Pass the Poetry, Please!

Why We Must Share Poetry With Our StudentsDr. Susan Knell

Pittsburg State Universitysknell@pittstate.edu

“…nothing---no thing---can ring and rage through hearts and minds

as does this genre of literature.”---Lee Bennett Hopkins

“…most important, it can be a source of love and hope that

children can carry with them the rest of their lives.”

--Lee Bennett Hopkins

http://www.leebennetthopkins.com/

Emmy Fite I always started with nursery rhymes to introduce my children (my own, those for whom I babysat, and students I taught) to poetry. It's a "gift" that stays with them forever and can be passed down to their own children. (I feel the same way about books that repeat a passage over & over throughout its pages, or songs that repeat refrains ) These rhymes, poems, passages, and songs become their "security blanket " throughout life. :)

Chelsea Glynn I always tell my students that poetry is a way to attempt to capture those moments and feelings that churn deep inside of you. Whether it's an incredibly happy moment or one of despair, poetry is an outlet to try to funnel those feelings into words that can connect to others. From silly to sincere, there's a poem for everyone to write, and the beauty of poetry is that it's as unique as the poet who penned it!

Ann Suzuki Foos They are fun to read and it help young readers with fluency!

Charlene Lingo They touch feelings that otherwise would remain unspoken.

Connie Taylor Peace They love listening to the words of songs. I use this to help them understand the importance voice, diction, and style. Then we learn about about concise and full of imagery they are. Then we talk about how poetry is meant to be read aloud. Then I wonder if it is meant to be read aloud, why is it on the NC State

Final Exam!!!�

Sherry Jopp Turnbull Poetry helps students express the imagery in their heads and develop a love of the sounds and fluency of language.

Dotty Wooley Have you noticed that every president chooses a poet to read something profound to the people in our great land ! I was quite young, but I still remember Robert Frost reading a poem at John Kennedys swearing in.

https://youtu.be/cFFhEh-UbU4

2016 Winner

Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award

Why Children May Learn To Dislike Poetry

• Teachers who don’t appreciate poetry tend to ignore it.

• Children are asked to memorize poetry• Heavy-duty analyzing of a poem’s structure and

meaning• Learning only certain poetry forms• Making children write poetry during poetry units

How Teachers Can Build an Appreciation for Poetry

• Find light, humorous verse from Silverstein, Prelutsky, and others

• Use humorous poetry as a bridge to more sophisticated poetry

• Make poetry a part of everyday routines• Read poems aloud regularly, just for fun• Share poems that are personally delightful

Building a Poetry CollectionPoetry anthologies

Single-poem picture books

Poetry books by one poet

What I Know For Sure About Poetry for Children

• Listening to and writing poems should be pleasurable, not painful.

• The more a child hears a variety of poems read and are immersed in it everyday, the more appreciation they’ll have for it.

• Modeling is crucial. Children need to hear you read poems you like. Only read aloud poems you love.

• Never read a poem without practice. Your voice should give meaning to the poem.

• De-mystify a poem. Avoid line by line analysis.

• Poetry teaches kids to read.• Poetry makes us laugh.• Poetry is the ultimate genre.• Poetry will give voice to the experiences of

life.

Teachers have a responsibility to know the world of children’s poetry. They have the ability to turn ambivalence

into enthusiasm, thus building in children a lifelong appreciation.

Why poetry?Why?Why sunsets?Why trees?Why birds?Why seas?Why you?Why me?Why friends?Why families?Why laugh?Why cry?Why hello?Why good-bye?Why poetry? That’s why!

Tried and True Ways to Incorporate Poetry Into Your

Everyday Routines

Make poetry a part of your daily routine: in the morning, after lunch, or whenever youchoose. This should be a comfortable, easy period during the day to look forward to.

* Have poetry read-in times. Provide a notebook for students to sign up to read one of their favorite poems. This activity will be

successful only after you've been readingpoetry to them for a while. Model by signing up yourself and

sharing your favorite poems.

* Set up poetry anthologies on a table or low shelf where children will have easy access

to them.

* Have a "Poet-tree" on your wall or door. Make or buy a tree shape, then have students look up poems to be written and illustrated and then hung on the tree. The tree can be left up all year and you may ask students to look for poems of certain themes, seasons, or certain poets. Be sure to have students write down the poet's name and also write down who illustrated the poem (Which is them!). You can save the poems each time you change them and at the end of the year give them back to the students to compile into their own poetry book.

Create a "Poet of the month" using a bulletin board and a tabletop display to highlight a particular poet each month. Tack up biographical information and examples of his/herwork. Older students can research information or write to publishers asking for any pictures and information that can be sent. The tabletop would include anthologies or books of poetry by the poet, recordings of the poems, and objects that might relate to some of the poems.

* Take "Poetry walks" around the room. Have poems tacked up on the wall around the classroom. Each day take the class on a walk to visit a certain poem. Read the poem to them, have them read with you or individually. You may spend a few minutes discussingelements of the poem or maybe a certain reading skill the class can learn through them. But don't spend too much time analyzing poetry. You want students to learn to love poetry, not to hate it

* Have a "Poetry Break!" Ring a bell and have everyone stop what they're doing while

you read a favorite poem or two. It gives a needed break for everyone and is fun!

Provide a "Poetry jar". Place a clean glass jar on a table in your poetry comer. Put a different object in the jar at the beginning of each week. Then ask students to 'look for poetry that mentions or describes the object Leave a pencil and paper beside the jar for those who want to sit, observe, and then create their own poems. Set aside time at the end of the week for children to share poems they have found or written.

Seasonal sonnets can be created each month be having students find poems that are characteristic of that time of the year or that feature holidays and events that will take place during the month. Have students copy the poems onto a clean sheet of paper, frame them with colorful construction paper, and display on a classroom wall.

* Tie in poetry with other forms of literature. After students have finished reading a book, ask them to find a poem that reflects the book's subject or theme.

http://www.slideshare.net/susanhknell/kra-poetry-presentation-66486558