Prepare to be surprised....

...I used to write poetry. Yeah, no surprise. I think this entire blog is filled with my memories of writing and how much I loved it. But, yes, poetry used to be my way of releasing energy and emotion. Therefore, I have two favorite poems - one that I have created, and one that I have read.

My favorite poem isn't a happy one, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost. As dark as it may be, this poem may be a great way to teach and show students how a lot of poetry goes beyond the words into a deeper meaning.

It, of course, is also just a great example of poetry. I think I love this poem because I feel so calm when I read it. It's sad, I know, but there's something eerily peaceful about the whole situation. I picture a cool, dark evening in the crisp snow. A tired man, and a tired horse. I love winter.

Anyhow, this could be a way to open a new door to a different type of poetry for my students. No, I don't expect deep, dark, serene imagery. However, my students could dig deeper than "Today I had fries for lunch, they are fun to munch..." (Those were the basis of my poems when I was in elementary school).

Maybe I could share this poem as my favorite poem to my class. Then each student could go on a hunt for her favorite poem as well. We could have a large group discussion where we share our favorite poems and explain why we like them. This could lead into a more in depth discussion of the mechanics of poetry (What kind of poem is this? What devices did the author use to express his message?)

I love poetry.

And I'm going to take a risk...and post one of my poems (not my favorite, sorry) here at the end.

I figure I should leave on a happy and cheesy note...

lay under the stars

jump in the leaves

swim through the ocean

swing through the trees

smile at a stranger

laugh at yourself

go crazy with friends

hold your hand out to help

pick a bright flower

feel the grass on your toes

run through a sprinkler

take a sip from the hose

dance in the rain

sing to the sky

feel the wind in your hair

find your wings, you can fly

I think I've heard the word "talk" 731 times today

I love the movie, Freedom Writers, and I was so excited when you said we would be watching a clip in class. One day, I am determined to read the book.

I understand that this is a true story, so it is very likely that a conversation such as the one we saw in the movie actually happened. I love the clip and everything that happened, it is no doubt that talk and communication were needed in that classroom. In fact, talk and communication are needed in every classroom. I just have two questions: How would this look in an elementary school classroom? and Where do you draw the line?

I understand the second question depends on the classroom situation, so I think I may just leave that one out in the open until I become more familiar with my own class. However, I do wonder if conversations like the one from the clip in the movie are possible in an elementary classroom. Unfortunately, there is no doubt that students have plenty of deep troubles that they need to deal with in their own lives, but is it appropriate to discuss any of these things in the classroom? I feel like elementary school talks would be FABULOUS for discussing what we've been learning, but would it be possible to use impromptu conversations such as the one in the Freedom Writers to enhance the learning in my classroom?

I think children have interesting and different insights into the world, but would it be better to have these conversations in a notebook instead of during class time? Maybe that would be a good place to start...have the children start a response journal and then see what they have to say.

I know, I sort of veered away from the subject of instruction. But, as we saw in Freedom Writers, learning isn't always about academic knowledge. Also, there is always academic knowledge to be learned in every day conversation.

I think I've just answered my own questions; however, feel free to add more "talk" to this post. =)