Creative Thinking Teaching and Learning Archives - Maaja Wentz https://www.maajawentz.com/category/creative-thinking-teaching-and-learning/ Worlds of Mystery & Wonder Mon, 13 Feb 2023 01:10:30 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.maajawentz.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/cropped-maaja-at-the-mic-32x32.jpg Creative Thinking Teaching and Learning Archives - Maaja Wentz https://www.maajawentz.com/category/creative-thinking-teaching-and-learning/ 32 32 I Failed at my 2022 Goals but Won the Creative Writing Game Anyway https://www.maajawentz.com/2023/01/03/i-failed-at-my-2022-goals-but-won-the-creative-writing-game-anyway/ https://www.maajawentz.com/2023/01/03/i-failed-at-my-2022-goals-but-won-the-creative-writing-game-anyway/#comments Tue, 03 Jan 2023 19:28:29 +0000 https://www.maajawentz.com/?p=7987 In January 2022, I set myself three clear writing goals. I failed at my 2022 goals, completely dropping the ball on my fishy kids’ spy novel. There were small wins. I submitted short stories, and some received the best kind of rejection letters, which ends in “send us more.” In my impatience, I published a […]

The post I Failed at my 2022 Goals but Won the Creative Writing Game Anyway appeared first on Maaja Wentz.

]]> https://www.maajawentz.com/2023/01/03/i-failed-at-my-2022-goals-but-won-the-creative-writing-game-anyway/feed/ 2 Spark Book Review: The Science of Exercise and the Brain https://www.maajawentz.com/2016/09/01/spark-exercise-and-the-brain/ https://www.maajawentz.com/2016/09/01/spark-exercise-and-the-brain/#respond Thu, 01 Sep 2016 18:46:40 +0000 http://www.maajawentz.com/?p=1820 Changing thinking about exercise and the brain Written by bestselling author and psychiatrist John J. Ratey with Eric Hagerman, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain is a positive book that looks at how exercise can improve neuroplasticity, learning, and executive function. It suggests exercise as a helpful addition to medication, or sometimes even a replacement […]

The post Spark Book Review: The Science of Exercise and the Brain appeared first on Maaja Wentz.

]]> https://www.maajawentz.com/2016/09/01/spark-exercise-and-the-brain/feed/ 0 10 Reasons Writers Benefit From Conventions https://www.maajawentz.com/2016/04/24/10-reasons-writers-need-conventions/ https://www.maajawentz.com/2016/04/24/10-reasons-writers-need-conventions/#comments Sun, 24 Apr 2016 17:53:09 +0000 http://www.maajawentz.com/?p=1737 10 Reasons Speculative Fiction Writers Benefit From Conventions Do you read or write speculative fiction such as fantasy, horror, science fiction, magic realism or slipstream? Consider the benefits of attending a fan convention. I know what you might be thinking. The stereotype of conventions is that they are full of movie fans in Klingon costumes like something […]

The post 10 Reasons Writers Benefit From Conventions appeared first on Maaja Wentz.

]]> https://www.maajawentz.com/2016/04/24/10-reasons-writers-need-conventions/feed/ 3 Top 5 Favorite Halloween Costumes https://www.maajawentz.com/2015/10/31/top-5-favorite-halloween-costumes/ https://www.maajawentz.com/2015/10/31/top-5-favorite-halloween-costumes/#respond Sat, 31 Oct 2015 16:12:41 +0000 http://www.maajawentz.com/?p=1495 Do you love costumes? I love Halloween parties and dressing in creative costumes when I go to school (as a teacher-librarian). Here are five of my favorite costumes: Animal Costumes Panda. When pandas came from China to the Toronto Zoo, I wanted to dress up in their honour. The fun part of this costume is suggesting a panda face with […]

The post Top 5 Favorite Halloween Costumes appeared first on Maaja Wentz.

]]> https://www.maajawentz.com/2015/10/31/top-5-favorite-halloween-costumes/feed/ 0 Future Library: Message to the future https://www.maajawentz.com/2015/06/07/future-library-message-to-the-future/ https://www.maajawentz.com/2015/06/07/future-library-message-to-the-future/#comments Sun, 07 Jun 2015 14:04:04 +0000 http://www.maajawentz.com/?p=1367 What will humanity be reading in a century? Will paper books still be read? Visionary author Margaret Atwood is the first to contribute a secret story to Future Library, a unique 100-year artwork. Designed by Scottish artist Katie Paterson, Future Library is a real place, created for Oslo, Norway. Part of this project is a forest of 1000 trees, planted […]

The post Future Library: Message to the future appeared first on Maaja Wentz.

