Reading Response for Class on 2/21

Christensen, Chapter 1

"Break dancing for the tongue" is the phrase Christensen uses to describe poetry. I love this. I also love when she says that "poetry levels the writing playing field." It's a form of writing that allows freedom while engaging all the elements literature is suppose to. Poetry also led itself well to the harder experiences in life. Essays rarely allow students to express the sadness or the joy they feel. Poetry is personal and vulnerable. Christensen states, "I want my student to know they are not alone." Poetry is the tool to help with this.

I thought it was great when Christensen began talking about "awakening" students to the little things in life, to "see daily gifts." This reminded me of a yoga class I took last week, where thee teacher spoke about the process of getting rid of excess so one can really pay attention to the moments in life that seem insignificant but really, hold infinite meaning. I like the idea of using poetic prompts that suggest these ideas: letting the students take a step back and really think about something that might seem small in the grand scene of their life.

I was fascinated when Christensen included the poems that switch between languages. What an incredible way to engage your multi-lingual students, teaching the use of the english language while also supporting their traditional heritage. Christensen shares such wonderful ideas in this chapter, from building a classroom community that allows students to share vulnerable, real experiences to bringing in the outside world to the students' education. She discusses the idea of turning "pain into power" and references the power structures and standards present in our society that can be broken down and analyzed through poetic writing, both of fact and experience.

There are more practical uses to poetry. Christensen mentions highlighting parts of speech and literary elements when teaching a poetry lesson. While I feel as if this shouldn't be the main focus of teaching poetry, I believe that, in putting certain literary elements into a piece of work, students will learn them even easier.

I know I'm biased when it comes to this topic, because I have always had a deep love of poetry. I find it the most effective form of writing to put my thoughts down on a page. I plan to teach it in my classroom one day, and I hope to instill the same connection I feel to the literary form in my students.

"Finding the Poems That Hide"

First off, I love the poem "Forgotten Items" that is included in this post. I often find myself observing scenes and moments in life and feel the sudden urge to write about them, to put them down on paper. I could never quite explain in, but I think post does an excellent job when it states that "poems defy explanation." Poems find a way, through words, to somehow explain what words cannot.

I love how the author of this piece, Macaluso, highlights that poems can alter our world. She touches upon the importance of word choice, or metaphor and symbolism. All these elements are incredibly important in poetry. Sometimes they are thought about, are planned. Sometimes they just spill out.

I know that I will continue writing poems about the everyday moments in life because they help me understand them and let me connect to something that maybe I just can't place at the moment. I hope that others are doing this as well.