I spent 4-hours on Saturday
to learn ways to teach
Black American History
ALL year long.
Sent into a zoom breakout room
And first thing I hear is
“Sally, are you a slicer?”
asked by Vivien.
Immediately I felt at home
“YES, I am…:
Because one in the group
was also a slicer
I felt. right at home.
Then our group of 5
shared introductions
and went on to have a rich discussion.
At last Wed.’s ELA department meeting
I ended by giving a shout-out to slicing
encouraging teachers to join this year
offering my help to set up a blog
as it will be March before we know it.
I’m set to slice every day in March
I am a slicer
and have been since 2014.
I love how on a random Saturday
nine years later
I felt welcomed and at ease
because another slicer recognized me.
Be sure to start reaching out to others.
Welcome them into this warm writing community.
Also, I highly recommend learning from
Collen Cruz and Sonja Cherry-Paul, founder of Red Clay Educators
Amazing leaders of Teaching Black History All Year!
Writing Stories by Sally 
I was hoping you were going to share about the workshop…but what a treat to have a connection to this community! Love that!
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I’m still processing ALL the great stuff I learned on Saturday. I wlll devote a post to my learning soon. Feeling pressed for time so only shared about my surprise of being recognized by another slicer!
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I always learn so much from your recaps! Can’t wait. Thank you!!!
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What a beautiful connection! I always feel so awkward in Zoom breakout rooms, especially if it’s with strangers. I’m glad the fellow slicer put you right at home!
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I love that Sally! The slicer connections made you feel at home! Thanks for the recommendations as well.
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What fun! I always love finding connections. I agree with Jessica- looking forward to seeing your update!
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Sally, connections create such a welcome feeling of belonging. That’s how I felt at the Slicer meet-up in November, where I met you and others who are part of this group. I look so forward to our days of writing, and reading what is going on in the worlds of my writing friends. I can’t wait to slice away in March with you!
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That was ME, Sally! And I too love seeing slicers in the wild. It was an immediate connection. Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on our learning.
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Vivien, I am so glad you added this comment. I went back to my slice and fixed it to state your name. On zoom, I realized I wasn’t notcing exactly who said it. But YOU really did make me feel welcome! And I loved our discussion as well as the WHOLE time on Sat. I went and bought Carole’s book Standing in the Need of Prayer! WOW!! The picutres that match the song she sang us are awesome!! Have a good week and I’ll see you next Saturday!
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I often think about teachers who did not have these. injected spaces before the internet. I wonder how they filled the void. I wish that webinar has been another day. It looked good. Sometimes I think about the subject of my blog and am tempted to save the post for March, but then it would be dated. This community and EthicalELA poetry writing make March and April so purposeful.
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Yay for slicer connections! This post made me smile.
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Your free verse really works to capture the background and then the special moment. And I enjoy reading Vivian Chen and am envious you met her! I dk if you read Terje’s piece on being brave enough to be more visible. but your piece reminds us that by being more visible, we find connections we wouldnt have otherwise known. The TWT community rocks!
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