When art is personal, playful, and purposeful, it can change the way people learn and connect. In Episode. 185, Dr. Diane talks with poet, teaching artist, and speaker LeJuane “El’Ja” Bowens about poetry, workshops, civic engagement, and why the next generation gives him hope.

El'Ja shares how a 10th-grade poetry project sparked his love of writing, how an open mic after the military helped him realize poetry could become a career, and how his work as a teaching artist grew from one workshop into a mission. He also talks about making poetry accessible for kids of all ages, using creative writing to invite participation, and designing workshops that feel more personal than academic.

Our conversation explores purpose over popularity, the role of art in civic engagement, and why poetry can be both fun and deeply meaningful. If you love poetry, teaching, creativity, and conversations about the arts as a force for connection, this episode is for you.

Chapters

• 02:08 – How El'Ja became a poet.
• 04:05 – Becoming a teaching artist.
• 06:18 – What makes a workshop work for wide age ranges.
• 09:01 – Making poetry fun and accessible for young learners.
• 10:26 – Using themes, choices, and play in creative writing.
• 14:55 –El'Ja shares the poem “Perfect.”
• 17:20 – Purpose over popularity.
• 18:58 – What El'Ja believes art is for.
• 19:40 – Art, civic engagement, and the TEDx talk.
• 23:14 – What currently brings hope.

Links

• Follow LeJuane “El’Ja” Bowens
• Watch El'Ja's TEDx talk
• Buy El'Ja's books

Call to Action

If this episode speaks to you, share it with a teacher, poet, artist, or anyone who believes creativity matters. Subscribe, rate, and review Adventures in Learning, and keep the conversation going about poetry, purpose, and the power of art.

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*Disclosure: I am a Bookshop.org. affiliate.

What makes a classic story feel new again? In this episode of Adventures in Learning, Dr. Diane talks with author Máire Roche about Little Monsters, Little Women, Bromantasy, and the power of stories that help young readers feel seen.

Máire shares how Little Women shaped her as a reader and writer, why Meg has always been her favorite March sister, and how Little Monsters grew from her desire to write a spooky, recognizable story for kids.

They explore literature as mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors, plus anxiety, representation, gender, class, Bromantasy, writing full time, and why hope means planting anyway.

Perfect for Little Women fans, middle grade readers, teachers, librarians, and anyone who loves thoughtful book talk. Also, check out the book club interview with the cast of Riverside Center for the Performing Arts' Little Women!

Timestamps + Chapters

• 00:00 – Welcome and why Little Monsters felt instantly special.
• 02:27 – The origin of Little Monsters and writing Meg's story.
• 05:19 – Reading from chapter one.
• 07:15 – Reimagining Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy for a modern audience.
• 09:55 – Choosing each sister's monstrous power.
• 16:15 – Growing up with Little Women and becoming a writer.
• 22:54 – Bromantasy, anxiety, representation, and hope.

Links

• Pre-order Little Monstersand Bromantasy
• Follow Máire Roche
• Check out Episode 183 and get tickets to Little Women

Support the show

Share this episode

If this conversation sparked wonder, gave you a helpful strategy, or offered a needed reminder of hope, please share it with a friend or colleague.

Subscribe • Download • Review • Tell a friend

Stay updated with our latest episodes and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and the Adventures in Learning website. Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

*Disclosure: I am a Bookshop.org. affiliate.

What happens when the actors in Little Women read modern reinterpretations (Little Monsters, and Beth Is Dead) of the very characters they’re bringing to life onstage?

Dr. Diane welcomes the March sisters from Riverside Center for the Performing Arts ’ Little Women for a lively conversation about sisterhood, performance, and reimagining classic characters. Sarah Mae Andersen (Meg), Ashlee Beary (Jo), Ella Schnoor (Beth), and Madison Cox (Amy) share how they found their way to theater, how they connect to their characters, and how reading modern versions of these familiar sisters deepens the story they’re telling onstage. We also discuss how Little Monsters and Beth is Deadoffer new ways to think about the March sisters while honoring the emotional core of Louisa May Alcott’s original story.

Timestamps

• 01:05 – Meet Sarah, Ashlee, Ella, & Madison
• 05:05 – Connecting to Meg, Jo, Beth, & Amy
• 10:16 – Sisterhood, peacemaking, and character nuance
• 18:48 – First reactions to Little Monsters
• 24:39 – Beth Is Dead and the murder mystery twist
• 28:22 – Why Little Women keeps getting reimagined
• 36:13 – What’s currently bringing hope

Links

• Get tickets for Little Women at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts
• Follow Riverside Center for the Performing Arts, Sarah Mae Andersen, Ashlee Beary, Ella Schnoor, and Madison Cox on Instagram.
• Read Little Monsters by Máire Roche and Beth Is Dead by Katie Bernet.

Support the show

Share this episode

If this conversation sparked wonder, gave you a helpful strategy, or offered a needed reminder of hope, please share it with a friend or colleague.

Subscribe • Download • Review • Tell a friend

Stay updated with our latest episodes and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and the Adventures in Learning website. Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

*Disclosure: I am a Bookshop.org. affiliate.