Help Poetry Thrive In The Classroom
As the schools year gets into swing, it is timely to talk about the place of poetry in the classroom. If we want young learners to view poetry books with a sense of enthusiastic anticipation we need to alert them to its potential. If we want young learners to have an answer to the question “ And tell me, who is your favorite poet?” then we must expose them to the world of poetry and its various forms. In exposing students to poetry we need to let them hear poetry, see poetry and feel the impact that poetry can have on the reader and listener. When we take this approach, students will begin to develop personal tastes in poetry. They will speak with authority about their preferred poets; their preferred styles. They will begin to truly know poetry. Poetry should sit comfortably along side other writing genres in a young writer's mind. It deserves to have a visible presence in every writer's notebook. In The Beginning… When beginning this journey I frequently conduct a workshop
