National Poetry Month: What I Discovered
It is the first time that I have saturated three grade levels (3rd-5th) with poetry all month. It made sense, these students have been engaged in state tests all month. I wanted library time to be a respite. It was worth it.
I discovered:
conversations about poetry increased with staff and students.
one teacher wrote poetry with her students for “Poem in Your Pocket Day”.
I have poems for this blog until school is out.
a way to teach how to write the pantoum form with students. I did this for Earth Day.
I need to post more than Poetry Friday with poems. (and I will)
I may have connected with a third grade student for the first time when I published his haiku poem about hating haiku.
Students you least expect will deliver amazing words in poems.
This next week I am working with a fourth grade class to finish their “ring, drum, and blanket” poems. I posted a comment on Wild Rose Reader about this poem eluding me.
Janet Wong posted a suggestion and I ran with it. I am going to have the students revise a bit and I hope to have them for the post next week. But some of the drafts are amazing.
As far as my own goal of 30 days =30 poems? I wrote 26 poems during the month. Not quite my goal but I am learning lessons,letting go of my perfectionism.
I am really happy with my poem, “For My Granddaughter”.
Thank you, Elaine for the copy of The Llama Who had No Pajama. I can’t wait to get it.
Kelly at Big A, little a is rounding up poems today.
May 2nd, 2008 at 7:57 am
Jone,
“Students you least expect will deliver amazing words in poems.” How right you are! I discovered the same thing, too.
Don’t forget to email me your address so I can send you your poetry prize.
May 3rd, 2008 at 6:41 am
I need to go make my own list of discoveries about Poetry Month and about my decision to give up read aloud one day a week for Poetry Friday in my classroom!!
May 6th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
I love the monthly review you’ve done here. It makes me realized that I need to incorporate poetry into my readings to my daughter’s class.
Oh, btw, I’m enjoying the bird design on your blog.
May 7th, 2008 at 4:55 am
Sounds like it was a good and productive month!
May 9th, 2008 at 8:26 am
I like the new design too, Mother Reader. I am heading over to your blog, Mary Lee to read about your decision.