Poems All Around!

Last week I wrote about attending the Marre Reading Conference and getting to hear Georgia Heard speak about using poetry in the classroom.  You can get to last week's post by clicking here.

This week I want to discuss her ideas about posting poetry in the school to create interest in poems, expose students to a variety of poetry and using these posted poems as another way to get students reading! 

Georgia Heard suggested posting poems ALL OVER the school.  This exposes students to all different types and kinds of poems and gets them reading!  Here are some of her ideas of where to place poems:

Post Poems By The:

• pencil sharpener
• door
• clock bathroom
• water fountain
• sink
• trashcan

Post poems anywhere students will be standing, waiting, looking, etc.  Words just tend to draw in our eyes.  I found the poem at the top of this post and I thought it was just perfect for posting by the water fountain.  I also think posting poems in the hall by the cafeteria would be a great place as students spend a lot of time standing there waiting for their turn to go in.

Teachers could be on the look out for great poetry and then rotate it to different areas in the school and switch it out with other poems to keep it fresh.  I think the students would get to where they will be looking for it.  They would definitely notice when one poem went away and another took its place.

How about your school?  Does your school post poems around?  Share your ideas of where you get all of your poetry!

I want to take a moment to thank all of you for coming by and reading my blog since I began last year.  You don't know what that means to me and how thankful I am for each of you!  I wish you all a very blessed Thanksgiving!!!