What is Poetry?
I tend to agree with the Greeks on the definition of poetry if it is true that "the Greeks assumed…that poetry is an art: that it expresses emotion through words rhythmically arranged." (Bliss Perry, 8) Additionally, I believe that for students to fully appreciate poetry as a form of artistic expression, they must be both readers and writers of poetry. In the article "Poetry Top 10: A Foolproof Formula for Teaching Poetry," Mara Linaberger says, "when teachers choose to only read poems with students…students become confused by the complexity of poetry, which often makes them reluctant to try writing their own poems." (Linaberger)
For this reason, I will include three central focuses in my weekly lessons: 1. Students will read or listen to poetry. 2. Students will respond to what they have read or heard. 3. Students will write their own poems.
Comments: