Poetry Podcast - Embracing Poetry As Reader and Writer
Literacy experts Sharon and Phil Callen from Cue Learning joined me recently to talk about ways to bring poetry to life in the classroom.
Here for your listening enjoyment is the link to that learning conversation:
Poetry Podcast - Embracing Poetry As Reader And Writer.
EPISODE NOTES
In the ongoing discussion about the importance of poetry for literacy, this episode draws on the important insights and practical tips from highly experienced education expert Alan Wright.
Alan is an education consultant and author who has worked extensively in the United States and Australia, promoting best practice in primary and secondary schools and at a systems level.
While based in New York (2001-2006) Alan worked across primary, middle and high schools supporting teachers, school districts, regions and school leadership teams, effecting improved learning outcomes for students in literacy.
This consultancy work took him into more than 100 schools, predominantly in the urban schools of the New York City School System. Working with the New York Board of Education, he provided training for literacy coaches for NYC schools, writing curriculum resources, producing instructional videos and providing professional development institutes for teachers across the city.
As an educator within the Victorian school system , Alan amassed extensive experience as a classroom teacher, staff developer, regional consultant and school administrator (Assistant Principal and Principal).
Currently, based in Mornington, Victoria, Australia, Alan continues to provide consultancy support across schools and networks. His current work is Australia wide and continues to be focused on delivering effective literacy programs.
In this interview, Alan talks about:
- The purpose of poetry
- How to get kids to embrace poetry
- How poetry supports young writers
- Developing the classroom library and other ways to embed poetry in class
- Crafting poetry tips
Resources mentioned in this episode:
ALAN WRIGHT BLOGS
Living Life Twice: https://livinglifetwice-alwrite.blogspot.com/
Poetry Pizzazz: https://alanjwrightpoetrypizzazz.blogspot.com/
AMAZON
Igniting Writing: When A Teacher Writes by Alan Wright https://www.amazon.com.au/Igniting-Writing-When-Teacher-Writes/dp/1742397646
BOOKTOPIA
What the Poemster Found - by Alan Wright https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/5b5PAD
Searching for Hen’s Teeth - by Alan Wright https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/LPK3n3
I Bet There’s No Broccoli on the Moon - by Alan Wright https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/DVyzQG
Bindi - by Kirli Saunders (verse novel) https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/jWeAzb
Worse Things - by Sally Murphy and Sarah Davis (verse novel) https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/kjOGzx
Love That Dog - by Sharon Creech https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/159Q16
PEGI WILLIAMS BOOKSHOP
Shop address: 30 Smith Street, Walkerville https://www.pegiwilliams.com.au/home.asp
PAUL KELLY INTERVIEW
Paul Kelly podcast: Music Legend Paul Kelly on - Why Poetry? https://the-teachers-tool-kit-for-literacy.simplecast.com/episodes/music-legend-paul-kelly-on-poetry
NIKKI GRIMES (US POET)
Website: https://www.nikkigrimes.com/
MICHAEL ROSEN (UK POET)
Website: https://www.michaelrosen.co.uk/
TED KOOSER (US POET)
Website: https://www.tedkooser.net/
RALPH FLETCHER (AUTHOR)
Website: http://ralphfletcher.com/
Connect with Cue Learning
Join our community on Facebook for exclusive resources, Q and A, discussions, insights and more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/teacherstoolkitforliteracy
Got any questions? Feedback? Thoughts? Email Phil: phil@cuelearning.com.au
The Teacher’s Tool Kit For Literacy is the free podcast for motivated teachers and school leaders who want the latest tips, tricks and tools to inspire their students and school community in literacy learning.
Hear from literacy experts and founders of Cue Learning, Sharon and Phil Callen, and special guests.
At Cue Learning, our literacy specialists draw on over 30 years of teaching and international consulting experience to deliver world-class learning solutions. We equip, empower and support teachers to become their authentic selves.
To find out about upcoming events, and about how Cue can help you and your school, visit the Cue Learning website http://www.cuelearning.com.au/ and sign up to our newsletter https://cuelearning.com.au/contact/
And you can get even more amazing teaching resources, right now, at Teachific https://www.teachific.com.au/.
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Embracing Poetry As Both Reader and Writer
- How do we see a purpose for writing poetry?
It’s always been a smoother, more precise way of saying something. Poetry looks different on the page, and often sounds different to the ear. It is unique. It can makes us laugh, cry, take action. It embraces mud and flowers with equal fervour. It informs, educates us by allowing the truth to sneak up on us. The words endure long after the poet who wrote them. Memorable words that become engrained That’s why it retains a special place in the literary framework. Poems suggest and then they leave us to do the figuring out
- How do we make it a part of thinking/talking?
By setting it free- releasing it from the narrow constraints of set work units and ‘poetry month’ and allow it to spread out like honey to permeate and sweeten our daily existence.
By buying our own poetry books. By insisting our school libraries make a point of acquiring new, contemporary titles!
