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The teaching of a poetry unit always begins the same. We talk about what is poetry, and then students will almost always give me their opinion on poetry writing as a genre. Some students love poetry. Some students immediately throw defenses up because they have notions about poetry that involve feelings, emotions, and talking about personal stuff. They aren’t wrong, but poetry is more than that perception. As teachers, we are charged with showing our students that it is okay to express feelings. It is okay to write about ourselves because it is a reflection of the safe environment we have created without our classrooms. While I have taught many different poetry assignments over the years, I have loved observing student reactions and seeing their faces when I play slam poems. It is like watching a show or attending a performance. There are tons of videos on Youtube, but this post will look at some of my favorites. Besides awesome examples you can use with kids today, I have given a few additional poems that teacher leaders could use when leading teacher training as well.
I always end the first six weeks of school with narrative poetry. 1.) It is a mindset thing. I want to show the kids who don’t think they can write poetry that they indeed can write poetry. 2.) It is an excellent way to get to know students better. We may think we know each other after six weeks, but in reality, we have spent a lot of that time on testing and expectations. it is powerful to know our students and let our students know who we are as people. Cue Where I’m From Poems and I Am Poems. I use this form of poetry from George Ella Lyon each year to help build community and access important identity work. This post includes all of the assignment materials and my step-by-step process including mentor texts and a read-aloud.
Poetry has the power to be transformative, inspirational, and healing. Poetry is what I turn to when I find myself reluctant to read, or if I am having a bad day. It taps into the power of feelings, and most recently, the work I have done with graphic novels and novels-in-verse in my classroom has been the most impactful. Kids report at the end of the year that these two sets of activities are what stuck out to them as memorable, important, and meaningful. Especially during this time period, where many of us have found or are in the process of finding that our school year is cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we turn to the power of poetry. The work of teaching is now different in nature and in context. We turn to the ability to work remotely and still provide the same level of commitment and inspiration to our students. The buildings perhaps are closed, but the process of learning is still open. One thing I am turning to particular in the month of April is poetry. Arguably, we will need poetry as part of the process of healing long after this crisis is over. Yesterday, in my bullet journal plan-with-me post, I spent some time curating a personal collection of poems that made me excited about poetry. I think this is an important exercise to do at the beginning of this month and in the process of kicking off any poetry unit.
Then, take what you need from this resource post. I have outlined my favorite poems to teach, my favorite teaching resources, 75+ collections of poetry, novels-in-verse, and picturebooks I love, and I have linked how I teach Where I’m From poems. Maybe you are the one who needs poetry right now. Maybe your students need the poems you will share. As we move forward through social distancing and a pandemic, let’s remember to come back to the power of words on the page as often as possible.
The only thing I remember of my grandmother is her hands. I was four when she passed away, but I am also said to be just like her. If you hold up her 15-year-old school portrait and my 15 year-old school portrait, they are mirror images. Besides the physical make up of our bodies, we are also said to have the same mannerisms....grit, determination, and being way too stubborn. Our story is many peoples' stories. One of the reasons I love talking about writing is the commonalities we have in being human. Now, I won't ever know my grandmother, but I use the stories that I hear to get to know her on a deeper level.
I feel like having a toddler around has helped me understand the role of sensory work and play far better than before parenthood. I even look back on my own childhood and remember moments where I can recall feeling dysregulated or something was off. I never liked the feeling of itchy socks on my toes. I hated having my hair done because of how it felt. When I initially started learning more about sensory play, one of the most powerful pieces was that everyone has sensory needs. Sensory regulation does not require a diagnosis, label, or “special” treatment. We all have the power to feel regulated or dysregulated by the work of the senses. Incorporating sensory experiences into the secondary English Language Arts (ELA) classroom can ignite students' creativity, deepen their understanding, and make writing come alive. By engaging multiple senses, educators can create a dynamic and immersive environment that inspires students to express themselves through writing. We can also help our students regulate their own systems and challenge behavior issues that are tied to classroom management. In this blog post, we will explore 10 sensory writing activities that can transform the ELA classroom into a hub of sensory exploration and literary expression.