This week I went back to teaching — just one class this fall, in introductory poetry. Usually, folks want to know right off how to get published and rich, but I figure my role is a little less grandiose than all that.
So I focus on all the varied elements of craft — the tools at the disposal of the poet — and I focus on the process and arc of writing — over time — and I focus on reading.
Reading’s my hot-button issue because nothing drives me crazier than a writer who “doesn’t have time” to read book after book of poetry, but wants the rest of us read his or her work — with admiration, enthusiasm and awe.
So I assign a book critique and we take turns reading each other’s work and we use a text book. But my favorite way to sneak new poetry into my students’ lives is to read it aloud — each and every class. I usually just pick a book of my shelf and choose about four poems to share — with very little introduction or commentary. I mean for them to absorb the work rather than study it.
Last week was Maxine Kumin, next may be Adrienne Rich or Donald Hall, Sylvia Plath or Mark Strand. Or maybe Frank O’Hara. Here’s one of my all time favorites:
Autobiographia Literaria
— Frank O’Hara
When I was a child
I played by myself in a
corner of a schoolyard
all alone.
I hated dolls and I
hated games, animals were
not friendly and birds
flew away.
Read the rest here…
And thanks to Literacy Teacher at Mentor Texts & More for hosting the Poetry Roundup today. Head on over and get your fix…
Oh, yeah!
I remember this one. Love it!
What a great job – you get to read poetry out loud to a captive audience every day. That is awesome.
~eisha (7-Imp)
Re: Oh, yeah!
Y’know what? You’re so right. I forget to love my luck sometimes…
Here I am, the center of all beauty . . .
Lovely.
I know. That just slays me every time…
Lovely poem! I want to be in your poetry class :)!
I wish you were, too!!! Thanks for stopping in and, FYI, my daughters LOVE Truman’s Aunt Farm….
Ditto what eisha said. And jama. I was just sitting here, trying to dream up a way to do Poetry Friday at my son’s high school. Do your students know about Poetry Friday?
Sara Lewis Holmes
No, but you’ve got a thought there. I don’t necessarily sing about my blog to my students — I don’t know why — they can certainly find it if they look and it’s not as if I’m talking about anything secret or illicit.
Now I’M gonna think up a way to implement poetry Friday in schools. Let me know if you stumble upon a great idea…
BTW, do you have a feed I can access?
Sara Lewis Holmes
Well, Sara, the short answer is no — I’m too lame technologically to have set one up. But the longer answer is — maybe this is the kick I need! Stay tuned. I’ll try to dive in and get figuring…
One of the tasks in my classroom scavenger hunt the first day of school was to find the poetry shelf and then tell me a favorite poet. Most of the class honestly admitted that they’ve never really read poetry and they couldn’t name a poet. MISSION REVEALED: Twenty fourth graders will leave my room in 9 months loving poetry and knowing lots of poets! Too many to even pick a favorite! My read aloud time is at the end of the day this year (you saw my PF post on scheduling woes) and I’m giving it up on Friday for Poetry Friday. We’ll take 15-20 minutes each week to read poetry alone or together and then read aloud some of our new favorites we found! First one was yesterday — a smashing hit already!!!
Mary Lee
A Year of Reading
I know I’ve asked this before, but any chance you could be my daughters’ teacher????
I loved reading how you approach poetry with adults…reading and writing it go hand in hand even in first grade. I too dove into our poetry basket this week. After hearing poems from Here’s a Little poem, my kiddos were fighting over placing it in their own book bins. The power of just hearing poems for little ones!
Katied creative literacy
There’s nothing like hearing something come alive off the page… lucky for your students that they have you!
Yeesh, I’ve been suffering from not enough Liz in Ink lately — am so behind on my blog-reading but trying to get caught up RIGHT NOW while the littlest naps. Anyway, love that poem. Thank you. Hadn’t read it before.
I would love to take your class. I feel like such a poseur on Poetry Fridays in that I really don’t know a hell of a lot about poetry. Anyway, the course sounds great.
Thanks again for the poem.
Jules, 7-Imp
I know, isn’t it so simple and exquisite??
You are welcome to come site in on my class. Really? Wouldn’t that be fun!