]]> https://www.maajawentz.com/2015/06/07/future-library-message-to-the-future/feed/ 1 Author Bio and Bloor West Writers https://www.maajawentz.com/2015/05/24/author-bio-maaja-wentz/ https://www.maajawentz.com/2015/05/24/author-bio-maaja-wentz/#comments Mon, 25 May 2015 01:00:07 +0000 http://www.maajawentz.com/?p=1332 I was recently accepted as a judge for the Mash Stories Competition. The Mash Competition appeals to my fascination with randomly inspired art, and artistic experiment. Each quarter, Mash posts three unrelated words. Participants incorporate these words into 500 word stories of any type. It’s not necessarily Dada poetry, but in the right hands, it certainly could be! […]

The post Author Bio and Bloor West Writers appeared first on Maaja Wentz.

]]> https://www.maajawentz.com/2015/05/24/author-bio-maaja-wentz/feed/ 2 What is a Serial Thriller Anthology? https://www.maajawentz.com/2015/05/03/cliffhanger-castle-thriller-serial/ https://www.maajawentz.com/2015/05/03/cliffhanger-castle-thriller-serial/#respond Sun, 03 May 2015 17:06:44 +0000 http://www.maajawentz.com/?p=1284 Is this Wattpad’s First Serial Anthology? This project is a paranormal thriller with a twist – author collaboration in a serial anthology. If you have ever wanted to read a suspense novel that combines mystery with lots of surprises, this innovative novel, the first of its kind on Wattpad. Exciting writers compete to display their unique style, in conjunction with […]

The post What is a Serial Thriller Anthology? appeared first on Maaja Wentz.

]]> https://www.maajawentz.com/2015/05/03/cliffhanger-castle-thriller-serial/feed/ 0 Google Apps for Education – Media Literacy https://www.maajawentz.com/2015/04/18/google-apps-for-education-media-literacy/ https://www.maajawentz.com/2015/04/18/google-apps-for-education-media-literacy/#respond Sat, 18 Apr 2015 16:53:43 +0000 http://www.maajawentz.com/?p=1270 In the library, I have been exploring Google Apps for education, and the Google classroom. Although I have used Gmail, Google drive and the Google calendar personally for years, this year my school board expanded our use and access to Google Apps, using teacher and student accounts. Not all applications are available yet, but so far […]

The post Google Apps for Education – Media Literacy appeared first on Maaja Wentz.

]]> https://www.maajawentz.com/2015/04/18/google-apps-for-education-media-literacy/feed/ 0 Dragon Dictation: for Creative Writing https://www.maajawentz.com/2015/04/03/dragon-dictation-creative-writing/ https://www.maajawentz.com/2015/04/03/dragon-dictation-creative-writing/#respond Fri, 03 Apr 2015 17:19:16 +0000 http://www.maajawentz.com/?p=1261 Should you use Dragon Dictation for your Creative Writing? Many people say that the main benefit of Dragon Dictation for creative writing is speed. While it’s true that dictation fans rave about the increased productivity using dictation software, I have a much more serious reason to prefer dictating my stories and novels. Typing can cause wrist pain and […]

The post Dragon Dictation: for Creative Writing appeared first on Maaja Wentz.

]]> https://www.maajawentz.com/2015/04/03/dragon-dictation-creative-writing/feed/ 0 Loon Lake Books Logo https://www.maajawentz.com/2015/02/01/loon-lake-books-logo/ https://www.maajawentz.com/2015/02/01/loon-lake-books-logo/#comments Sun, 01 Feb 2015 15:53:25 +0000 http://www.maajawentz.com/?p=1238 Here is the new Loon Lake Books logo, in colour. Thanks to everyone who gave me input on FaceBook, and elsewhere. It’s probably a good idea to have a colour, and a black and white logo, but I like this one best. Entries to this blog will slow down as I concentrate more on writing […]

The post Loon Lake Books Logo appeared first on Maaja Wentz.

]]> https://www.maajawentz.com/2015/02/01/loon-lake-books-logo/feed/ 2