Dickinson’s work. Our summer cohort studied Emily Dickinson’s poems…

By Melissa Bryan “What’s what?” In Daniel Alarcón’s short story, “Absence,” the central figure, Wari, reflects on a time he went to visit his girlfriend while still living in Peru. She wasn’t home, and since they were both learning English, he leaves her a note in English. He writes to…

By Melissa Bryan A conversation that keeps coming up in my PLN (Professional Learning Network) and department Zoom chats and group emails and amongst educator friends is: how do we teach in a time of trauma? …