by Mary E. Cronin | Mar 3, 2023 | Cape Cod, Conferences-workshops, Poetry, Teaching
This week I led a professional development session for teachers, “Vitamin P: Boosting the Use of Poetry in the Literacy Block.” For three hours, we played with poetry! We talked about how to infuse poetry across the curriculum, find rich and meaningful poems, and...
by Mary E. Cronin | Oct 15, 2022 | Cape Cod, Community connections, SCBWI, Teaching, We Need Diverse Books
When author Ana Crespo made an author visit via Zoom to the school where I work as a Literacy Coach on Cape Cod, the joy in classrooms was palpable. Most children in our K-3 school had never met an author before, and they were excited to meet Ana. Crespo, a native of...
by Mary E. Cronin | Apr 29, 2022 | LGBTQ+, Teaching
My message to those stirring fears and hatred toward LGBTQ+ teachers was published this week in The Advocate Magazine: “Stop Calling Us Groomers and Quit Making Us Your Prey.” This op-ed, reflecting on my 30+ years as an out queer teacher, was cathartic to...
by Mary E. Cronin | Oct 15, 2021 | Poetry, Teaching
“maples trade green for gold, treasure drops, floats…” So begins “Tenth Month,” a poem about October by Irene Latham in the just-published 10-10 POETRY ANTHOLOGY. I found so many poems that would be perfect for a middle-grade English Language Arts...
by Mary E. Cronin | Oct 7, 2016 | Cape Cod, Community connections, LGBTQ+, Teaching
“Thank God I’m gay.” Those are words LGBT advocate Cyd Zeigler and his husband exchange each day. Part affirmation and part words of gratitude, Zeigler’s words electrified the audience of student-athletes, coaches, advocates, and educators. We had gathered in Hyannis,...
by Mary E. Cronin | Oct 4, 2016 | LGBTQ+, Middle-grade fiction, Teaching, Uncategorized
There is nothing like that clean-page feeling of fall! I have been energetically contributing to blogs, writing articles, and revising my middle grade novel ever since I turned that page to September. A few links: My article “Coming Out to My College...