Awards
The Gerald Lampert Memorial Award, 1995.
Selected Publications
Letters from China. (Women's Press, 1981).
Rough Skin. (Wolsak & Wynn, 1995).
Selected Anthologies
Frictions II. (Rhea Tregebov, editor). (Second Story Press, 1993).
A Room at The Heart of Things. (Elisabeth Harvor, editor). (Véhicule
Press, forthcoming).
Rip Rap, the Banff Writers' Studio 25th Anniversary Collection. (Banff
Centre Press, forthcoming).
Books in Print
Hynes, Maureen
Rough Skin. Wolsak and Wynn, 1995. $12.00 ISBN 0-919897-45-2
Poet in the School
(Toronto)
phone: 416-463-6992
email: mhyes@gbrownc.on.ca
Maureen Hynes is a Toronto poet whose first book, Rough Skin (Wolsak and Wynn 1996) won the League's Gerald Lampert Award for the best first book of poetry. Her poetry has been published in literary journals across Canada and included in several anthologies. She was selected for the Banff Writer's studio in 1993 and 1995. As a result of her ESL/EFL teacher training experiences in China, Hynes published Letters from China (Women's Press 1981), a memoir/travel book. Her fiction has been included in the Blood and Aphorisms Anthology: Volume II (Toronto, Gutter Press 1996). Another story, "Wandering," was selected for Rhea Tregebov's Frictions II: Stories by Canadian Women anthology, (Toronto, Second Story Press 1993) and was reprinted in a language arts textbook from Harcourt Brace Canada (December, 1994) entitled Choices. Hynes is a faculty member at George Brown College, where she coordinates the School of Labour, and she is on the board of MayWorks, Toronto annual Festival of Working People and the Arts. She has worked with high school, university and community college classes, and has read for a wide variety of public audiences.
Grade Levels: 9 - OAC
Fees: standard
Classroom Approach:
Students
need not be familiar with Hynes' work. She adapts her approach in form, purpose
and content for the workshop, seminar or reading, depending on the teacher's
requirements, student needs and the time allotted. Whether for creative writing
sessions or for readings of her own work, Hynes likes to consult with the teacher
in planning, so as to incorporate broad themes and issues (such as family, the
environment, sexuality or gender, safety and violence, or humour) of concern
to the students. One of her formates is to use the discussion of 6 - 8 poems
from a variety of poets, including her own, as a springboard to work with students
to help them focus on the centrality of image and experience in poetry. She
leads them to create and revise a poem, with specific assistance in moving from
the general to the concrete and specific. Students will be assisted with presenting
and critiquing their work, and, as needed, with information on publishing their
work.