Page 142 - Resources and Support for the Online Educator

Writing Poetry 73

Imagine your students presenting their own spoken poetry or hosting a poet -
ry slam for the school community. As Andrew Simmons explained, “Reading
original poetry aloud in class can foster trust and empathy in the classroom
community, while also emphasizing speaking and listening skills that are
often neglected in high school literature classes” (2014). When students read
poetry aloud, they gain a deeper understanding and are able to use tone,
pause, and vocal variation to suggest meaning.

Give them opportunities to read their poetry aloud in the classroom or other
settings. When I was a student, for example, my high school hosted monthly
coffeehouse evenings. Our school cafeteria was transformed into a coffeehouse,
and students would sign up to present, perform, and showcase their talents.
There were bands playing, spoken word, song, and even stand-up comedy. With
the lights dim and students gathered together after school hours, it showcased
students’ talents and passions as well as celebrated the arts. Allowing students
the time to write their own poems for a poetry slam, school-wide event, or just
for the classroom, can produce inspiring and moving outcomes.

Writing Poetry

Writing poetry builds on what students already know about language, words,
and figures of speech. When writing poetry, students are developing their
reading, writing, and thinking skills—all while playing with words, images,
sounds, rhythm, and ideas. Poets present vivid pictures through sensory im -
ages, words that appeal to sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. Someone
once told me that poems are like buildings, some are long and skinny, some-
times with only one word on a line. Others are wider with much longer lines.
The choice is personal: Each writer has to decide how their poem should
look and sound in order to convey their perspective and vision. Additionally,
poets also think of the blank space and make decisions where to pause, stay
silent, and leave something unsaid. Give your students the opportunity to try
a variety of poetry formats and styles, such as:

Biopoems or histopoems provide students with the opportunity to create
a biographical or historical summary about a topic or person. Each line

Excerpted from Chapter 4, “Poetry: Traditional, Visual, Makerspace.”

New Realms for Writing: Inspire Student Expression with Digital Age Formats 142