When I see the word “Poetry” I am intimidated. Immediately I think: “Well, I will read this chapter, but I know that I won’t be using this genre and I don’t think I will teach my kids poetry!” In High School, and even in college, the only time poetry was meaningful in a class was when the teacher was able to make connections for us to the words. My leap therefore is: I am not a gifted enough student to make these connections on my own…so I could never make those connections for my kids so… I shouldn’t even attempt to do it.
What I appreciate about this chapter is that it reminds me that poetry can be about you, the person. The lessons and poetry represented in this chapter are accessible to everyone. I really liked the Acrostic poems because I think they would be a great way for ENL students to express themselves using simple words that they may already know. It would also be a great way for them to introduce themselves and their background to the class. Loved it!
The more time I spent thinking about my positive experiences surrounding poetry the more I am convinced that poetry can be a great community builder! AND I also think that they would be great first week activities for the class to get to know each other. Because it helps students express themselves it could also be a great way in which to deal with a death in the school or a tragic current event. Options are unlimited.
So I guess the questions remains: Why not teach poetry?
Keeping with the spirit of the chapter I would like to share one of my favorite poems by Mary Oliver:
Wild Geese
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.