Workshops & More

” One of the finest examples of wordsmithing I’ve ever laid ears on.”
~ Shayne Koyczan, author of bestsellers ‘Stickboy’ and ‘To This Day’

 

As Head of English at Markville High School since 2007, I’ve worked closely with administrators, educators, and students to create inclusive, engaging learning environments rooted in critical thinking, reflective practice, and culturally responsive pedagogy. I design and facilitate workshops that respond to individual, curricular, and community needs, drawing from over twenty years of experience in creative writing, poetry, journaling, and non-fiction. My work supports diverse learners—including gifted, special education, at-risk youth, female-centric cohorts, and rehabilitative programs—and is informed by the Habits of Mind and a commitment to equity and belonging. My TEDX feature, Sharing Passion Through Poetry, focussed on positive identity and critical thinking.

At the university level, I’ve had the opportunity to lecture at Queen’s University in both the English and Geography departments on topics such as meta-cognition, the intersections of place and language, and memory’s role in meaning-making. My work has been introduced to university classrooms across Canada and I continue to use poetry to deconstruct notions of identity, particularly in women. At York University’s 2022 International Conference on Mothering, I was part of a panel that deconstructed pandemic lessons around identity for mother-artists.

I am deeply committed to exploring marginalized narratives and expanding how we understand the educational landscape—both public and personal. My forthcoming visual poetry collection, Teaching, reframes the high school hallway as a living archive: one that holds grief, beauty, resistance, and transformation. Blending poetic text and visual storytelling, the work captures overlooked moments and underrepresented voices in contemporary education. I am actively bringing Teaching into post-secondary classrooms—particularly within teacher education programs—as a way of fostering dialogue about identity, space, and pedagogy. I will be doing just that in April, leading a workshop for Teacher Candidates at the upcoming Niagara University Teacher Education Conference.

As a founding member of Toronto Poetry Slam and the founder/curator of Be Heard—Canada’s largest and longest-running youth spoken word festival—I’ve collaborated with some of the country’s most innovative arts organizers to create dynamic opportunities for young voices. I’ve led Youth Master Classes at Kingston WritersFest, the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word, Vancouver Poetry House, and for over two decades in Youth Arts Camp Programs.

Whether in academic or artistic spaces, my goal is to foster brave, creative communities where inquiry and imagination thrive.

Feel free to reach out with questions or opportunities: larabozabalian@gmail.com.