Tuesday, January 23, 2007

using memories

I'm going to be trying some poetry in my classroom over the next little while. It is suggested that one way to inspire students is for the teacher to write some of their own poetry.


blanket hog
When my wife
hogs the blanket,
the only thing to do
is yank it.

O.K. Maybe I'll try something a little more inspiring tomorrow.

What I'm really hoping to do is to make poetry part of the entire curriculum instead of saving it for a gigantic poetry unit in April. I want to link poetry to the real world. I think the best way for this to happen is if I become a poetry reader myself. If I read, then I will be able to find poems to read with my students which have personal meaning. I'll find an apple poem in the fall, a war poem when we study about current events, a poem about loss when someone in our community dies, a poem about living anytime.

I hope to, together, discover the joy of hearing our language used at its best...to hear the music of the words.

Some of you are already good at this. Perhaps you feel like sharing.

5 comments:

dinahmow said...

I am coming in on this post, but it probably has to do with the previous one.
You have a talent for word-weaving.Good writing, by use of metaphor, always
challenges the reader to stop and think and question.
Good teaching does this, too.I get the feeling your hat is comfortable on its hook because you put it there, not because someone told you to do it.

anna said...

That poem had me laughing. Very cute.

I love poetry, but can't write it to save my life. Your plan for making it a part of the entire curriculum throughout the school year is wonderful, I think.

Romeo Morningwood said...

I have never heard the expression 'blanket' before but I am familiar with the 'Yank It' part if (for whatever reason)
the blanket is unavailable.

valerie walsh said...

yes, blanket hog made me laugh out loud! Good one! I love what you said about finding the music in the words and since songs are poems with words and you love music not only will you be able to turn them on to some great poetry but also some great musical artists and songs they might never hear! I wish you were my teacher!

Anonymous said...

That sounds a great idea incorporating the poetry into the entire curriculum rather than just 1 unit.

Laura