Poetry Top 10: A Foolproof Formula for Teaching Poetry
Author(s): Mara Linaberger
Reviewed work(s):
Source: The Reading Teacher, Vol. 58, No. 4 (Dec., 2004 - Jan., 2005), pp. 366-372
Published by: International Reading Association
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MARA
10: A
top
Poetry
LINABERGER
for
poetry
teaching
Examples of student work and a top 10 list
included in this article make
formula
foolproof
Fear factor
it easy to teach
can all remember
We
a particular
class
college-level
English
us to read selected
poetry
in which
high school or
the teacher re
poems from a large and
of long-dead poets. I
ominous-looking
anthology
can clearly remember the fear I felt when one such
quired
What is it about teaching poetry that teach
ers find so threatening?
Is it the premise
Is
that poetry has to rhyme? (It doesn't.)
it the argument that poetry has to follow a specific
or meter?
(It doesn't.) Or is it the idea that
poetry has to use big words and be hard to under
stand in order to be considered
great? (It doesn't.)
It seems
share these misin
teachers
that many
pattern
ideas about what makes
great poetry and
assume that teaching children
therefore mistakenly
to write poetry is beyond their ability.
formed
our personal feelings about po
as
teachers we must endeavor to teach po
etry are,
our
to
Perfect (1999) explained why:
students.
etry
No matter what
Itnurtures a love and appreciation for the sound and
power of language. Poetry can help us see differently,
understand ourselves and others, and validate our hu
man
experience.
motes
personal
It...enhances
thinking
Such
connections....
skills,
attributes
and
pro
deserve
a closer look. (p. 728)
to tackle
at my
looking
demonstrate
the subject with young students. By
successful
attempts to teach poetry, I
how to skillfully
incorporate the writ
ing of poetry into the classroom
using
others and relying upon the skills many
ideas from
teachers
al
ready possess.
366
poet.
I also recall
tomimic
in my at
that I failed miserably
the poet's rhymed meter. This may
to do with my discomfort
teaching
tempts
have something
or writing rhymed poetry today.
There also may be other reasons
other
fears.
for my (and
(1999) noted that
a teacher's perceived
need
Perfect
teachers')
these fears may include
to have skill in the teaching of poetry methods
and
an
as
as
to
how
of
well
conventions,
understanding
that, "by
analyze and interpret poetry. She believed
each of these, teachers may be convinced
discussing
to dismantle
their fears or negative feelings and be
come willing
to give poetry a new try" (p. 731).
ele
It is sad that many
teachers, particularly
do not approach
the
school
teachers,
at
all.
Some
of
attempt to
poetry writing
teaching
value by reading from an
acknowledge
poetry's
thologies now and then, while others focus on read
mentary
As a third-grade
teacher who long held many
ideas about the teaching of poetry, I
ill-conceived
some of the ways
I have
will attempt to address
found
asked me to voice my opinion about the
a particular poem. Even worse,
I can
of
meaning
remember being asked to write in the style of that
instructor
?
2004
International Reading Association
Poetry
ing a particular poet during U.S. National
is simply not
Month.
However,
reading poetry
enough. What happens all too often when teachers
to only read poems with students is that the
of the
students become confused by the complexity
to try
them reluctant
often makes
poetry, which
their own poems.
writing
choose
(pp. 366-372)
doi:10.1598/RT.58.4.6
FIGURE1
Sources
for poetry
ideas
Books
In the Palm of Your Hand: The Poet's Portable Workshop (Steve Kowit, 1995, Tilbury House)
The Practice of Poetry: Writing Exercises From Poets Who Teach (Robin Behn, 1992, HarperResource)
Rose, Where Did You Get That Red? Teaching Great Poetry to Children (Kenneth Koch, 1990, Random House)
Wishes, Lies, and Dreams: Teaching Children to Write Poetry (Kenneth Koch, 1999, HarperCollins)
Websites
www.poetryteache_rs.com
www.gigg!epptz_?pm/kidsp_
www.ppet_s_.prg
www.nesbf^
\_/
teachers who do choose to approach po
etry writing arm themselves with rhyming diction
teachers even provide
lists. Some
aries or word
their students with fill-in-the-blank
poems inwhich
Many
are already
laid
and rhyming couplets
the student has to do is provide particular
in the
the poem, much
parts of speech to complete
a
or
of
Lib.
