Hello Language Artists and their families!
We made it through the first full week of school and we are starting to figure out the routine. Things are definitely different than last year, but we're off to a great start, in my opinion.
This week, we focused on team building, writing, thinking, and getting adjusted to our new school year. We read and talked about Kelly Norman Ellis' poem "I was Raised by Women." (see the below video to watch the poet perform her beautiful poem!)
We made it through the first full week of school and we are starting to figure out the routine. Things are definitely different than last year, but we're off to a great start, in my opinion.
This week, we focused on team building, writing, thinking, and getting adjusted to our new school year. We read and talked about Kelly Norman Ellis' poem "I was Raised by Women." (see the below video to watch the poet perform her beautiful poem!)
The text of the poem is available under the Links & Documents tab. As a class, students brainstormed what other kinds of things we were raised by - video games, books, the internet, consequences, hippies, hardworking parents, etc. etc. We came up with a pretty great list of ideas and everyone has started drafting their own original "I was Raised by" poems.
In order to support students in this work, I am posting 2 examples below of poems from high school students. I am hoping these examples will show the range of possibilities with this poem and help kids come up with their own ideas.
In order to support students in this work, I am posting 2 examples below of poems from high school students. I am hoping these examples will show the range of possibilities with this poem and help kids come up with their own ideas.
By Anaiah Rhodes I was raised by a lovin' Church goin', home cookin', belt whoppin', Non-stop children bearin' Money arguin', "You're going to be something great one day," Mom and Dad I was raised by a Jesus lovin', behind tearin' Bomb cookin', hair pressin', garage sale givin' Grandma A politic lovin', money givin', pipe puffin', Fish fryin', Cadillac whippin', wine sippin', "Study hard now!" Grandpa I was taught by a tongue talkin' Sanctified, holy ghost filled, fire baptized, shoutin' "'Member to keep God first, Baby!" Kinda church folk Some aisle runnin', teary-eyed, joy jumpin', Devil rebukin', seed sowin' "How you doin', Baby?" Type of church folk I was brought up with that hold on, Wait on God, don't give up, Weepin' may endure for the night, But joy comes in the mornin' What a friend we have in Jesus, music By some double darin', house playin', Fightin', scratchin', teasin', tauntin', Crumb snatchin' To football playin' and track runnin' "I got cha back!" Cousins I was brought up by that race Everybody on the block, barefoot, wind in my face, win or lose, spirit of runnin' To that sweatin', trainin', muscle tearin', Shin splintin', intense burnin', Heavy workout, deep breathin' crazy Type of runnin'. Raised. | By Seth Lee Some x tappin' Joystick swirlin' "Drive me crazy til I throw my controller" type of videogames. I was raised by cuts and bruises. Some knee scrapin' bone breakin' fallin' out of trees and landing on my head kinds of cuts and bruises. I was raised by roughnecks. Those country music listenin' playing football on the gravel road pickin' blackberries from the neighbors wrestlin' in the mud 'til dinner's ready kind of roughnecks. I was raised by transformers. Some Decepticon terrorizin' optimist prime ass kickin' Megatron losin' day in and day out transformers. I was raised by sports. Those ball kickin' ball throwin' ball hittin' stick fools so hard they cry for their mamas sort of sports. I was raised by martial arts That body throwin' chair launchin' knuckle breakin' drunken master type of martial arts. |
While both of these poems kept a similar structure to the original, you can see that the end result is very different. These are meant to inspire, not to limit student creativity.
Students know they are expected to share only one stanza or section of their poem. Together, we will compile a class "I was Raised by Poem" in order to not only share ourselves with our community, but to learn more about each other. I appreciate that this type of sharing takes courage, and I am impressed with how willing we are to be brave and to open up to one another.
Next week, we will start our short story unit. Students will read a story in their small groups (each group has a different story), analyze, synthesize, and present their findings to their classmates. More details to come!
Thank you parents/guardians/trusted adults for completing the family survey that went home with your student! These, coupled with the Individualized Education Profile that students completed, will help give me a more complete idea of where each student is coming from and what they need from me. I appreciate your help in this process!
Please, students and adults alike, do not hesitate to contact me if needed! You can use the form on the main page on this website, or email me directly at [email protected]. Call or text at 503-997-7853. I am with family down in Medford this weekend, but still available to answer questions or help students in need.
I hope you all have a great long weekend! See you Tuesday :)
Ms. Spiegel
Students know they are expected to share only one stanza or section of their poem. Together, we will compile a class "I was Raised by Poem" in order to not only share ourselves with our community, but to learn more about each other. I appreciate that this type of sharing takes courage, and I am impressed with how willing we are to be brave and to open up to one another.
Next week, we will start our short story unit. Students will read a story in their small groups (each group has a different story), analyze, synthesize, and present their findings to their classmates. More details to come!
Thank you parents/guardians/trusted adults for completing the family survey that went home with your student! These, coupled with the Individualized Education Profile that students completed, will help give me a more complete idea of where each student is coming from and what they need from me. I appreciate your help in this process!
Please, students and adults alike, do not hesitate to contact me if needed! You can use the form on the main page on this website, or email me directly at [email protected]. Call or text at 503-997-7853. I am with family down in Medford this weekend, but still available to answer questions or help students in need.
I hope you all have a great long weekend! See you Tuesday :)
Ms. Spiegel