Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) I hope you had an awesome Poetry Month. I did. It was super busy with lots of visits to schools and libraries. However, I’m way behind on blog reading, and I especially am a bit sad that I missed out on so many terrific online Poetry Month blogs. Hope to catch up on some of my blog reading soon!
One of the highlights of my month was this email I got from Mrs. Angie Rider, a fifth-grade teacher in Minnesota. She said, in part:
Around the March Madness that was taking place in March, my class decided to do a poetry tournament where they would listen to many different forms of poetry as they were learning about each one and decide which poems to move forward on our LARGE classroom brackets. As you can see on the photo that is attached, there were many great poems and poets shared with the students to illustrate couplets, quatrains, cinquains, concrete, acrostic, etc. A couple of your poems from Do Buses Eat Kids and BookSpeak! moved forward several brackets. The final winner was ?Oh, Did You Need That Homework?? The students felt that poetry was one of their favorite writing units this year as they could express themselves in many different ways and use a voice of their choice to share something with other readers. My class wanted to extend a big thank you to you and other poets for inspiring them to enjoy the art of poetry writing and say congratulations for winning our final brackets in our poetry tournament.
How. Awesome. Is. That? And they sent this picture, which I’m sharing with permission.
Really, there’s not much a writer likes to hear more than, “I liked your writing.” Getting an email from a teacher and her kids–that is totally amazing. When you as a teacher share something like this with a writer, you inspire and cheer that person. Thank you so much!
And, here’s the poem, which is from Do Buses Eat Kids? Poems About School (Capstone, 2008).
Here I am reading it, too. I did a short Skype with Mrs. Rider’s class, and I got to read them this poem, which was fun. I haven’t read it in years! And I got to hear a fun poem by one of the students and answer a few writing questions. What a nice connection for me to make.
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Thank you, Mrs. Rider and 5th-graders, for celebrating poetry and for your lovely email, poem, and Skype chat!
And don’t forget to visit Michelle at Today’s Little Ditty for the Poetry Roundup. Enjoy!
36 Responses
Wow Laura — what a wonderful (and well-deserved) way to finish Poetry month. I adore the poem and I love that there are schools doing such amazing work with poetry.
Exactly, Sally! I get so excited when I hear about/from teachers who really celebrate poetry in the classroom–especially since reading and writing poetry strengthens so many non-poetry literacy skills, too. Thanks:>)
Wow Laura — what a wonderful (and well-deserved) way to finish Poetry month. I adore the poem and I love that there are schools doing such amazing work with poetry.
Exactly, Sally! I get so excited when I hear about/from teachers who really celebrate poetry in the classroom–especially since reading and writing poetry strengthens so many non-poetry literacy skills, too. Thanks:>)
Laura, it is wonderful that the 5th grade class celebrated poetry and brought your poem to the top of the class. After reading it, I can see why they loved your poem so much. It is clever, fresh, and filled with fun.
Thanks, Carol–the school poems for that book were tough for me to write. Out of a set of 10 Capstone poetry books, the school and food ones just about killed me! But the dog poem was fun to write:>)
Laura, it is wonderful that the 5th grade class celebrated poetry and brought your poem to the top of the class. After reading it, I can see why they loved your poem so much. It is clever, fresh, and filled with fun.
Thanks, Carol–the school poems for that book were tough for me to write. Out of a set of 10 Capstone poetry books, the school and food ones just about killed me! But the dog poem was fun to write:>)
Laura,
One of the best awards of all–a class award by students who love poetry! Congratulations!
Thanks, Linda! That really did make me feel so good:>)
Laura,
One of the best awards of all–a class award by students who love poetry! Congratulations!
Thanks, Linda! That really did make me feel so good:>)
Fabulous, Laura! I’d take a teacher note over a Thinkier trophy any day. 🙂 And I thought “my dog ate my homework” was just an excuse. Silly me.
Me, too! Thanks, Michelle. It was very exciting. And all cliches have to start with the truth, right;>)
Fabulous, Laura! I’d take a teacher note over a Thinkier trophy any day. 🙂 And I thought “my dog ate my homework” was just an excuse. Silly me.
Me, too! Thanks, Michelle. It was very exciting. And all cliches have to start with the truth, right;>)
Ha! (…or should I say, “WOOF!”)
Exactly–I was wagging my tail in excitement:>)
Ha! (…or should I say, “WOOF!”)
Exactly–I was wagging my tail in excitement:>)
Congratulations! What a great surprise, and I love the March Madness poetry brackets! I can see why that “homework chomping pup” won the hearts of Mrs. Rider’s fifth graders.
Thanks, Catherine:>)
Congratulations! What a great surprise, and I love the March Madness poetry brackets! I can see why that “homework chomping pup” won the hearts of Mrs. Rider’s fifth graders.
Thanks, Catherine:>)
I love this version of “the dog ate my homework”…which I’ve heard SO many times!
Thanks, Tara! It’s amazing that kids are still trying to use that.
I love this version of “the dog ate my homework”…which I’ve heard SO many times!
Thanks, Tara! It’s amazing that kids are still trying to use that.
Wonderful poem and great kudos, what fun!
Thanks, Brenda–it was really kind of the teacher to contact me and let me know!
Wonderful poem and great kudos, what fun!
Thanks, Brenda–it was really kind of the teacher to contact me and let me know!
I tried to do my homework Miss
really Miss I did
I bought myself a brand new pen
but struggled with the lid.
I tried to do my homework Miss
I wouldn’t tell a lie
sadly it was stolen
by a pig as he flew by.
I tried to do my homework Miss
you know I love to write
A goblin came and took my thumb
as I slept late last night.
I tried to do my homework Miss
but had to take a break
I used the time constructively
and baked a wedding cake.
I didn’t do my homework Miss
I didn’t even try
would it help my cause Miss
if I started to cry?!
I really liked your homework poem. I hope you don’t mind me sending you this one I wrote.
Heehee, Maria–there’s always an excuse, isn’t there?
I tried to do my homework Miss
really Miss I did
I bought myself a brand new pen
but struggled with the lid.
I tried to do my homework Miss
I wouldn’t tell a lie
sadly it was stolen
by a pig as he flew by.
I tried to do my homework Miss
you know I love to write
A goblin came and took my thumb
as I slept late last night.
I tried to do my homework Miss
but had to take a break
I used the time constructively
and baked a wedding cake.
I didn’t do my homework Miss
I didn’t even try
would it help my cause Miss
if I started to cry?!
I really liked your homework poem. I hope you don’t mind me sending you this one I wrote.
Heehee, Maria–there’s always an excuse, isn’t there?