Mario Mabrucco
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m-mabrucco.bsky.social
Mario Mabrucco
@m-mabrucco.bsky.social
educator || oise m.ed: critical studies in curriculum & pedagogy, specialist in educational policy || occasional writer || general nerd
I wanted an authentic writing task for my destreamed Gr 9s that mimicked the skills required in an essay. We came up with writing letters to the federal government asking for movement on the 94 Calls to Action, based on evidence from "The Marrow Thieves".

@elanontario.bsky.social #iteachEnglish📖
November 27, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Gr 11s are starting Maus by examining the modalities of the graphic novel form. We began by examining this selection from the Toronto Public Library.

I take for granted that I can just walk in, grab a bunch of high quality texts, and walk out 📚 ❤️

@elanontario.bsky.social #EduSky #iteachEnglish📖
November 19, 2025 at 1:51 AM
Gr. 9s used mind maps to develop a better understanding of themes in "The Marrow Thieves" 🧠🗺️

I was surprised that mind mapping was a new concept for some of them. Took more direct instruction than I had planned for, but the results were worth it!

@elanontario.bsky.social #EduSky #iteachEnglish📚
November 14, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Great examples of hexagonal thinking from #NBE3U and The Rez Sisters. They were struggling with connecting overarching ideas to textual specifics...so why not make literal connections?

@jcasatodd.bsky.social , this is always such an eye-opener!

@elanontario.bsky.social #iteachEnglish📖 #EduSky
November 3, 2025 at 1:55 AM
Yes, this is a #writing prompt. #ENG3U students brought in a mix of in/organic materials and will brainstorm tactile, haptic connections between the item and our play. Can't wait to see how they rise to the challenge.

@elanontario.bsky.social #EduSky #iteachEnglish📖
November 3, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Incredible investment in starting book clubs in our department. Over 100 copies of culturally diverse texts, including several 2SLGBTQ+ titles I wasn't familiar with.

We know voice + choice = engagement. Time to put theory into practice!

@elanontario.bsky.social #iteachEnglish📖 #EduSky
November 3, 2025 at 1:26 AM
D&D and Magic: The Gathering clubs were well attended at Club Fair! Makes my little need heart sing ❤️🧙⚔️

#EduSky #iteachEnglish📖 @wotc-news.bsky.social
November 3, 2025 at 1:22 AM
My mom used to teach Italian; she gave me these old flash cards as writing prompts 🇮🇹✍️

Why am I being discovered alone in all these scenarios? More importantly, why aren't I being left alone?! 🤔

@elanontario.bsky.social #EduSky #iteachEnglish📖
November 3, 2025 at 1:19 AM
It really says something that students believe the basics of good pedagogy - offering multiple opportunities to assess most recent evidence of learning - is a magnanimous exception to totalitarianism.

"Try it again" shouldn't be a shocker!

@elanontario.bsky.social #iteachEnglish📖 #EduSky #onted
November 3, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Happy Hallowe'en from the heroes & villains of Greek myth! (aka the English department)
November 1, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Took 1 line from each #ENG3U student poem and used it to start a Beautiful Language wall. They were agog. Thrilled when they saw their writing, celebrating others, asking eachother "what inspired you?". Still can't cut in a straight line though 😆

@elanontario.bsky.social #EduSky #iteachEnglish📖
October 17, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Testing living, group annotations in ENL1W for "The Marrow Thieves" as visible thinking of how the text and our understanding of it evolves over time. We'll add categories and inferences as they come up, and reference it in our talks.

#EduSky #iteachEnglish📖 #onted @elanontario.bsky.social
October 16, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Some days, teaching just doesn't seem worth it. Other days are today.

#iteachEnglish📖 #onted
October 1, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Expanding my suite of tactile, multimodal literacy approaches for next year. Embodying English is no easy task, but I think it's more important than ever!

@elanontario.bsky.social #EduSky #iteachEnglish📖
June 26, 2025 at 3:06 PM
NBE3U impressed with their tactile paragraphs. They were challenged to communicate analysis through touch, after examining con/sub/text & deno/connotation. Lots of prewriting before "writing" their (AI-proof!) thoughts.

@elanontario.bsky.social #EduSky #iteachEnglish📖
June 9, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Ludonarrative texts continue to be a rich source for NBE3C. Here they critiqued representation in Indigenous-made video games on itch.io, through a public blog.

The further I move away from "traditional" English class, the better the engagement.

#EduSky #iteachEnglish📖 @elanontario.bsky.social
May 30, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Au revoir to my handy dandy notebook from 2019. Got me through two schools, two plays, a global pandemic, a Master's degree, and thousands of student conferences. Well used and well loved.

#iteachEnglish📖 #EduSky #onted
March 20, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Great PD at @mcmichaelgallery.bsky.social learning how Indigenous art can educate on the interplay between land, mental health, and responsibility. Hearing @davidarobertson.bsky.social speak was inspiring, as always.

#EduSky #iteachEnglish📖 #onted
February 13, 2025 at 12:20 AM
For their daily writing prompt, ENL1W had some fun adapting this Shel Silverstein poem to the modern age. They were amazed it was written 40+ years before ChatGPT!

#EduSky #iteachEnglish📖 #onted
February 8, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Very excited to explore some new Indigenous graphic novels with NBE3C. The medium has been a real hit, and fascinating to teach.

Thank you Toronto Public Library for the haul! 📚 ❤️ 🦹‍♂️

#EduSky #onted #iteachEnglish📖
February 5, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Today NBE3U & NBE3C used the classic @devpeacedpcc.bsky.social Cookie Mining game, plus a Mentimeter reflection, to learn about displaced people, corporate greed, and cultural demolition.
🍪⛏️

#EduSky #iteachEnglish📖
February 5, 2025 at 1:50 AM
ENL1W1 submitted their culminating portfolios today. Some really thoughtful, evidence-based reflection on their development as readers and writers over the semester, using a growth mindset 📚 📝

#EduSky #iteachEnglish📖 #onted
January 23, 2025 at 9:46 PM
I was fascinated by how this student self-selected to expand her exploration of Indigeneity in a global context, connecting with her lived experience. She moved beyond the course in a totally new direction.

Here, the visual is not the point, but the gateway to deeper authenticity in writing.

🧵/6
January 14, 2025 at 1:18 AM
The #MMIWG crisis really struck a chord with this group. They wove together painting, statistics, and online advocacy to, in their words, "honour the victims of this injustice so they are not forgotten."

This is a complex two-way narrative that engages far beyond the traditional essay.

🧵/5
January 14, 2025 at 1:11 AM
This piece blends elements of "low tech" (clay + paint) with "high tech" (QR code + online stats) to highlight an old problem still active in modern times.

No way can an LLM approximate this. It can't "write" the text of sculpture like the student did.

🧵/4
January 14, 2025 at 1:06 AM