Chapter 5: Poetry

Poetry...I am not a big fan of it, nor did I get excited when it was ever discussed.  For some reason I could never get into it, nor could I understand what the poet was talking about.  Needless to say, I dreaded reading poems in English class, even worse, writing it!  If I did not understand it, how could I write it? 

My 3rd grade teacher Ms. Gilbert would read Shel Silverstein's "Where the Sidewalk Ends."  I think that was the only time I can say I enjoyed poetry.  The poems were so much fun and I enjoyed listening and reading his books. 

In Chapter 5, Looking Back Into your History with Poetry, I read the very first sentence, "Before you can generate enthusiasm for poetry in your students, you need to love it yourself."  I thought, "Great, how am I supposed to do that!"  As I continued to read, I felt as if they were speaking of my experiences with poetry and not just mine, many people who feel the same way about this genre.  Now that I think about it, I believe that maybe my teacher's may have not had "an enthusiasm" for poetry and/or may have chosen poetry that was too sophisticated for us.  I have viewed poetry as a cryptic work puzzle (like the book states).  I've read poems over and over thinking if I kept reading it I would understand it.  When the teacher asked the class what we got from it, I never raised my hand because I had no clue.  I would usually just listen to my classmates' opinions.  Sometimes they got it and other times they were off and I didn't feel too bad for not understanding it.  Like I mentioned before, I don't like writing poems and it could also be that my previous teachers didn't lay the groundwork for writing poetry or provide that support I needed.  I am not saying that my teachers were horrible because I didn't enjoy poetry, I am just realizing that maybe they too did not enjoy it.  If they didn't enjoy it, it may have a lot to do with how I was taught and the experiences I had.

I feel an obligation to change the experiences I had for my future students.  The books mentions that, "We need to change our approach" and to do this, we as teachers need to create an environment where children have positive experiences with poetry like using words in fun and interesting ways.  Poet Constance Levy suggested the we "take time to read lots of good poetry written especially for children."  By doing this, we as teachers will share our discoveries with our students and in turn this will "ignite our love" of poetry and will nuture our students' responses to poetry. 

Since this chapter was on poetry, I decided to find some childern's authors that write it.  I found a website called http://www.poetry4kids.com/.  This website has a lot of activities for kids to do and may help them enjoy reading and writing it.  Author Ken Nesbitt is the creator of this site and here are two books of his poetry books. 

Meet the misbehaving robots, not-so-smart dogs, and angry vegetables who feature in Kenn Nesbitt's hilarious collection of clever wordplay that is sure to keep kids laughing and loving poetry all year long.

Don't Ever Bite Your Sister


Don't ever bite your sister.
Don't kick her in the shin.
Don't slap your sister silly
and don't sock her on the chin.


Don't tape a "Kick Me" poster
upon your sister's back.
Don't take your stinky socks off
and then put them in her pack.


Don't purchase plastic spiders
and place them on her head.
Don't leave your rubber rattlesnake
inside your sister's bed.


Don't do this to your sister
for, if you ever do,
I'm pretty sure she may do something
even worse to you.

Get ready to laugh as you discover the wonderfully zany poetry of Kenn Nesbitt! You'll read about the world's fastest bicycle and meanest pirate ever. You'll meet a marching band of musical ants, and a dragon who can't blow out his birthday candles. You'll learn how not to play with your food, and why you can't bring a camel to school. Children and adults alike will want to read these poems again and again.

Understanding & Responding to Literature

Reading comprehension is the understanding of what we read.  The more background or prior knowledge (schema) a reader has before their reading experience, "the more the reader takes away from it."  Teachers need to expand their students "repertoires."  As students expand their reading skills, the teacher is able to expose his/her students to reading selections that are more challenging.

Teachers can build reading comprehension by 1) activating or supplying prior knowledge;  2) guiding student reading; 3) reinforcing concepts; and 4) encouraging critical thinking and inquiry.  A teacher can supply or activate prior knowledge through discussions or within the lesson plan prior to the reading which can help the student to improve their understanding of the story.  Giving students a purpose to read is a form of guided reading. This is achieved when the teacher leads a discussion, provides experiences and/or shows objects that relate to the story before the actual reading. This can entice students to want to read.  If a student is not familiar with words or the concept of what they are reading, it is the job of the teacher to work with the student and explain and/or correct their misunderstandings.  Teachers need to be able to ask high quality questions that go well with the "needs and abilities" of all learners, because it is a crucial part of teaching comprehension. 

