Keep calm and share poetryIdeas for Sharing Poetry

This week we have several special blog posts we’d like to share. This means we’ll miss posting a few of our daily suggestions for using poetry.  To make up for the gaps in the week ahead, here is a list of ideas on using poetry from Teaching with Heart.

Look for more throughout the week!

  • Post poems on doors or file cabinets as reminders, inspiration, and invitations.
  • Give poems as gifts to students at graduation; keep copies to hand out in your office.
  • Send poems instead of holiday cards.
  • Put poems on business-size cards to give to colleagues or students at special times.
  • Decorate the school with large posters of poetry that exemplifies the important values of the school, such as diversity, respect, family, success, and so on.
  • Open and close class sessions with readings; and when you read poetry, be lively and energetic—bring poetry alive!
  • Create opportunities for students to perform their favorite poems as part of a classroom activity, a community event, a production, or a poetry slam.
  • Ask families to share their favorite poems (especially traditional and cultural) with the students and the school.
  • Bring poets into the school to do workshops, readings, and so on.
  • Encourage local PTAs and PTOs to buy poetry books for all their teachers.
  • Sponsor an art contest in which the piece of art is inspired by a favorite poem.