This
rebus
Mad
of
type
writing
style
can often do more harm than good in inspiring chil
dren to write poetry. Little or no original thinking is
such scripted tasks,
required in order to complete
and students end up with no foundation for the cre
in getting students to write poetry in
then you can too! Figure
the elementary classroom,
some
sources
for poetry ideas.
1 lists
I can succeed
the meter
out. All
ative aspects of open-ended
poetry writing.
That is not to say that reading poetry aloud or
is bad. It's
students write rhymed poems
having
love poetry?
just that young students generally
more
it
love
read, and,
important, they
they
hearing
are unafraid to try to imitate it. Rhymed poetry can
to create, and, often, young stu
be quite difficult
rhymed poems end up sounding stale or trite.
I have found through trial and error that even a first
in the style of a favorite
grader can write poetry
that
and
modern,
author,
unrhymed poetry gener
ally works best.
to write
to teach students
free
Attempting
dents'
verse poetry may seem like a daunting task, but I'll
I decided to take the
share a secret with you. When
to
teach
and
my students to write
attempt
plunge
come
not
to
I
have
did
up with the ideas or
poetry,
I capitalized
Rather,
upon the
prompts myself.
work of other poets and added a few techniques
that I had learned for improving
reading compre
some of the prompts of poet
hension.
By mixing
the Author"
the "Questioning
Beck
and
of
Isabel
Margaret McKeown
techniques
to
I
love
students
(1998),
got my
writing poems. If
Kenneth
Koch
with
Poetry
Learninq to write again
to be a famous poet when
but
school,
my misguided
experience
to write
in the style of a classical
poet
I had a secret desire
Iwas
in high
trying
squelched
this passion. My fear of poetry didn't
until the summer of 2000 when I attend
disappear
ed the Western
Summer
Project's
Pennsylvania
Writing
Institute,
by the National
sponsored
Project, and had the good fortune to work
Writing
with published
poet
have known
Roberts.
Len
Mr.
Roberts
during that two-day work
to get me to write poetry
his
that
attempts
shop
me
a passion not only about
inspire in
again would
my own poetry writing but also about the writing of
couldn't
my
students.
I found the
working with Len Roberts,
to
to
and
read my work aloud
courage
colleagues
as a writer during
generally came to think of myself
a
summer afternoons. Purchasing
those sweltering
After
self-published
guidebook
etry from Mr. Roberts
for teaching free-verse po
entitled To Write a Poem
(2000), I headed back to my classroom,
that I could teach kids to write poetry
could actually write
confident
I
because
itmyself.
Tryingother ideas
At
several
of a colleague,
the suggestion
books written
by Kenneth
top 10: A foolproof
formula
for
teaching
I purchased
Koch. They
poetry
367
included
POETRY TOP 10:
AN ACTION PLAN
You Get
Red?
Great
Teaching
Poetry
to
to children,
by reading great poetry
ple: Begin
to
discuss
it, and then have the children
attempt
of writ
write poetry afterward. The fundamentals
ing poetry will come through the imitation process.
In Koch's
(1998) words, "A transfer takes place: by
a
young poet can possess what has taken
reading,
of years to develop"
to teach poetry
Preparing
hundreds
first and foremost
(p. 71).
I
in my classroom,
a
and
writer,
myself
considered
to help
then I turned to the resources I had collected
was
to
to
I
thrilled
students
my
begin writing poetry.
have a whole host of prompts to try out with my stu
a poem.
Look at the poem you read again. What did you like
about it?Was it the length of the lines?Was it the sub
ject matter? Or was it something else? Try out one of
the poet's ideas, borrow a line from the poem, or write
your own poem in the same style as the poet you've
just read. This will give you insight on whether a poetry
prompt will work or not.
4. Read your poem to a friend (or to your students).
This is the hard part. Few of us tiketo share our writing
with others, but having your work read by others isone
of the best ways to understand the processes to which
you will be subjecting your students.
