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poetry: teaching and reading
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From: JoAnn Early Macken <earlygrp>
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 07:00:00 -0500
This is my first post, so I'll introduce myself briefly. I am a student in the MFA in Writing for Children Program at Vermont College, with one picture book published (Cats on Judy), poems published in or accepted by several children's magazines, and my fingers crossed. I teach children to write poetry in school visits and through our local Recreation Department.
When I talk to kids about getting ideas for poems, I stress that they should write about what they care about. For examples, I love to read poems written by children from collections like Ten-Second Rainshowers: Poems by Young People, compiled by Sanford Lyne, and Miracles: Poems by Children of the English-Speaking World, collected by Richard Lewis. I also read selections from Kristine O'Connell George's Little Dog Poems to show the variety of poems that can come from one subject.
For examples of imagery, I use Kristine O'Connell George's Old Elm Speaks and The Beauty of the Beast: Poems from the Animal Kingdom, edited by Jack Prelutsky and beautifully illustrated by Meilo So. The Beauty of the Beast also has wonderful examples of wordplay.
Kids always seem to love shape poems (maybe because I do), so I bring some of those along as well, like Doodle Dandies: Poems that Take Shape, by J. Patrick Lewis, and Splish Splash and Flicker Flash by Joan Bransfield Graham.
Although I ask the kids I teach not to try to rhyme, I love to read rhyming poems, especially by Karla Kuskin and Mary Ann Hoberman. Margaret Mahy's picture book 17 Kings and 42 Elephants is really fun to read aloud, with its wonderful rhythm and rhyme.
Older readers enjoy Paul Fleischman's poems for two voices, especially Joyful Noise. We have read these aloud regularly at our Vermont College residencies, and last time we were also treated to Big Talk. It was almost as much fun to listen as it was to participate.
The most helpful book I've found for teaching is A Celebration of Bees: Helping Children to Write Poetry by Barbara Juster Esbensen. It's out of print, but available through the web site dedicated to her memory: http://www.ttinet.com/bje/index.html.
I'm thankful that this month's discussion has given me many more books to read and share. I'm looking forward to more.
JoAnn Early Macken
Received on Wed 19 Apr 2000 07:00:00 AM CDT
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 07:00:00 -0500
This is my first post, so I'll introduce myself briefly. I am a student in the MFA in Writing for Children Program at Vermont College, with one picture book published (Cats on Judy), poems published in or accepted by several children's magazines, and my fingers crossed. I teach children to write poetry in school visits and through our local Recreation Department.
When I talk to kids about getting ideas for poems, I stress that they should write about what they care about. For examples, I love to read poems written by children from collections like Ten-Second Rainshowers: Poems by Young People, compiled by Sanford Lyne, and Miracles: Poems by Children of the English-Speaking World, collected by Richard Lewis. I also read selections from Kristine O'Connell George's Little Dog Poems to show the variety of poems that can come from one subject.
For examples of imagery, I use Kristine O'Connell George's Old Elm Speaks and The Beauty of the Beast: Poems from the Animal Kingdom, edited by Jack Prelutsky and beautifully illustrated by Meilo So. The Beauty of the Beast also has wonderful examples of wordplay.
Kids always seem to love shape poems (maybe because I do), so I bring some of those along as well, like Doodle Dandies: Poems that Take Shape, by J. Patrick Lewis, and Splish Splash and Flicker Flash by Joan Bransfield Graham.
Although I ask the kids I teach not to try to rhyme, I love to read rhyming poems, especially by Karla Kuskin and Mary Ann Hoberman. Margaret Mahy's picture book 17 Kings and 42 Elephants is really fun to read aloud, with its wonderful rhythm and rhyme.
Older readers enjoy Paul Fleischman's poems for two voices, especially Joyful Noise. We have read these aloud regularly at our Vermont College residencies, and last time we were also treated to Big Talk. It was almost as much fun to listen as it was to participate.
The most helpful book I've found for teaching is A Celebration of Bees: Helping Children to Write Poetry by Barbara Juster Esbensen. It's out of print, but available through the web site dedicated to her memory: http://www.ttinet.com/bje/index.html.
I'm thankful that this month's discussion has given me many more books to read and share. I'm looking forward to more.
JoAnn Early Macken
Received on Wed 19 Apr 2000 07:00:00 AM CDT