Diane Stanley, author, says it well, "A child who reads good books will prosper.  She will develop her vocabulary, increase her knowledge, and come to understand others better."  Comprehending what you read is very important, even more so for a teacher to be able to help his/her students build that comprehension.

The importance of a reader's schema prior to their reading is as important as the response we give to a book.  Chapter 4 states that everything about us from "who we are, our past experiences with literature and the world, our interests, the books we've read, the places we've been, the people we've known, our ages"  infulences our response.

Readers, and especially young readers, respond most readily to literature as an embodiment of human personalities, human situations, human conflicts and achievements.  The life situations and interests of students [are] more often seen as the bridge between them and books. Louise Rosenblatt

I like this comment, because I remember reading several books in middle school that I felt I could relate to at that time.  It could have been a situation I remembered being in, a character I connected with, a memory of my childhood or a feeling I had felt before in a certain situation. 

There are so many different ways to respond to books that we read.  A response can be shared through drama, art, writing, talking, etc.  The summary at the end of the chapter states, "Responses are the rooting of lifelong loves of literature.  When we feel, sense, and respond to books, we are making memorable book connections that are the foundation for future reading."  This statement made me realize how the response to what we read impacts our desire of reading. 

 I found another great website http://www.jacketflap.com/.  JacketFlap has the world's largest database of information on children's book publishers. The searchable database helps writers most optimally find the publishers that are publishing new authors and that publish titles in the writer's category of work.

On this site I found an author by the name of Christina Garcia who has written four novels: Dreaming in Cuban, The Agüero Sisters, Monkey Hunting, and A Handbook to Luck. In addition, Christina García's work has been nominated for a National Book Award and translated into a dozen languages. Below are two of her children's books.

I Wanna Be Your Shoebox

Because Yumi RuÍz-Hirsch has grandparents from Japan, Cuba, and Brooklyn, her mother calls her a poster child for the twenty-first century. Yumi would laugh if only her life wasn't getting as complicated as her heritage. All of a sudden she's starting eighth grade with a girl who collects tinfoil and a boy who dresses like a squid. Her mom's found a new boyfriend, and her punk-rock father still can't sell a song. She's losing her house; she's losing her school orchestra. And worst of all she's losing her grandfather Saul.

Yumi wishes everything couldstay the same. But as she listens to Saul tell his story, she learns that nobody ever asks you if you're ready for life to happen. It just happens. The choice is either to sit and watch or to join the dance.

Reading Level Ages 9-12

The Dog Who Loved the Moon


Who's ever heard of a dog who would not dance?  Unless of course el perrito is lovesick for the moon.  Then all you need is a little magic a lot of music and a very special wish.  And the moon just might surprise you.

Reading Level Ages 4-8

Chapter 2 Culturally Responsive Classrooms

This chapter was a real eye opener, because it explains how important it is for teachers to know each of their students and where they come from.  Not just their culture background, but as well as their "deep culture" as the book refers to it.  Deep culture is the characteristics, values, and beliefs that are not apparent.  I think I highlighted most of the chapter with information I believed was very helpful and interesting, but I am only going to touch on a few points I believe are key to creating a culturally responsive classroom.

Chapter 1 briefly touched on the subject of meeting the needs of all learners.  Chapter 2 goes more into detail on how to go about doing this.  The question, "How can I know about all the children I will teach?", is raised.  The chapter goes on to explain that teachers need to "know what questions to ask about the students we teach."  Figure 2.2 on page 30 and 31 gives examples of the type of questions you should ask.  Most questions cannot be asked directly, but as the books states, "by observation, research and colleagues."  I really like the questions listed in Figure 2.2 that I will have my own personal copy to use if I am faced with this situation.  It's very crucial for teachers to get to know their students because this will influence how they will teach them.   

"I want students of all ages to believe that they can add their voice to our national literature.  It's hard to believe if you don't see youself in the literature presented, promoted, and honored." Pat Mora, author. 