I started simply by using topics from Koch's
Wishes, Lies, and Dreams
(1999). These poems and
to my students.
accessible
ideas were immediately
dents.
to share,
students' examples
plenty of Koch's
with
this
and
built
confidence,
up
my young poets
Iwas able to explore poetry writing fur
foundation
on to Rose, Where Did You Get That
ther. Moving
from
I selected personal
favorites
Red? (1990),
With
with
of adult poetry, complete
anthology
on how to approach teaching them. The
suggestions
are
two poems crafted by my third-grade
following
idea to read
students after we used Kenneth Koch's
Koch's
5. Borrow a poetry lesson.
This is an easy way to start teaching poetry writing to
students. Find a book on teaching poetry, a website, or
a list of poetry prompts that you like.Try someone
else's poetry lesson to see what works with your stu
dents and what doesn't. This will help you to eventually
build your own effective poetry lessons.
6. Integrate what you know.
Instead of reinventing the wheel, take a method you've
learned somewhere else and try itas you read a poem
to your students. Use questioning or reading compre
hension techniques to get at the underlying ideas of a
poem or to lookat the poem's structure inorder to imi
tate it.
'The Tyger," "The Lamb,"
Blake's poems
and "The Sick Rose" and followed Koch's discus
William
sion suggestions.
The Relic
Relic why did thou die? Igot cancer.
How old are you? Iam 23 continued existences
old.
7. Create your own poetry lesson.
Now that you are more comfortable with poetry ingen
eral and have taught someone else's poetry lesson, see
what you can think up yourself. Perhaps share one of
the poems you've written or a student's poem, and use
it as the model for your new poetry lesson.
8. Share your students'poems.
Be sure to find opportunities to share your students'
poems. Create displays or anthologies for students,
Who is your birth mother? Idon't know.
What is your name? Rex the third.
Why do you eat people? Because Ican't find noth
ing else.
Would it help if Ifind you something to eat? Yes
please.
Where do you live? No where.
Dakota H.
The Ugly Duckling
Ugly duckling, ugly duckling
Thee Ihave come through to you
(continued)
Vol. 58, No. 4
That
and Writing Poetry
(1998).
of Reading
three texts helped me realize that it is not
such a great step to go from writing poetry to teach
ing children how to do it. Koch's premises are sim
classroom.
Teacher
Teaching
These
2. Ask questions of the poet
Have an innerdialogue with the poet you've just read.
What was he or she trying to tell you? What was the
main idea the author wanted you to take from the
poem? Can you see yourself writing inthe style of the
poet? Try to imagineyourself thinking likethat poet.
The Reading
and Dreams:
Pleasures
1. Read great poetry.
Use your own definition of "great" poetry. Itdoesn't
matter what sort of poetry you read, just pick some
thing that you enjoy. The most important thing you can
do is get to know a poem yourself and understand why
it speaks to you before attempting to use it inyour
368
Lies,
Children (1990); andMaking YourOwn Days: The
To help you with your preparations, I'vealso developed a
list of the top 10 things you can do inorder to embark on
teaching poetry inyour own classroom.
3. Write
Wishes,
Children toWrite Poetry (1999); Rose, Where Did
December
2004/January
2005
Take care, you can come through
To whom itmay concern
That once inawhile itmay
Come through to you Imay
Be able to take care of what you
Are, what you wear, that's what I
Concern. You could do what I
Do. One day put makeup on
Lipstick FUBU the size of 3 in 1half
Why don't you do that?
Why don't you take showers?
Lake bath is nice for you
Why not use your feathers
For the red, white and blue
Flag. For the whiteness on the flag.
Tyvenna
Dakota
so many
meaning
POETRY TOP 10:
AN ACTION PLAN (continued)
teachers,
9.
lessons.
your poetry
some really unique poetry
that you've created
les
and have student
to document
their ef
examples
your
lessons
your
successes.
your
so that
colleagues
You might even
lesson for other teach
with
poetry
ers to try.
to. Publish!
After all of this hardwork, find a proper outlet to share
the creative results of your hardwork with the world.
Consider
these two student poets
images. However,
went well beyond any expectations
I had had for
I have for this
their writing. The only explanation
occurrence
is that the students had gained true in
word
spiration
the ensuing
Share
files.
share
fectiveness,
can
duplicate
they
consider
publishing
N.
of Blake's
to keep
own
sons
trying to show us. We talked about the words thee
and thou, and what they meant. We noticed Blake's
use of questions,
the animal themes, and the use of
the reading
discussion.
