A Humanizing Approach Using Living, Open-Access Poems Each March, many classrooms fill with brackets. Inspired by the energy of the basketball tournament, teachers invite students to read poems head-to-head and vote for their favorites. The structure is familiar and playful. It gives shape to the …
We often tell students that poetry can change the way we see the world. I’m not sure a poem saves the world. But I do believe the person who reads a poem might be changed. And I believe that change depends, in large part, on …
“Unconstitutional” by Stacey L. Joy is offered to educators and students as an open resource — free to share and print through Just YA on Open OkState. We invite you to read this poem and listen to the interview (including a reading and discussion about …
“Moonscape” by Zetta Elliott is offered to educators and students as an open resource — free to share and print through Just YA on Open OkState. We invite you to read this poem and listen to the interview (including a reading and discussion about the …
What if words could heal? Poetry has the power to reach into our hearts, untangle our toughest moments, and turn them into something lighter, something shared. In classrooms, it does even more: it builds community, fosters vulnerability, and creates spaces where teachers and students can …
Poetry Writers Workshop This writers workshop series includes tutorials on writing a particular mode and genre with students. See the entire series here: personal narrative, short story, poetry, informational, personal argument, research-based argument, interviewing, descriptive paragraph, and comic. This post is about writing poetry. A …
Poetry Anthologies for Teens (Crowd-Sourced) National Poetry Month is around the corner. Yes, I am looking forward to spring for the warmth of the sun but, even more so, for the warm of writing poetry with teacher-friends-poets. Still, I am on a mission to get …
Day 5, February’s Open Write with David Duer David Duer recently retired from teaching English at Cedar Rapids Washington High School, where he was the faculty advisor for the Washington Literary Press. His work has appeared in Ascent, Exquisite Corpse, English Journal, North American Review, …
Day 4, February’s Open Write with Rachelle Lipp Though I am still new to the gig of teaching (I’m currently in year five), I have had experiences in myriad schools. Growing up, I attended a small, Catholic school in the northwest corner of Iowa. Upon …
Day 3, February’s Open Write with Rex Muston Rex Muston has taught language arts and coached a bit at Keokuk High School for 25+ years. During his undergraduate years at Iowa, he worked six summer seasons in Yellowstone, and a winter in Utah. He began …