So it's a few weeks before the end of the 2005-2006 teaching poetry season for me. I've taught 2-3 parks, and six schools, and at one community center. I started back in August 2005 planning for a few organizations, and it started off with a blaze. I have added first grade, second grade, third grade, sixth grade to my roster along with my seventh and fifth graders and 11th graders. With all these grades I've had to step it up a bit, mixing in between traditional poems like "IAM" and seasonal poems, to non traditional poems like Eintous, Haikus, Cinquains, Lanterns, Foot Poems, Political Commentaries, Community poems. Some of the poets I taught were Saul Williams, Langston Hughes, Tupac, Nikki Giovanni, youth poetry from the parks, my own poetry, and local poets. I've had one confrontation (at the high school) and I had to write up five students at an elementary school. I've had to deal with some seriously tripped out behavioral issues, trying to mix up the poetry teaching with my own goal of empowering and inspiring students to write their stories with realness from their own souls. It's thirteen days away and that's it until September 2006. We've had students published online, some of my schools have honored me by having poetry boards outside the class room, and coaching students for performances, oratory contests, and other events. I have worked with over 300 students in 10 months. The best experience was returning to my elementary school to teach poetry and the refreshing class is the first graders. They have such wonderment.
I think most of my exercises were great, except the "alliteration" exercise. It wasn't well received and it's not the one I use a lot. My high schoolers dug the political/social poetry exercise that generated some wonderful commentaries about living in the hood. I'm stuck on which grade was best, but my fifth graders at Kozminski and Faraday were a tie. I loosened my straight laced poetry teaching this year a bit. I didn't focus as much on the form, and focused more on the content of the work. I also added some cool things like poetic chants at the beginning of class and using music for writing time in some of my schools.
The next two weeks, I am going to just chill. I have no more poems to teach. I literally have one week left at two schools and it's almost time to say goodbye. My fifth graders at Revere, my most challenging school, wrote me "goodbye poems". Oh, I didn't even expect that. Yes, I had to act real hard that day but it was very touching and I did appreciate their words. I'll visit them tommorrow to drop off some poetic gifts.
I'm still with my South Shore crew for a last workshop on tommorrow.
They say breaking up is hard to do, but when you are in the schools almost a full year, letting go will be hard to do. I will miss the "Ms. Osbey" and chants of "Ms Pam" while walking through schools, hugs from all my students, and having just general conversations with them about their lives. There are some amazing young writers and I have stacks of poems at home to prove it.
The count down is on and I'm happy but also a little melancholy. Children have definitely helped me as much as they think I've helped them. It's a two way street.
Enjoy the week folks~
Mocha S.
2 comments:
Greeting Mocha,
I enjoyed this writing and I know and can see the talent and artistic ability that you have. I know that you have touched a lot of lives and that is special. You have gone through a lot of challenges which you have allowed to stretch you and that is wonderful. I hope that you enjoy your summer doing other things. The kids will always remember you. And you will always have a place in your heart for them.
hustle on.....its a good one!
Diamond,
It is always nice to see your comments. I have been stretched that is true. It's a cliche that what does break you makes you stronger. That's my life statement and I'll leave it at that. But Yes, I have enjoyed the diversity of teaching this year. It's been great and I guess next year, I'll be back for more..poetics.
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