Hello everyone, this week I would like to stand out this literary
genre avoiding the stereotypes that are behind it. During the last middle group
session, we have been working about poetry and how to change the perception of
the student towards this genre. Besides, Raquel show as the point of view of
some students about poetry and that is in what I would like to focus on.
First of all, we should think about what kinds of clichés are behind the poetry and the people that read it or write it. Usually,
most of the people, and including the children, tend to think that it is a
genre for women, which is not true because there are several well-known poets
that are men and nothing is exclusively for men or women. Another cliché is
that poetry has to use an unusual language. Which is also not true, because you
do not have to use a specific language for a poem, you just have to transmit
something through it. Moreover, related to the rime and the length of the
verse, it is not necessary to write with a perfect punctuation or the most
imaginative rhyming.
Accordingly, poetry is a way to explore your feeling, your concerns,
your interests and also a way to show the world around you from your own
perspective. Furthermore, if you promote this genre in class, the students will
be able to leave aside all the
stereotypes and clichés mentioned before, as well as to improve their
confident to use the language to express themselves, even if it is in a second
language. But, how can we work it in class?.
- A practical application:
As a first approach we can use the Haiku, which is a Japanese
poetry. It is a style in which a poem should have 17 syllables maximum
divided in 3 verses, and normally it is about nature. I consider it perfect to
start to work this genre in class. For instance, before start you can make a brainstorming about the rainy weather,
how it sounds, how you feel these days, and so on. After that, you will provide
them some modelling, through which you
are going to create one Haiku using words that came up with the brainstorming.
You will also provide some literacy
support, give them structures and key words to use in their Haiku. Then you
can divide the class into tree homogeneous parts (A, B and C), the students in
the “part A” are going to write one verse, each, with five syllables about the rainy
weather. The “part B” is going to write one verse with seven, and the “part C”
with five syllables. When they finished, you will create groups of tree with
one member of each part in order to create their Haiku, and finally they will
read it aloud in class.
Through this simple activity you can introduce the poetry into the
class in a funny and easy way, leaving aside any kind of prejudices.
To conclude,
just say that, as far as I’m concerned, it is extremely
important to work this genre in a primary class because it is a great resource
to work many aspects of the language literacy as well as the imagination
playing with the words. I would like to finish the post with this poem
called "A Poem is a Little
Path"(take it from http://www.gigglepoetry.com):
A poem is a little path
That leads you through the trees.
It takes you to the cliffs and shores,
To anywhere you please.
Follow it and trust your way
With mind and heart as one,
And when the journey's over,
You'll find you've just begun.
That leads you through the trees.
It takes you to the cliffs and shores,
To anywhere you please.
Follow it and trust your way
With mind and heart as one,
And when the journey's over,
You'll find you've just begun.
See you in the next post!!
Hello Alberto!
ReplyDeleteI like your post very much; it is very informative and useful. I totally agree with you about the stereotypes. In order to change this reality we should get poetry close to children using it in everyday activities and texts as we use the narrative genre. Therefore, every child will be familiarized with poetry; it will be a part of them. The contents of the curriculum are presented as a spiral, this means that in each cycle are working the same things but the information is increased (it starts from the basic aspects and then you add new knowledge completing the previous one). With poetry happens the same, at the first time children will create simple poems but then, they can introduce rhymes and rhythms. Finally they will be able to create complex poems but in instance they will use it in their daily life.
On the other hand, I have put into practice your suggestions of the practical application you have propose in order to create the Haiku of my poetry book. Now, I will tell you my experience as a feedback to make you know how has been working your proposal. First, I chose the topic and I did a brave brainstorming, it was very useful because once I saw the words written in the paper it was so easy to start creating sentences with sense. Then, I used you Haiku of the rain as a guide (modeling), it was very useful too because I could have an idea about the structure, elements and length. But, when I started to write I took into account that I didn’t know how to count syllables so I looked for how to do it and I created a great Haiku. In this way, I suggest you that before starting to create the poem, you can teach students how to count syllables in order to make this task easily. Finally, I love your idea about divide the class into three groups and each group have to write a part of the Haiku, I am sure I will put it into practice!
Clara V.