Poetry Passion

We are down to our last 7 weeks of school.  We have started a poetry unit using the novel Bronx Masquerade and studying the Harlem Renaissance.  Most of the kids were really siked about doing poetry.  Everywhere I walk,  one of my students is pushing a poem at me to read.  It is pretty exciting to see them so invested.  We have been reading and presenting the poetry of published poets.  I started the unit with a pile of about 40 poems at various levels, by various poets, with diverse topics.  I did my best to match the poem to the student.  Most of the students loved their poems and couldn't wait to read them aloud.  I have one student who is very verbal and "bossy,"  but from her actions I can see some of her insecurities.  I gave her Phenomenal Woman and told her I think of her when I read it.  She read the poem.  As I walked by, she stopped me and said, "you think of me when you read this?"  I said, "Yes, I see a srong woman in you."  She got a little lift from that.  It was a good day of sharing and talking about the purposes of poetry.  We read  everything from "Where the Sidewalk" ends to "O' Captain, My Captain."    This week we will be digging into the cause and the impact of the Harlem Renaissance to scaffold the references in Bronx Masquerade.  We are also going to read a lot of Nikki Giovanni's poetry.  We will begin to write and revise several types of  poetry.  We will share our poetry along side some excellent high schools slam poets from one of the district high schools.  Finally, we plan to put all their poetry in an anthology for them to take home for the summer.   The pieces of this plan took me hours, days and weeks to collect, so I hope the end result is a group of kids that grow in their writing and reading of challening poetry.   Next year we are taking it around the world.  My plan is to explore poets of the world and deepen their understanding of form and meaning.  Poetry is an excellent way for them to begin to experience the pains and triumphs of other cultures.

I guess when it is all said and done, and these kiddos leave me to head to high school, I hope they are changed people in a global society.  I want them to leave middle school with a bigger picture of the world so that their mind is wide open for what high school and college have to offer.  It would be nice if I could truly "see" the effects of all they are exposed to through this reading class.  I am just going to have to trust God that something I am doing is helping improving the choices they will make in the world.