This quote by Pat Mora is very profound because as you read, "We Read to Know We Are Not Alone," on page 30 and 31, it just makes so much sense as to why it's so important to learn about your students and using that knowledge to teach them.  It also allows the teacher to let their students feel a sense of belonging and this can make a difference in how these students view school. 

"Dedicated teachers seek out literature for their students that reflects the diversity of the peoples of the United States." Ashley Bryan, poet.

I like this quote as well, because it goes in hand with a sentence I found on page 32, "Books educate us about our world."  Aside from getting to know your students, teachers have to bring in books to their students that will teach them about their classmates and others. 

The short course in where a teacher deliberately put multicultural practicing teachers into groups with books outside their culture was a great example and experience for the teachers to learn from.  It allowed these teachers and the readers of this chapter to see how difficult it is for these students to read outside one's own culture and understand what is being taught. 

I found a website http://www.multiculturalchildrenslit.com/.  This wesite hosts many different authors and their books and are catagorized by ethnicity.  In addition, under each ethnicty tab, it gives you sites or ideas on how to incorporate these cultures into your classroom.  I found two books from two different authors on this website. I hope this site can be helpful to you.

In his first year of school, Francisco understands little of what his teacher says. But he is drawn to the silent, slow-moving caterpillar in the jar next to his desk. He knows caterpillars turn into butterflies, but just how do they do it? To find out, he studies the words in a butterfly book so many times that he can close his eyes and see the black letters, but he still can’t understand their meaning. Illustrated with paintings as deep and rich as the wings of a butterfly, this honest, unsentimental account of a schoolchild’s struggle to learn language reveals that our imaginations powerfully sustain us. La Mariposa makes a subtle plea for tolerance in our homes, our communities, and in our schools.

Jimenez, F. (2000). La mariposa. Illustrated by S. Silva. New York: Houghton Mifflin. (K-3)

When Allison tries on the red kimono her grandmother has sent her, she is suddenly aware that she resembles her favorite doll more than she does her mother and father. When her parents explain that she is adopted, Allison’s doll becomes her only solace until she finds a stray cat in the garden and learns the true meaning of adoption and parental love.

Say, A. (1997). Allison. New York: Houghton Mifflin. (K-3)

Chapter 1 & Children Authors

I completely agree with the statement, "The first is to teach students to read.  But the second part, teaching students to want to read, is the bigger challenge."  In order to get students to that point, many things go into making that happen.  The first and most important in my opinion is believing that ALL children can learn no matter the obstacle.  As the book mentioned when a teacher does not equally treat the students to the same benefits regardless of their reading level, the lower group with less constructive work and attention will lack that desire to read or do better.  The teacher's negative attitude affects these chilren in their schooling and in the long run.  Teachers need to be "lifelong learners," teachers need to be aware of their beliefs and attitudes towards literacy because it influences their students.  The six language arts play a very important role in a teacher's curriculum because of how they all work together.  A good book collection can introduce students to many wonders. 

Since my major is in Bilingual Education, I wanted to find authors who write bilingual books.  I found three authors and each one one is very unique in their own way.  Mary Sue Galindo is a Texas native who is a bilingual teacher herself.  Her bio states she struggled to find "quality" books in Spanish which led her to start writing children's books.  Her inspiration was to write about the experiences that the children of the Southwest could relate to.

Another author I found is Pat Mora.  She is an El Paso native and a distinguished author of children's books, poetry and nonficition.  Her books are either biligual or can be in English with a few words in Spanish.  In her bio, I like what she says at the end because I believe it to be very true, "...it is important that kids see their own language in a book, it makes kids feel included and it connects them to the text."  How awesome is that!  If they feel connected, wouldn't that make them WANT to continue reading?

The last author I found was Maya Christina Gonzalez.  From what I read from her statement, she is a painter and an author.  Her paintings are very colorful but not suited for children!  Her page also takes you to a website called childrensbookpress.org, where her new book is listed along with many other books from different authors of different cultural backgrounds.  I really liked this website because you can also order books from this page and see the selection of books.  The website's page says, "We connect kids to their rich and varied cultures."  This website would be great for teachers who want to find books to help their students connect to differenct cultures or their own when reading.