Poetry Everywhere: Teaching Poetry Writing in School and in the Community [Paperback]

Jack Collom (Author), Sheryl Noethe (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0915924986 | ISBN-13: 978-0915924981 | Publication Date: March 1994

Sixty five alphabetically ordered entries on poetry, each more than two pages, offering exercises, examples and student samples. Also includes seven essays pertaining to teaching poetry, several suggestions on how to use the book, and an appendix showing exercises by school subject A collection of entries pertaining to virtually all the different forms of poetry. Includes entries on acrostics, definition poems, list poems, odes, “used to/but now” poems, and other innovative forms designed to bolster creative writing. Collom and Noethe truly understand their audience, for they have also addressed the need for ideas on how to integrate poetry into the English core curriculum in a section at the back of the book, filled with essays that guide you through the entire poetry teaching process. There are 11 essays in all, in addition to an appendix of exercises arranged by school subject.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 252 pages
• Publisher: Teachers & Writers (March 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0915924986
• ISBN-13: 978-0915924981
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #675,091 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A guidebook for beginners, October 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Poetry Everywhere: Teaching Poetry Writing in School and in the Community (Paperback)

Although I am a student of creative writing, I found this book a great help. It is indespensible for beginning writers and teachers of beginners. The book provides both detailed instruction and examples from famed poets to first graders. The authors show the practicality of the exercises by sharing personal teaching experience and even give alternatives for different skill levels. By teaching how creativity can work within a given form, they help students to eliminate the sterility often found in beginners' poems. For those who want to write poetry but don't know where to begin, Collom and Noethe not only give you the tools, but show you how to use them.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Book All Teachers Should Acquire, June 21, 2004

By 

Livia J Kent (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Poetry Everywhere: Teaching Poetry Writing in School and in the Community (Paperback)

In her preface, Sheryle Noethe writes that the genesis of "Poetry Everywhere" was the year she spent as a resident poet in Salmon, Idaho, visiting school "in an effort to make creative writing full of opportunity." This mission was synonymous with mine when I entered the DC public school system two years ago to lead poetry workshops for inner city middle school children. I had little teaching experience and embarked on my journey with only my enthusiasm and my copy of "Poetry Everywhere." Luckily, these two things were all I needed to launch a successful series of classes. "Poetry Everywhere" turned out to be a phenomenal resource, a stew of delicious ideas meant to inspire-but not to instruct. This is not a manual for lazy teachers. There are no pages to be photocopied and filled with blank lines for students to "finish the story" or "imagine a very bad day and describe." Instead, as co-author Jack Collom writes, "This is a how-to book. It is also a big many-gated entrance to pleasure and excitement in learning . . . The writing exercises in this book allow for the possibility of poetry." In this sense, the book is entirely honest in its assessment of itself. It does not ensure success in the classroom, but it does provide creative teachers willing to put in a little extra effort an elaborate list of writing exercises. These include everything from acrostics to pantoums to William Carlos Williams imitations. In my experience these exercises are great launching pads, but in order for them to resonate with students both willing and hesitant to write, a teacher must be able to expand on the suggested courses of actions. For instance, as the book itself suggests, most children like to brainstorm in a group before they sit down to write. Also it is invaluable for them to see their work in print, or at least on the board, and also to have the opportunity to share what they write in an open and positive environment.
Although it seems the authors have tried all these exercises with age groups varying from first graders to high schoolers, I found that it is important to assess for oneself which activities are age appropriate for whom. Still, the examples given in each chapter of actual poems written by students are great to read out loud to the class. This way, students can be inspired by the potential of each exercise. Also, I found it encourages students to see their teacher trying the exercises along with them. And teachers, don't worry. Most of the activities are fun and sometimes challenging even for adults. Fortunately, once teachers have run the gamut of these exercises "Poetry Everywhere" provides supplementary chapters on enlivening standard English instruction, activities for more advanced students, revision, and inventing more exercises.
In the past two years I have read through a variety of books claiming to be manuals for the teaching of creative writing to children. But in essence these types of curriculums should be organic to the classroom, and "Poetry Everywhere" seems to be the only book out there that truly understands this idea. Nowadays, as creativity is is increasing squashed by the restrictions of hardened syllabi, I can only hope that teachers everywhere will realize the importance of doing exactly what this book recommends, encouraging students to discover not only that it's fun to write poems but also that the art of writing is central to the process of learning in general.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Teacher's Perspective - Poerty Everywhere, June 15, 2007

By 

J. Story (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Poetry Everywhere: Teaching poetry Writing in School and in the Community (Paperback)

This book is a Poetry 101: A-Z for the novice teacher, or one like me wanting to incorporate poetry into my art classroom. This book is structured so that whatever you are looking for you will be able to find it easily. Though an easy read, this book fully engaged and inspired me to go forth into unchartered territory. There are NUMEROUS poetic styles to fit into just about any teacher's curriculum at ANY grade level. The ideas and exercises that the authors suggest to get you going are simple but extremely effective. The exercises work as a springboard to which you use your creativity to jump from and expand. I benefited from this book professionally as well as personally and my students (basically the entire student population) took to it from the first day of introduction. Many of them got so into it that they would write at home and bring what they had done in the next day to my class, eventhough they didn't do their "homework" for their homeroom teacher. Poetry has struck a chord in my students and that wouldn't have been possible without the Poetry Everywhere book to inspire me and get me majorly enthusiastic about the subject. I highly recommend this book for any teacher wanting to inject something new yet so beneficial into their daily routine.