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poetry in school
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From: maggie_bo_at_comcast.net
Date: Wed, 09 Apr 2014 00:55:29 +0000 (UTC)
Just have to share how much fun we have in April at my middle school. Not that we don't enjoy poetry the rest of the year, but It's all poetry, all the time, in April. I send out a "poem of the day" to the staff, and I invite staff to share poems over email as well (which our email administrator kindly tolerates, as many of them are quite silly), and we have fun, low-key weekly contests as well for both students and staff. I have a whole poetry committee that helps me organize and judge the contests, and we post all appropriate entries on a large "poet-tree" out in the hall (which constantly needs more branches). The committee also gathers lessons and activities across various content areas for interested teachers to incorporate poetry in their lessons, and makes them available on the school's shared drive. The kids do a lot with poetry in their classes ... including "poetry cafes," where they select a poem to memorize and recite, while everyone enjoys tasty treats.
I honestly think one of the driving forces behind the success of poetry in our school is getting the teachers excited about it and having fun with it. Today, for instance, we had an email chain of haikus about facial hair going around, written by various staff members. Silly? Absolutely.
I knew we really were a "poetry" school when, back in January, a staff member sent me an email and said, "I know it's not April, but can we do a staff poetry contest this week to cheer everyone up?" I did, and, as usual, I got so many great responses I had to pick multiple "winners." :)
I also found it interesting that our kids chose Helen Frost's novel-in-verse Hidden, hands down, as their favorite book in the Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award program. It was not even a close call, and we had well over 200 kids voting. Usually, whatever our kids pick also turns out to be the state winner--but not so this year. I had to wonder if our kids' exposure and comfort with poetry made any difference in their choice. Maybe not, but it seems possible.
Maggie Bokelman Eagle View Middle School Mechanicsburg, PA
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Received on Tue 08 Apr 2014 07:56:11 PM CDT
Date: Wed, 09 Apr 2014 00:55:29 +0000 (UTC)
Just have to share how much fun we have in April at my middle school. Not that we don't enjoy poetry the rest of the year, but It's all poetry, all the time, in April. I send out a "poem of the day" to the staff, and I invite staff to share poems over email as well (which our email administrator kindly tolerates, as many of them are quite silly), and we have fun, low-key weekly contests as well for both students and staff. I have a whole poetry committee that helps me organize and judge the contests, and we post all appropriate entries on a large "poet-tree" out in the hall (which constantly needs more branches). The committee also gathers lessons and activities across various content areas for interested teachers to incorporate poetry in their lessons, and makes them available on the school's shared drive. The kids do a lot with poetry in their classes ... including "poetry cafes," where they select a poem to memorize and recite, while everyone enjoys tasty treats.
I honestly think one of the driving forces behind the success of poetry in our school is getting the teachers excited about it and having fun with it. Today, for instance, we had an email chain of haikus about facial hair going around, written by various staff members. Silly? Absolutely.
I knew we really were a "poetry" school when, back in January, a staff member sent me an email and said, "I know it's not April, but can we do a staff poetry contest this week to cheer everyone up?" I did, and, as usual, I got so many great responses I had to pick multiple "winners." :)
I also found it interesting that our kids chose Helen Frost's novel-in-verse Hidden, hands down, as their favorite book in the Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award program. It was not even a close call, and we had well over 200 kids voting. Usually, whatever our kids pick also turns out to be the state winner--but not so this year. I had to wonder if our kids' exposure and comfort with poetry made any difference in their choice. Maybe not, but it seems possible.
Maggie Bokelman Eagle View Middle School Mechanicsburg, PA
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Received on Tue 08 Apr 2014 07:56:11 PM CDT
