Why Teach Poetry?
Poetry is a powerful tool in education, offering unique benefits for students of all ages. It’s a fantastic way to unlock creativity, sharpen critical thinking skills, and even build emotional intelligence. Poetry can even help children remember lessons and values, making it a memorable and effective teaching method.
But how do you teach poetry effectively? It takes a multifaceted approach. You need to build background knowledge, encourage creative expression, and guide students toward meaningful analysis. It also requires flexibility, adapting your approach to suit different poems and different classes.
This guide provides a framework for teaching poetry in a way that helps students appreciate and understand poetry. We’ll cover strategies and techniques that you can use across grade levels to engage students and foster a love of language.
Building a Foundation: Encountering and Understanding Poetry
Before you can teach someone to write poetry, it’s important to help them appreciate and understand it. Here are some ideas for getting started.
Initial Exposure and Engagement
Multiple readings are key to understanding and enjoying poetry. Try reading the poem aloud several times, experimenting with pacing and emphasis.
Consider revealing the poem in sections, allowing students to react to each part as it’s introduced.
It’s important to establish a fun, positive learning environment. Some teachers find that a “poetry tea time” helps create a relaxed, enjoyable setting.
Expose students to a range of poems — short and long, rhyming and non-rhyming — to broaden their understanding of what poetry can be.
Understanding the Poem’s Core
Identifying the poem’s narrative is crucial for interpretation. Encourage students to summarize the poem in their own words.
For more challenging poems, provide some background information before diving into analysis.
Connecting the poem to students’ lives enhances their understanding and appreciation. Try to relate the poem to their own experiences or to other topics they’re learning in class.
Look for ways to connect poetry to other subjects in the curriculum, demonstrating its relevance and versatility.
Deepening Understanding: Analysis and Interpretation
Once your students have read the poem a few times, it’s time to dig a little deeper and really explore what the poem means and how it makes them feel.
Guiding Interpretation with a “Big Question”
One strategy is to frame a central question to guide your students’ analysis. A “Big Question” can help connect poems thematically, even if they seem very different on the surface. For example, you might ask, “How does the author of this poem feel about nature? How do you know?” Or, “What is the main message of this poem?”
Before jumping into a group discussion, give your students some time to think about the question on their own. Encourage them to highlight and annotate the poem, noting any descriptive language, sensory details, or feelings that stand out to them.
Collaborative Exploration and Annotation
After individual reflection, bring the class together to share their insights. Collective highlighting can be a great way to gather different interpretations and perspectives. As students share their thoughts, build upon their ideas and validate their insights. Let them know that there’s no single “right” answer and that different interpretations are welcome.
Annotation can also deepen understanding through critical engagement. Try different modes of discussion to encourage annotation. For example, you could ask students to choose just one word to describe the main character or to identify the most powerful image in the poem. By actively engaging with the text, students can develop a deeper appreciation for the poem’s meaning and artistry.
Fostering Creative Expression: Writing Poetry
I’ve found that the best way to get kids excited about poetry is to help them find their own voice on the page. Here’s my approach to teaching kids to write poetry:
Building Background and Brainstorming
Before you ask them to write a poem, find out what they already know about poems. I like to begin by asking students, “What do you know about poems?” Then, we create an anchor chart together, noting things they notice about poems.
Next, encourage students to brainstorm and connect with the subject matter personally. Brainstorming grids can be a great way to help students identify topics. I encourage them to focus on small moments in time and their personal feelings and emotions.
Modeling and Practice
It’s important to model poem creation and provide opportunities for student practice. I like to model how to fill out brainstorming grids and create simple sketches to get them started.
A multi-step approach works well, including modeling, partner work, and individual creation. Start with a shared example, then have them work with a partner, and finally, let them try writing their own poem.
It’s also helpful to introduce different types of poems and writing techniques. For example, you might teach them about small moment poems or acrostic poems. The key is to focus on descriptive words, senses, and feelings. This helps them tap into their creativity and express themselves in a meaningful way.
Reinforcing Learning and Building Confidence
Once you’ve introduced a poem to your students, how can you help them truly learn and appreciate it? Regular review, along with opportunities for performance, can help solidify their understanding and build their confidence.
Regular Review and Retrieval
The more you revisit a poem, the more likely your students are to remember it and make connections between that poem and others you study. Try these techniques:
- Regularly revisit poems using retrieval methods.
- Use quick quizzes to help students recall details.
- Use image-based prompts to spark recall.
- Try thematic mapping exercises to help students see connections.
Consider designating a “poetry crush” each week. This can help maintain enthusiasm and engagement by allowing students to focus on a particular poem they love.
Performance and Recitation
Memorizing and reciting poetry builds confidence and helps students internalize the rhythm and meaning of the words.
- Memorize the poem in smaller chunks.
- Recite the poem as a group.
- Provide opportunities for individual recitation.
Encourage students to perform the poem in front of the class or at a school recital. This is a great way for them to share their love of poetry with others.
Summary
Teaching poetry can be a deeply rewarding experience, both for you and your students. When you share poems with your students, you’re fostering critical thinking, creative expression, and emotional intelligence.
By using the strategies discussed here – encouraging authentic student response, carefully framing those first encounters with poetry, and more – you can cultivate a lifelong love of poetry in your students.
Poetry offers a special lens for understanding ourselves and the world around us. It has the power to inspire us, to capture intense emotions in a few memorable phrases, and to help us connect with others in meaningful ways. By teaching poetry, you’re giving your students a gift that will last a lifetime.