Michael M. Guevara

Quote from Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems by Naomi Shihab Nye that reads

Rock Star Poets

The “Greatest Hits” album. All the greats do it—Creedence Clearwater Revival, Tom Petty, Elton John, Madonna, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Mariah Carey—so it only makes sense that poets would do the same thing. 

quote from

Aggressively Poetic

Leaves caked my front yard, suffocating the burgeoning grass below as I sat on the couch and told myself only one more episode of Law & Order and then I’ll get up and tackle the task waiting for me outside my front door.

Dead White Poets Society

Scads of English teachers have shown the movie Dead Poets Society in class to either begin their poetry unit or to try and inspire an appreciation for poetry. I technically showed the movie to teach media messages as constructs, but residual poetry appreciation was always an added bonus and hope. 

animated book and pen surrounded by leaves. Text over it reads

The Outer and Inner Beauty of Poetry

Probably not long after Gutenberg slapped some ink on a page, we got the aphorism not to judge a book by its cover.

Generally true.

But even if the collection of poems in How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope edited by James Crews didn’t epitomize the craft and power of poetry, the...

Text: Learn More; Image: Person silhouette with cerebrum and connections of action, reading, working, mind, idea. Isolated on white background

Improving Learning Outcomes for Your Busy Students

Toward the latter half of my son’s junior year in high school (he’s a junior in college now), I went with him to the meetings set up by the counseling department for parents and students to plan out students’ senior year. It reminded me of a graduation audit in college to make sure everything is on...

Text: Download Lesson; Image: Book covers for Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry and The Field Guide to the North American Teenager

Black History Month: Death by Journal

Okay—circle of trust here. After dropping my youngest child off at college all the way from San Antonio, Texas, to Lawrence, Kansas, at The University of Kansas, I simply said goodbye and drove the 11 hours back home. Except, as soon as I got to our house, I stepped into the hallway bathroom and...

Text: Download Lesson; Image: Book cover of The Black Friend by Frederick Joseph

Black History Month: The Friend You Need

In just the past few weeks, I’ve seen two friends post on social media about their spirit animals. 

Neither of them is Native American.

Recently, State Farm ran a commercial where Aaron Rodgers claimed to have a spirit animal. 

He’s not Native American either. 

Text: Download Lesson, Black History Month;

Dear Son,

On December 20, four days after his semester finished, my youngest son flew home for Christmas break. On December 29, he flew back—19 days before his new semester started.