Reflection Paper

This semester I have been inspired by the authentic ways that I have learned to teach poetry to children in a meaningful way. Through the readings of Poetry Matters, For the Good of the Earth and Sun, Awakening the Heart, and in class discussions, I feel more confident in my ability to teach children poetry. Initially I was terrified at the thought of teaching children a concept that I never fully understood myself, but through this course I have discovered that poetry is so much more than I have ever imagined. In the Poetry Matters text by Ralph Fletcher, I always look forward to the quotes he uses at the beginning of the chapter to set the tone for the reader. One of my personal favorites is on the first page of chapter 12. The quote by Carlos Fuentes states “Every poem is a blow against silence.”(Poetry Matters, 2016) I found this quote to be extremely powerful when I think about myself teaching poetry to students. When you are young it can be difficult to find the right words to express your thoughts. As a student I wish that I would have been introduced to poetry in a different way because I believe poetry truly could have saved me from drowning in life’s struggles. When I think of

In layer one she suggests that teachers “choose poems to read that are immediately accessible, non-threating, and relevant to students’ lives- encourage reading projects that will invite all students into the world of poetry.” (Heard, 2016) The first layer will give me a chance to get their feet wet by providing students with an enjoyable poetry experience that they can be successful with. For this layer I would like to implement the Living Anthology Project by having students collecting their favorite poems and finding an appropriate place to post it within the school building. Once I feel that the students are ready, we will continue to layer two of Georgia Heard’s