Mr. Belknap

“I’m the kind of writer that…” – Establishing a Writer’s Identity

I’ve recently applied to the UWM National Writing Project’s summer institute, something I’ve been itching to be a part of for some time. So many of my mentors and colleagues speak highly of their own experiences with the NWP: the immersion in writing research, the camaraderie of fellow writing teachers, the epiphanies uncovered regarding best writingContinue reading ““I’m the kind of writer that…” – Establishing a Writer’s Identity”

Music and Memory Part Two: Of Mix Tapes and Mentor Texts

Remember mix tapes? Duh. Of course you do. I’m saddened that the mix tape is now antiquated. I mean, yeah, I appreciate the fact that I can burn CDs and create an iTunes playlist is no time at all, but the process of crafting a mix tape for another person was like composing a handwrittenContinue reading “Music and Memory Part Two: Of Mix Tapes and Mentor Texts”

Music and Memory Part One: Music as a Time Machine

There’s this old Ruth Etting song, “All of Me,” a jazzy little number, that’s been popularized and covered and remixed since its conception back in 1930 something. I first heard it in high school (1999, maybe?) when NOFX, a popular punk band, covered it. My grandfather, who passed away in 2010, had heard and lovedContinue reading “Music and Memory Part One: Music as a Time Machine”