Suggests a careful study of the cultural values and poetics of early Native American songs and poetry can help students better understand these speakers and writers as people and artists. Describes a variety of classroom activities that explore such songs and poetry. Notes that the language is symbolic, making early Native American songs and…

Describes a successful approach to teaching poetry--teaching poems in pairs or other small groupings, putting them in conversation with one another so that their ideas resonate and illuminate the experience of being in the poem. Demonstrates how poetry can be woven into the the classroom and into the lives of the students. (RS)

Describes 20-25 minute poetry workshops conducted by students individually or with a partner. Notes that the teacher meets with students prior to their presentations to review their objectives and plan; and that the teacher models the poetry workshop. Concludes that the investment in time has produced a more profitable return than any other…

Notes that the author/educator noticed that his efforts at teaching poetry were failing. Describes how he decided to make poets out of his students--to start by showing how they can be affected by language. Notes that students started with just a word, then wrote poems, and then began to demand forms, which the teacher then introduced to the…

Seeks evaluative strategies for grading poetry that occupy an elusive middle ground between flexibility and consistency. Discusses rubrics, collections, conference/negotiation, self-evaluation, and explication. (RS)

Describes a successful unit on poetry, characterized by collaborative planning, creation of the collection of poems used as the text, variation of the approaches and types of assignments, use of recorded music and poetry collected, use of local poets who read and performed for the students, online sharing and critiquing of students' poetry, and a…

Describes assignments that link Gary Soto's novel "Taking Sides" to a collection of Latino poetry. Notes that the students' final presentations were successful, as indicated by their enthusiasm and engagement throughout. (RS)

Notes that most English-language haiku are not written in the 5-7-5 syllable format. Discusses the nature of haiku. Describes a three-day lesson plan for teaching haiku. Appends hints for writing haiku, and lists books and Internet sites concerning teaching haiku. (RS)

Describes a three dimensional poetry genre--a way of rewriting two dimensional haiku in a three dimensional cube that can only be viewed in cyberspace. Discusses traditional versus 3-D haiku, introducing 3-D haiku into the classroom, reasons to teach 3-D haiku, and creating 3-D haiku. (RS)

Presents seven suggestions to help writers and teachers go beyond limericks, parts of speech poems, and haiku. Frames the suggestions for those who are (for whatever reason) trying to write poems, including teachers who are joining their students in the act of learning poetry writing. (RS)

Suggests the best way to help high school students write poetry is to bring them to memories that would stimulate the expression of everything more intensely. Describes four workshops that appeal to the senses: scent writing, taste writing, music writing, and sight writing. (RS)

Discusses: poetry as a prereading activity; collaborative invention of poems; poet as gatherer of ideas; considering the poetic memory; remembering people through poetic memory; communication and creation; form and meaning; and engaging all students. (RS)

Asks seven successful poets to share their knowledge and experience of writing poetry by answering seven questions that provide classroom teachers with approaches for facilitating students' poetry writing. Addresses topic selection, writing processes, language usage, choosing a form, whether forms should be taught, revision, and whether hard work…

Describes the 2000 Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival, the largest poetry event in North America. Notes the festival was designed to create opportunities for personal communication between poets and teachers, who share so many similar concerns for the future of language arts education. (RS)

Describes how a high school English teacher taught herself how to use hypertext in her classroom. Discusses how she used it in her creative writing classes and then moved on to use it in her other classes. Notes the positive responses of her students to the activities. (RS)