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In the Spring of 2007, I registered for David Hassler's Teaching Poetry In Schools course. I was not sure what to expect from it at first, and I was actually a little afraid. However, it turned out to be a truly rewarding experience. I taught a seventh grade class at Miller South in Akron and a fourth grade class at Holden Elementary. I had never really worked with children, and I wasn't even sure how to interact with them, but once I was in front of them with their full attention on me, I realized how much they wanted me to teach them.
All of the students that I spent time with during this course turned out to be wonderful little poets. I have kept and still refer to many of my student's works. I was more than thoroughly impressed with the poems that these children created and how excited they were to write them. Here is a poem by one of the Miller South students:
Poetry - Bryan S.
Poetry is love to me
where it holds on
and helps you understand.
Poetry crumbles humbly at your feet
begging for mercy and
begging you to write about it.
Poetry is at war against the essay
where they battle for
the position of who comforts
their writer's best.
Poetry is up day and night,
never sleeping,
only filling your head with ideas
for the next day or
for times to comfort you.
Poetry is always happy
for you know it is always there.
Poetry is the color purple,
soothing and loving with
power and royalty.
Poetry jumps when it hears
your footsteps
at its table.
Poetry is calm,
waiting patiently
for you to wake it up.
Poetry is wherever you are
giving and helping
whenever it can.
Poetry is love to me
where it holds me
and helps me understand.
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