An Open Letter to Our 2019-2020 Classes

To the English, Socials, and CLE Classes (2019-2020),


First off, please help me find a better name for us. We aren't the "Class of 2020," as that name is typically reserved for the graduating group.

Folks, thank you for the hard work, patience, and resilience that you have shown not just in Term 3, but throughout the year. It is important to note that while April - June tested our strength and capacity, it does not define our year. Looking back at the pictures posted to this online homework board, I am reminded that our year was so much more. Earlier this week, I went through your letters to the teacher/ cue cards from September. I hope some of the worries you shared at the beginning of the year dissolved, as we became more familiar with the routines and expectations of the class. And I know that if I reviewed your first papers and assignments, we'd see a lot of growth there, as well.

Grade 10 English: On Friday, there'll be a video posted to the Portal Blog, where I comment in more specific terms as to what you each brought to our class. If you have time, please take a look.

Grade 10 CLE: On Friday, you'll receive an email with a link to a video, where, again, I'll speak more about our class and all that you've achieved. If you have time, please take a look.

Grade 8's: You should have received an email invitation to our final Zoom (which will be tomorrow). Let me know if you have trouble accessing it, and wish to join in.

That's it for now, folks. Thank you for all your hard work, and congratulations on your successes. May the summer be ripe with opportunity for more creative pursuits, and restful breaks.

I'm on my email daily through Aug. 7th, and then regularly from mid-August onward, should you need something. Otherwise, take care and stay safe. Just a few more days of school left!


Sincerely,


Ms. Minato

Writing of, for, as Hope

Entertain these three phrases for a second, if you will:
writing of hope
writing for hope
writing as hope.


What do they mean to you? To me, this is what I think:
writing of hope: when you record ideas about an uplifting, inspiring event
writing for hope: when you record ideas with the intention of spreading positivity and inspiration
writing as hope: when you record ideas as a means of creating positivity and inspiration


If we were in class right now, I'd have started off our day by showing you a brief excerpt from an interview with Margaret Atwood, back in 2018. We'd start the clip around 8:22, when the student interviewer asks, " Lots of your novels are based in a dystopian society. We, as humans, take comfort in believing that the future will be brighter than the present or the past. Post-Trump do you believe this?" (8:22-8:32).

Atwood responds: "Having seen the pushback I actually am quite hopeful, because although there is this desire to roll time back, you also see a lot of people saying 'no, that is not going to happen.; But it is a struggle you know- right now there are two opposing forces, and of course you're optimistic because the mere act of writing is an act of optimism.

"Think of all the ways in which it is hopeful: First of all you have set out to write a book; you believe you're going to finish it. That's pretty hopeful. Then you believe that once you finish it it's going to be good - that's hopeful too. Then you believe someone will want to publish it: even more hopefulness. And then you believe if it's published somebody will want to read it which is very hopeful indeed so just writing something down presumes a future reader. You don't write things down if you think nobody will ever read them. It might be you at a future time, it might be you reading your own diary that you wrote five years ago but just recording it means you believe that, in the future, somebody will be reading it. And that's a pretty hopeful thing" (8:33-9:58). 

You've heard this expression before: write what you know. What I am suggesting to you, you who has decided to skim through our class blog in your spare time, is to spend fifteen minutes to take what you know, what you feel, what you're worried about - and practice writing as hope. Your story doesn't have to have a magic happy ending. In fact, it doesn't even need to have a decisive conclusion. But if the act of writing can be seen as "an act of optimism," I think that allowing yourself honest, true, creative expression can help start your week in a positive way.

Webb, Emily and Grace Murray. "Margaret Atwood's Top Five Writing Tips." YouTube, uploaded by National Centre for Writing, 5 December 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDkbyyPRKFY