Poetry Friday is hosted by Tara
Smith at her wonderful blog, A Teaching Life. Thanks Tara!
I am in my second day of the Colorado Reading Association literacy conference in Denver, just across town, but worlds away from what I
usually do. I have seen some terrific
presentations from Ralph Fletcher, Lucy Calkins, Tony Stead, Carol Ann
Tomlinson, Gordon Korman and tomorrow will end with Kelly Gallagher. For those of you who are teachers, or who
work in education, you will know that I am full up and so inspired! I will not share much tonight, but wanted to
say on this Poetry Friday that more than one presenter used poetry in the presentation,
in several ways.
Here is a poem some of
you will know, and Lucy Calkins, in discussion of the poem, asked us to look at
it from two different points of view, the mother’s and the daughter’s. Lucy was discussing deeper analysis of
text. What kind of mother is this mother
in the poem? And what kind of
child? Will we agree, or will students
see something we adults do not? How can
we open the possibilities to those students reading text that they bring much value
from their own lives to their reading?
We want them to know that their opinions count, and that practice
helps.
The poem is To A Daughter Leaving Home by Linda Pastan.
It begins:
When I taught you
at eight to ride
a bicycle, loping along
beside you
as you wobbled away
on two round wheels,
at eight to ride
a bicycle, loping along
beside you
as you wobbled away
on two round wheels,
and the rest is found here at The Poem Hunter.
I imagine you will bring your own ideas to this poem.
photo credit: theentiremikey via photopin cc
Lucky you! I LOVE that full-up post-conference feeling!
ReplyDeleteThanks-waiting now for Kelly Gallagher!
DeleteWhat a lovely poem by Linda Pastan! Love the reflection suggested by Lucy Calkins, to consider it from two points of view. So much to be learned from this...what a great instigation for students and teachers, to consider things from more than one perspective. Know you are enjoying the conference!
ReplyDeleteHave seen so many great people Maureen, so inspiring!
DeleteThat last image -- beautiful and heart-breaking. I love Linda Pastan's work. Enjoy your weekend at the conference, Linda. Thanks again for the Valentine postcards. My daughter loved the postman cartoon one, in particular.
ReplyDeleteThis poem touches me each time I encounter it. Kids grow as you know, Laura. Glad about the Valentines!
DeleteThank you for sharing that poem! I could picture my own daughter...a virtual playback of the video in my mind. I don't know if at that very instant I realized that I would in very short order see her waving good-bye from the window of a car emblazoned with "Just Married" on the back.
ReplyDeletePastan captured it just right, didn't she? I agree, we mothers can connect immediately.
DeleteI love post-conference glow. The world feels full of so many possibilities after a good conference!
ReplyDeleteThat poem is lovely.
Thanks, Katya. It speaks to us mothers, doesn't it?
DeleteOh, I do love this poem! And I am so glad to hear that the confence is delightfully rich....can't wait to hear about all you've learned!
ReplyDeleteThanks Tara. It was great. Hope your trip was without snowy mishaps too!
DeleteWhat a lovely photograph and an equally lovely poem. I am so heartened to hear that poetry is alive and well in such a conference. I had to really push for more poetry-visibility during the AFCC (Asian Festival of Children's Content) - I'm hoping we have more of that this year. Looking forward to knowing more about the conference! :) Sounds like you had a blast.
ReplyDeleteNearly everyone shared a poem-very good to see! Thanks for all the comments, Myra!
DeleteOh lovely, so glad you got to get some fresh inspiration from a great group of presenters. The poem is great. I love the thoughts you shared from the conference and Calkins ideas on drawing students into their own head when interpreting and reading poetry. Can't wait to hear more about your time.
ReplyDelete