Remember
your
Now
poems
and
publishing
in a children's
magazine
or a schol
what
a particular
arly journal.
and Tyvenna's
poems surprised me on
the
levels. As a class, we had discussed
was
of Blake's
poems and the ideas he
from
to see.
and parents
copies of the student poems for their portfolios and
that they do not simply explain
text should mean to students.
the Author
ismuch more than just
Questioning
a set of questions
for comprehension.
The method
a
with
series
of
begins
initiating queries. Teachers
are encouraged
to preread and mark the student text
in order
to determine
key points
for discussion.
A
to
series of questions
is used
secondary
follow up on main
ideas and to turn back to the
on ideas and
to elaborate
students
text, allowing
in order
make
Integratingwhat you know
own explorations
into teaching
poetry
My
didn't stop at merely
relying upon the borrowed
prompts of poets and authors. Having
completed
the
training in a technique known as Questioning
Author with Isabel Beck and Margaret McKeown
(1998) from theUniversity of Pittsburgh, I began to
their program's
I decided
of writing.
think about
ability to adapt
to forge ahead
to the
in my
to
it
the
of
poetry
writing
by adapting
teaching
I
knew.
methods
already
questioning
as a method
for "making public and
Described
of
the
available
the process
comprehension,"
subject
the Author approach attempts to give
Questioning
that help the stu
teachers questioning
techniques
dent to find deeper meaning
through modeling
what
excellent
readers
(Beck & McKeown,
teachers focus
help
do when
they read silently
1998, p. 7). These techniques
in such a way
their questions
Poetry
Beck,
(McKeown,
meaning
collaboratively
&
Hamilton,
Kucan,
1999).
The thinking and planning
that these methods
me
more
of
did
than
change the way I ap
required
with my students.
proached reading comprehension
I noticed that I started to look at my favorite poems
in new ways too. After using these techniques with
third-grade reading groups for a number of months,
I began to formulate a plan for using the question
in poetry, as well
ing techniques to uncover meaning
as to discover
I decided
conventions used by poets.
to try out these questioning
tech
aWilliam
Carlos Williams
poem enti
the writing
niques with
tled "This Is Just to Say." Prior to class, Imarked
the text, determining
points at which we might talk
about the author's intent and chosen writing meth
in
ods. We began with a lengthy class discussion
which
"What
students
answered
is the author
initiating queries such as
(Beck &
talking about?"
McKeown,
1998, p. 15). Then I asked students my
own questions
such as
about the poet's methods,
top 10: A foolproof
formula
for
teaching
poetry
369
"Do you notice anything
about the way the poet
see
writes?
Can you
any particular
patterns?"
Students
took
this even
further,
discussing
use of short
Williams's
lines,
but vivid
stanzas, and simple
the use of questions,
language. Through
style and con
they were able to uncover Williams's
ventions, which
they then used to create their own
are two stu
poems. The following
"apologetic"
that came out of that lesson.
dent poems
his audience
a backhanded
recog
apology while
simple words full of im
the power of using
illustrates
agery. I believe my students' writing
Butler's
contention
that
the
(2002)
"Using
writing
can yield effective
of others to teach writing
and
nizing
benefits
long-lasting
to write convincingly
going beyond
ing to a more
a mere
that give students confidence
on their own" (p. 2). By my
discussion
of a poem's mean
detailed
of a poet's
discussion
writ
students were more
ing conventions, my
easily able
to create similar poems of their own.
Using the work of poets and incorporating what
I knew allowed me to grow and change inmy teach
On the Bed
forgive me
for jumping
on the bed
to tackle
I now have the confidence
ing methods.
the subject of poetry without
fear. These practices
have also allowed me to recognize
and internalize
which you
were going
to sleep
on
that "Poets
(1998) statement
by the work of other poets" (p. 83).
Koch's
but the
bed
is so fun,
The proof is in the poem
bouncy, and soft
I loved
It
With
Kyara
kinds
of changes
student writing.
good
and they were
chocolate chip-licious
Iwant some
Shawna T.
