TEACHING POETRY

My students are SO bright!  They noticed and identified every subversive, poetic image in these lyrics by Sly & The Family Stone.  

That’s why teaching poetry is so important. I hand out a packet of poems and lyrics, and my students have a full day or two to mark it up, circle, and underline whatever they notice. When they come to class, they compare notes. They write down something another student noticed. At some point afterwards they might write a first draft of an essay on the subject.

I talk to teachers all the time, and we see the same reactions: enthusiastic reactions to reading poetry.  The joy of teaching poetry.

I once had a professor in the next room knock on my classroom door and ask me to keep the noise [enthusiasm] down a bit. 

Hands shooting into the air, that “Call on ME, me, me please!!” 

Learning how to unpack poetry is essential for healthy brain function, too. Our government needs to stand up for teachers and quality education. 

HOT FUN IN THE SUMMERTIME by SLY & THE FAMILY STONE

End of the spring

And here she comes back

Hi, hi, hi, hi there

Them summer days

Those summer days

That’s when I had

Most of my fun, back

Hi, hi, hi, hi there

Them summer days

Those summer days

I cloud nine when I want to

Out of school, yeah

County fair in the country sun

And everything is true

Ooh, yeah, yeah

Hot fun in the summertime

Hot fun in the summertime

Hot fun in the summertime

Hot fun in the summertime

First of the fall

And then she goes back

Bye, bye, bye, bye there

Them summer days

Those summer days

Boop-boop-boop-boop

When I want to

Out of school

County fair in the country sun

And everything is cool

Ooh, yeah, yeah

Hot fun in the summertime (hey, hey, hey, ooh)

Hot fun in the summertime (ooh, yeah)

Hot fun in the summertime

Source: Musixmatch