The Power of the Pen

I am presently taking Education classes through the University of Alberta, working towards a two year Elementary Education after-degree. Last Fall I was working an assignment for my Language Arts class and chose an informal letter mini-unit. 

 I remember being in Mrs. Yoshida's class back in 1992-1993 at Nicholas Sheran elementary school in Lethbridge, Alberta. She was a great teacher that encouraged her students to write and write often. It was during this time that I was fixated on the horror genre (Goosebumps, Are You Afraid of the Dark? were heavy hitters at the time) and wrote some pretty disturbing books for a little girl (that's another post for another day).  I remember that during one class or a series of classes we were encouraged to write to our favorite author. Yoshida had a big book of the addresses of favorite children's authors as this was before the time of the internet. Crazy to think about, right?

I settled on one of our family's favorites, Bill Peet and wrote him a quick, little note. A few weeks later, a letter addressed to myself in shaky cursive was sitting in our metallic gold mailbox! It was such a cool feeling to reach out to someone across North America and to actually hear back! I have since framed that letter (and envelope) and it hangs on our wall in our family room.

Fast forward a couple of decades later and I am practicing my lesson plan on my own family. Who is someone they admire that they would like to write to? Honey Badger picked amazing author/illustrator, Mo Willems. Little Dragon chose Matt Groening from Simpsons fame. I dropped my girl, Amy Poehler a line or two. And who does Big Dragon pick? I for sure thought he was going to pick someone like, Michael Jordan. He surprised me and responded very quickly with, Former Supreme Court Justice, Beverly McLachlin. 

 I am happy to report that we have received a letter (and book!) back from one of our role models. Big Dragon got a letter and fiction book that she signed, by none other than Justice McLachlin. 

 I will keep you posted if any other suspicious packages arrive in our mailbox.