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Poetry, music and kids
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From: Maia <maia>
Date: Mon, 01 May 2000 11:27:55 -0400
My husband has never been able to tolerate poetry much, more's the pity. But he is quite passionate about music, both strictly instrumental and lyricized, though he clearly works from the position of notes before words! I gather that his bias against poetry evolved at an early age, and he's never spent the time to get far past it.
What he shared recently, though, was his most positive experience with poetry in school. The assignment was to memorize and recite a poem of choice to the class; he asked if he could recite a
(rather long!) set of song lyrics, and was given permission. He still remembers _that_ experience with poetry fondly today.
Nicole, you asked what foci are important in imbuing a love of the poetic? Having seen the fascination with music and lyrics in kids of my own generation as well as of the more recent one, I would suggest that you try to find the ways in which poetry is a part of their own lives, working from their own knowledge (and passion) base. Try different formulae -- have students set William Blake to music, or try to define popular music in terms of poetic styles; have them deconstruct their own favorite lyrics, or rework a favorite song in sonnet form. Poetry can be brilliant because it plays on not only the words but their rhythm
-- what closer sister can their be but music? And music is what most kids know and love.
Anyway, just some ideas!
Maia
-maia at littlefolktales.org www.littlefolktales.org
Received on Mon 01 May 2000 10:27:55 AM CDT
Date: Mon, 01 May 2000 11:27:55 -0400
My husband has never been able to tolerate poetry much, more's the pity. But he is quite passionate about music, both strictly instrumental and lyricized, though he clearly works from the position of notes before words! I gather that his bias against poetry evolved at an early age, and he's never spent the time to get far past it.
What he shared recently, though, was his most positive experience with poetry in school. The assignment was to memorize and recite a poem of choice to the class; he asked if he could recite a
(rather long!) set of song lyrics, and was given permission. He still remembers _that_ experience with poetry fondly today.
Nicole, you asked what foci are important in imbuing a love of the poetic? Having seen the fascination with music and lyrics in kids of my own generation as well as of the more recent one, I would suggest that you try to find the ways in which poetry is a part of their own lives, working from their own knowledge (and passion) base. Try different formulae -- have students set William Blake to music, or try to define popular music in terms of poetic styles; have them deconstruct their own favorite lyrics, or rework a favorite song in sonnet form. Poetry can be brilliant because it plays on not only the words but their rhythm
-- what closer sister can their be but music? And music is what most kids know and love.
Anyway, just some ideas!
Maia
-maia at littlefolktales.org www.littlefolktales.org
Received on Mon 01 May 2000 10:27:55 AM CDT
