A Workshop with Sarah Maria Griffin, November 2022

How vital is it to not only see, but to unpack, intuit and practice divination? The marrying of visual

literacy, imagination and intellect is of utmost importance in a world where we are bombarded with

images ad infinitum. With the renowned Irish writer Sarah Maria Griffin, the students at KSWE got to

delve into the Tarot, semiotics and Dixit dissection, moving beyond cliché and into the realm of the

extended metaphor. For two hours students got to think and write beyond the literal and to couch

real-life concerns in fantastical garb. Being at the mercy of global vagaries we are in need, now more

than ever, of the strange and otherworldly to sustain us by elucidating the messiness of being alive

in a refreshing and provocative manner.

Speculative fiction encourages escape. But it can also reinvigorate tired limbs. Galvanizing us into

agency once more. Sarah Maria Griffin was able to disarm the students, bolster them with the

freedom of privacy and invite them into the power of the weird and wonderful. She taught us how

Science-Fiction can equip us with discernment to avoid falling for a panem et circenses form of

superficial sustenance. Ultimately, Sarah Maria Griffin taught us that decoding and questioning

enable us to reflect on what kind of present we inhabit and what type of future we hope to build.

Having other dimensions of existence allow us to retreat momentarily while still being connected.

Why limit reality to the parameters of the logical mind? The congruence of singularity and

interconnectedness is housed perfectly in the Gaelic word Tonn. The word means both a single wave

and the entire ocean simultaneously. Sci-Fi encapsulates this paradox superbly, helping us to

recalibrate our gaze by showing us how intertwined and unique we all are. Hopefully this is enough

to engender empathy for ourselves and the world we call home. So, let’s build by decoding. Let’s

find comfort in creation and develop a deeper understanding of humankind by embracing the

surreal.

Text: NeO

Welcome to the English Department!

Last Autumn, we had the joy to welcome two new teachers in our department – it’s been a pleasure to work with them, and we wanted to introduce the newcomers in their own words.

Scott Loren is an instructor in English Studies at the Kantonsschule Wettingen, where he also contributes to area studies for Digital Society and Media. He has BA, MA and PhD degrees in English Literature and Language Studies, with subsidiary studies in Psychology and Art History. When not busy consuming culture, he enjoys outdoor activities. A Swiss-American dual national, Scott lives with his family in Zurich.

James Violette (He/Him) joins our English squad after a decade of teaching in various roles at a wide variety of schools in German-speaking Europe. He grew up in Maine (USA) and has lived in Switzerland since 2013. His interests in the English classroom include surprising students with plot twists as well as examining power structures and marginalization. Additionally, he contributes to our History department and IB team. Outside of school you can find him with his partner and their two boys, probably chasing a frisbee or cooking something delicious.