Shawna's
poems
seem
fall,
what
and
Kyara
than the
less sophisticated
glance,
ones produced by Dakota and Ty venna after looking
atWilliam
Blake's
poetry, I believe
they are not.
two
the stu
show
these
poems
simplistic,
Although
dents'
deep
Williams's
understanding
short-lined
style
of William
Teacher
had few
and casual
I asked
the class
like to write
Carlos
manner.
to a prompt,
the stu
than just responding
intent to give
dents were able to mimic Williams's
The Reading
in
Vol. 58, No. 4
of prospective
publishers
first. After much discus
they'd
for the
sion, they all settled on writing
poems
and so I asked them to write me
school newspaper,
a poem.
I
I gave them no prompt or guidance.
a
see
to
what
wanted
poem
they thought
merely
was. Here is Jordan's first "poem."
Rather
370
can make
friends and would make
silly com
It was no surprise that Jordan
for attention.
was not a particularly
good writer either.
en
In fourth grade, as part of a self-selected
to
take my class
richment period, Jordan signed up
we started in the
When
called "Get Published!"
He
mom
at first
poetry
ments
cause they
were so good
to eat
though,
that teaching
I offer one student example as a case study and
as an example of how writing poetry can change a
and way of thinking. Jordan F.
student's confidence
was the class clown of his third-grade homeroom.
but they
Even
of poetry methods
and
some
you probably have
techniques,
of
your own. You may be wondering
questions
whether or not these methods
really work with stu
like some proof of the
dents. Perhaps you would
a shame
more
all this discussion
questioning
F.
I'mSorry, But ItWas Good
Iate all
the cookies
Iknow
itwas
were
are inspired
December
My Turkey
A turkey is for Thanksgiving
Turkey is to eat
2004/January
2005
Turkey is part of a holiday
Turkey is good forme
Some people don't like turkey
Turkey is not for school
People love Thanksgiving because they eat turkey
Ithink everybody should celebrate Thanksgiving
It's the best holiday
I love Turkey and people should.
Jordan
about the patterns created by re
the
peated words,
lengths of lines, and the blank
stanzas. The
students
spaces between
quickly
homed in on the number patterns found within each
dren. We
talked
individual
conventions
poem and were
for their own
eager
"song"
to borrow
poems.
these
Here
is
Jordan wrote.
what
F.
My Animal
1
My animal is yellow
It's a yellow lion
2
Ibought it on Thanksgiving
It is for the Thanksgiving parade
Iput a charm on him that says love on it for the
Jordan's first poem reads much more like a short,
informational piece than a poem and is not what you
I was
might expect from a fourth grader. However,
content that he at least had the idea that poems gen
erally don't follow a paragraph format.
our next meeting,
to try out
I decided
"The
Third
from
Lies,
Wishes,
prompt
Eye"
in
and Dreams
which
he
students
(1999)
suggests
At
Koch's
Thanksgiving parade
3
The pet store is closed at dawn
igot the iion at dawn
4
The lion is also a rainbow
The pet store Igot him from was a rainbow
5
The sunbeams dropped on the ground
"imagine they had a thirdeye in themiddle of their
foreheads
believe
and to say what it would see" (p. 275). I
that Jordan did slightly better this time, us
a bit more while
still clinging
imagination
ing his
to primitive
repetitions.
My Third Eye
can see God.
can see the devil.
can see me.
can see school.
can't see teachers.
can't see television.
can see video games.
can't see Halloween.
can't see Holidays because
Jordan F.
My third eye
My third eye
My third eye
My third eye
My third eye
My third eye
My third eye
My third eye
My third eye
Christmas.
My third eye goes asleep now.
