Rationale
Poetry is a genre that is often difficult for third-grade students to understand. Each year, students read poems, but are unable to comprehend the message or meaning behind the text. Some students do not like to read poetry. They don’t have the passion to read poems. Basically, poetry involves inferencing, and most third-grade students at our school are limited to go beyond the text to think outside the box of what the writer is conveying to his or her audience. Furthermore, state assessment includes passages that are written in poetry forms. Going beyond simply reading poems, students should be exposed to reading poems in a way that is meaningful and useful to them. Reading and writing poetry is a great way to express feelings, share thoughts or a message that is from the heart of the writer, and can be taught or presented in a creative way. “Reading poetry challenged them in terms of attending to the reading process, understanding concepts presented in the poems, and learning to read aloud so that listeners could also make meaning of the poem” (Carver and Gregg, 2007).
Tsaile Public School
I currently teach at Tsaile Public School in Tsaile, Arizona. Tsaile Public School is operated under Chinle Unified School District (CUSD). CUSD has a total of seven other K-8 schools within the perimeter of Chinle, Arizona. The school district has an enrollment of 3,300 students which makes it the largest school district on the Navajo Nation. The district encompasses the communities of Chinle, Many Farms, Tsaile, Luckachukai, Wheatfields, Nazline, Cottonwood, and Tselani. Tsaile is located towards the upper four corners of these states: Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. It is also in the jurisdiction of Apache county. Tsaile is a small town located 25 miles east of Chinle, Arizona. It is based near Chuska Mountain where the ponderosa trees and the pine trees present so much beauty. Tsaile Public School has an enrollment of 450 students, K-8. The demographics of the school is ninety-nine percent Native American, predominately Navajo, or Diné. One percent is Hispanic or of mixed ethnicity, and at times, Caucasian. The student population consists of English language learners and exceptional need students. A majority of the student population are struggling readers. There are at least 2 or 3 classes at each grade level. There are 27 certified teachers and instructional assistants. According to the Arizona Department of Education, the school’s current grade is a “B”.
Environment
The surrounding environment of Tsaile consists of a lake, a gas station, and a Navajo Nation college. It is a rural area where students are bussed in from a radius of 30 to 50 miles out. The vast area makes it difficult for students to fully commit to school on a daily basis, especially when parents or caregivers have jobs outside the local area. Jobs are scarce on the Navajo Nation. Most parents are employed outside the Navajo Nation. Due to constricted jobs or other obligations such as doctor appointments in other towns or cities, the motivation to be in school is at times difficult. Another barrier to achieving perfect attendance is adverse weather, which affects travel conditions to and from busses, especially during winter days or rainy days. In addition to school life, home life can be hard for many due to home responsibilities or other cultural events. As I recall as a young child, I had the responsibilities of planting, taking care of livestock, and even making jewelry or weaving a rug with my grandmother. I had to set aside the wants of reading a book or playing with friends. Friends were miles and miles away. This can cause feelings of loneliness. Many homes have the meaning of “family” perspective in diverse ways. I can imagine the thoughts of these students. From a more cultural perspective to a more westernized lifestyle or what is considered a civilized way of life. Through home life experiences, there are many types of emotions that could be expressed through poems, art or images. In addition, there are many activities that take place at home, such as birthday parties, family cookouts, and even cultural activities that bring joy and excitement to home. Having two views of the society can be stressful. The expectation from home and from the educational point of view can take a toll on self-awareness.
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