During my most recent practicum I got the opportunity to teach the poetry unit for ELA. I was working with a grade 6/7 class and they created some amazing poems! They were tasked with creating one final poem (or refining a pre-existing one) for the purpose of putting together a chapbook. I had the opportunity to create two chapbooks during my university poetry course and had a blast. As well, my one friend had shown me a technique for bookbinding that involved sewing. These were things that I wanted to share as one of my final lessons.
The students kept saying how much they hated the unit and writing poetry, but seeing their faces when sharing was a whole different story. They were having fun but I think that they didn’t want their peers to think they were uncool. Moving through the unit, the students became more comfortable with each other and also with me. One student would always hide their notebook when I was circulating. By the end they were coming up to me to show their work and get feedback. That made my heart sing! Seeing the students’ confidence develop alongside their rising level of trust with myself solidified my own confidence
[ID Begin: A picture of the front of a book made from printer paper which is upside down. It has the title, “Little Turkeys” written in the middle and “Molly’s Copy” with a little frog in orange marker in the top left corner of the page. There is small piece of wood with sewing needles and thread resting on it right beside the book. ID End.]
When it came time to actually bind the little books together I needed to collect supplies! I had borrowed a leather awl from a friend, my CT found a spare piece of a 2×4, forgot my hammer at home but there was one in the classroom, found a couple sewing needles, and finally brought some thread from home. One student had turned to me with hammer in hand and says, “I believe you are letting us do this!” The thought of not letting them work with a hammer or the awl did not cross my mind. They hadn’t given me any reason not to trust them with it. If they had, the privilege would be immediately revoked for individuals acting unsafely. That did not happen! They did require a lot of clarification for where they were to be hammering the holes in the spine of their book.
[ID Begin: Directions written and illustrated on a white board. It is written in point form and reads, “Book Binding. Cut along the horizontal line. Fold along the vertical line. Measure along the fold and divide into four equal parts. Draw dots to mark the spot! Only on one!” ID End.]
I’ve included some student poem samples below :3 All of these were included in the book!
[ID Begin: A series of pictures of student poetry. The first is a blackout poem that uses page 162 of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins as a source text and reads, “hated by all districts. imagine things they’re saying back home. Obviously, noble. this will be last. eagerly night skies sign death. I don’t kill myself. tributes silent until gets out. her hushed voice. Why don’t we just kill now. get it over with. What harm. he’s handy with that knife. interesting, I’m learning about my friend. Besides he’s our best chance of finding a moment. She might have Seemed pretty. Every time I think about her in that dress. I want to puke.”
The second poem is an untitled haiku written with blue pen on lined paper. It reads:
My waterbottle
It’s purple with a blue lid
2 ounces
ID End.]