What made this poem so remarkable tome was
the fact that Jordan, while
still writing
about vari
ous holidays, was able to go beyond what I thought
he was capable of creating. He chose to imitate one
stanza style and chose
particular poem's numbered
to repeat certain words throughout
the poem. But
came when Jordan said to
the crowning moment
I repeated my words just like the poets
I
didn't
did; only
repeat them all at the end of the
line. My first pattern was at the end, and then next
to last." Jordan chose to borrow a writing conven
"Look!
me,
Jordan F.
not see much difference
You might
between
Jordan's first and second poems,
but I could al
in Jordan. Even though he still
ready see changes
focused on using repetition and frequent mention
tion and then build creatively
upon it. Jordan had
so
more
much
from
the
lesson than I had
gotten
ever imagined he would, and your students can too.
of various holidays, he had started to think of him
self as a writer. He had also begun to think beyond
himself and try out new ideas in his poems. At this
It'syour turn
point, I threw Jordan and the other students a curve.
I took Koch's
in Rose, Where Did You
suggestion
teach
to read three Native
means
Get That Red?
American
(1990)
and I had students write
as
song poems,
if they "had special poems of songs for the impor
tant things" (p. 292). I also devised my own series
of questions
for analyzing
the poems with the chil
Poetry
Now
that I've
to my
poetry
for getting
time to write
you how I was able to
I'd like to offer a
students,
shown
there yourself. Begin by making
so that you can better
poetry yourself
prepare to teach the writing of poetry to students.
This can be accomplished
in several ways. You
attend
local
your
might
chapter of the National
top 10: A foolproof
formula
for
teaching
poetry
371
in the summertime,
take a class at a
or purchase a book on writing po
etry. No matter your choice, your students will ben
efit from your attempts to practice writing poetry.
I am confident
that you will discover
for yourself,
Writing
Project
local university,
as Daniel (2001) did, that "what inspires kids to
write
is their teacher's
dedication
the process"
(p. 2).
Make
time to conduct
and attitude
to
ward
research
and read on the
search the Internet for
topic of poetry. You might
ideas, read scholarly journals, or consult the wide
not
variety of books available on the topic. While
a
some
I
offer
list
of
of
favorite
exhaustive,
my
places to find new poetry ideas (see Figure 1).
task at
poetry can seem a daunting
Teaching
times, especially for teachers of elementary students.
the benefits of teaching poetry truly out
However,
for the Arts and Humanities. She can be
contacted at 121Circle Drive, Pittsburgh, PA
15237,
USA.
E-mail [email protected].
References
Beck, I.,& McKeown, M. (1998). Questioning the author:
Participant manual. Pittsburgh, PA: University of
Pittsburgh.
Butler, P. (2002, Spring). Imitation as freedom: (Reform
ing student writing. The Quarterly. Retrieved March 20,
2003, from http://writinqproject.org/pub/nwpr/guarter
ly/2002no2/butler.html
Daniel, A. (2001, Summer). Working with beginning writers.
The Quarterly. Retrieved March 6, 2003, from http;//
nwp.edgateway.net/pub/nwpr/quarterl^
html
Durham, J. (1997). On time and poetry.
Teacher,
The Reading
51,76-79.
weigh
in preparing
the difficulty
the lessons. Even
are
not equipped
to
though you may feel that you
teach poetry, the steps outlined in this article should
Koch, K. (1990). Rose, where did you get that red? Teaching
great poetry to children. New York: Random House.
Koch, K. (1998). Making your own days: The pleasures of
to
help you to realize that it is possible. Remember
as poets. Children
"take children seriously
have a
natural talent for writing poetry"
(Koch, 1999, p.
all heard so many
times before, as
25). As we've
teachers we function best as models, not as "the sage
reading and writing poetry. New York: Touchstone.
Koch, K. (1999). Wishes, lies, and dreams: Teaching children
to write poetry. New York: HarperCollins.
Manning, M., & Manning, G. (1997). Talk about poetry!
Teaching K-8,27(5), 100-101.
McKeown, M., Beck, I.,Hamilton, R., & Kucan, L (1999).
"Questioning the author" accessibles: Easy-access re
sources for classroom challenges. Bothell, WA: The
on the stage." Reading,
and sharing your
writing,
own poems with students will help to spark their
lifelong love of poetry.
Linaberqer is a technology and writing
specialist at the Dilworth Traditional Academy
372
The Reading
Teacher
Vol. 58, No. 4
Wright Group.
Perfect, K.A. (1999). Rhyme and reason: Poetry for the heart
and head. The Reading Teacher, 52,728-737.
Roberts, L. (2000). To write a poem [self-published].
December
2004/January
2005