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Suggested Poetry-in-the-Schools Activities for PSV Members The level of commitment to the PITS program will vary from person to person, depending on daily obligations. For example, one PSV member might choose to devote one day to conducting a poetry reading and workshop in an elementary school. Another member might establish and lead for the entire school year an after-school poetry club for high school students. Cited below are programs and activities designed to advance students’ understanding and appreciation of poetry. Many of these programs, endorsed by PSV members, have met with success at the elementary through high school levels. Please choose one of the following for your poetry-in-the-schools activity. Feel free to modify any of these suggestions to meet the needs of your intended audience: 1. Establish an after-school poetry club (middle or high school). Possible activities include poetry critique sessions; student poetry readings; sessions centered on revision techniques, publication outlets, and/or a discussion of the books by our state and national poets laureate. 2. Conduct a poetry workshop and/or reading in a local school. This could involve a long-range commitment to various classrooms or a one-day effort to promote poetry in an elementary classroom or in a creative writing classroom at the middle/high school level. 3. Assist in a school-wide effort to organize a writer’s conference. The PSV member could assist teachers in locating funding sources and/or writing grants to pay professional writers’ fees, if needed. This model can vary depending on the school’s interest in inviting several writers or one poet to interact with students. The conference might begin with poetry critique workshops led by the visiting writers, followed by readings by both participating writers and students. An evaluation form completed at the end of the day would provide valuable input for future conferences. 4. Organize school-wide poetry contests through the local Parent-Teacher Association. The PSV members could assist in finding judges for the contest and prizes for the winners. These prizes might be gift certificates donated by local bookstores (Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Borders). A public poetry reading could be hosted at the local bookstore for all entrants. The winners, announced at this event, would read their prize-winning poems. 5. Conduct a week-long writing workshop with students in a local school. Publish the students’ (revised) poems in a booklet to be placed in the school’s library, main office, and/or on the school’s website. The PSV member could orchestrate this effort by working with a media specialist at the school who would assume the responsibility for placing this material on the website. This would enlarge the reading audience and provide the opportunity for parents to see their youngsters’ accomplishments alongside those of their classmates. Keep a written description (one-half page) of your poetry-in-the-schools effort and, upon completion of the activity, email this information to bethhud@shentel.net. This input will help in determining the future direction of the program. Thank you for helping to foster in our young people a deeper appreciation of poetry. |
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