By agitating for it to be seen in our bookshops. By asking for it to be designated its own sections among children’s literature titles.
- How do we get kids choosing and using it?
We must embrace it in its many forms. Bring it into the classroom. Share it. Read it listen to it. Model it in our own writing repertoires. Be risk takers and explore poetry’s broad terrain, its lush landscape.
- How do we use it’s incredible qualities to support young writers?
In order to do this, those of us charged with teaching poetry must curate our own collections. We must quarantine time to read poetry closely to extract a little of its magic. Use think aloud strategies to highlight what we see and hear when poetry is made visible. Highlights it’s literary devices, use them ourselves. Write in the style of poets we ourselves admire. Write under the influence and invite the inexperienced poets in our care to follow our lead.
- How do we use poetry as a communication tool?
Poetry crosses many cultures and is centuries old. It has been used throughout time as a vehicle for protest, social change and education. It has multiple application from humour to illumination of societal issues. It has strong and enduring connections to music. Poetry has enable to experience its capacity to communicate with readers across this vast spectrum pretty much all my life.
- How do we link to the Classroom Library and great children’s literature?
Classroom libraries should be brimming with quality literature and this includes broad spectrum poetry. The titles representative of a broad range of genres. The library should be dynamic with titles changing and new offerings available to spark engagement. The diversity of the library should aim at meeting the diversity of the student’s lives. Young readers must be able to see themselves and their lives depicted across the literature
- How can we embed poetry writing more regularly into our classrooms? What is the best timing?
We begin to embed poetry by sharing our own writing of poetry. Teachers can have a powerful influence on how poetry is received. We can make it accessible and inviting.
Attitude is everything. The best time is anytime really. To start and end the school day. To launch an investigation, shared reading, read aloud. To fill a time gap. To celebrate. To start a conversation. Allow poetry to permeate the day and awaken the hearts of potential young poets. Link it to mathematics, science, physical education, sport. Every area of the curriculum can become a poetry receptacle.
- How do we develop Mini Lessons in writing poetry?
We begin with immersion. Ted Kooser, American poet –We need to read at least 100 poems before we write one. You can’t write what you don’t know. Lessons documenting discoveries, documenting poetry secrets in notebooks and on charts. Identifying poetry patterns line breaks, repetition, refrain. Devices such as alliteration, assonance, rhyme, simile, metaphor, onomatopoeia. Shared reading, teacher modelling, shared writing, group and partner writing. Play word games. Develop vocabulary –synonyms, antonyms, verbs, adjectives ,nouns. Teach from general to specific.
Expose the inexperienced poets to a variety of short, accessible poetry forms such as list poems, lunes, haiku, tanka, question poems to ensure initial experiences are more likely to result in success. Avoid rhyme until such times as engagement is high then work with rhyming couplets.
- How do we go about crafting poems?
We bring our very best words to the page and then try to squeeze them into tight spaces. It is this action that helps to create poetic sparks for the reader. Keep writing until your best words appear. Learn to distance yourself from the words and then review them through fresh eyes. We must be mindful in teaching the young writer to read their chosen words out loud. Poetry must look right on the page but it must also sound right to our ears. We must teach line breaks, white s Shared writing is an opportunity to highlight so many aspects of writing. Form and genre, sentence structure, word use, dialogue, literary elements. It shines a light on writing craft, writing processes and alerts the young writer to style devices they might employ in their own writing. It makes the construction part of the process visible, digestible and accessible. It’s a valuable pre- writing strategy.
pace, the notion of stanzas.
- Writers Notebooks -use, and tracking our writing
All the published poetry I have written first emerged in one of my writer’s notebook. It’s the place where I play with words and ideas. It’s where my fragile first words spread onto the page. They nestle there until they are strong enough to be moved into the light. It is a writing tool, a friend. A travel companion. It needs to be with you just in case an idea springs to mind. Most of our best ideas come to us when we are indulged in activities other than writing. Notebooks are not just for school. They are not just for English lessons or writer’s workshop.
- Reading like a writer
It effectively takes years to develop this important skill. As teachers we must learn it in order to most effectively teach writing. It slows our reading down and it enables us to more clearly see the craft behind the words on the page.
- Poetry writing at different year levels
In the early years of poetry I focus on poetry’s recurring patterns. Short forms of poetry and the use of repetition. List poems, lunes and are good to use at this point. We also have fun with creating whole class poems where each child contributes a line. We write object poems, Ekphrastic poetry, persona poems and poetry of place poems. Paint Sample poems are also introduced at this point. We play with alliteration and words that rhyme. We read a lot of poetry out loud. Choral reading is a great way to encourage engagement and deepen understanding. We add sound and focus on rhythm and beat.
With older more experienced poets you begin to add more complex forms such as odes, ballads, narrative verse, free verse forms, Etheree, Nonet, Triversen, Tanka and rhyming couplets. Found poetry forms such as blackout poems, found haiku. Rant poetry, Emotion and Persona Poems and Six room Poems. Performance poetry and poetry jams also begin to be introduced.
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