This year's poetry stars: meet the students and teachers who made Instructor's fourth annual poetry contest shine - Announcing

Instructor, April, 2003 by Liza Charlesworth

Just as the charcoal skies and bone-chilling cold of late winter were really starting to get to me, I was asked to help judge Instructor s Fourth Annual Poetry Contest. Zing! My mood lifted, brightened by each entry that crossed my desk, sang in my ear, tickled my funny bone. It was like the arrival of spring, in the form of thousands and thousands of kidcrafted poems. Sure, it wasn't easy winnowing down all those great pieces to a manageable pile-there were so many standouts! But work at it we did, until four winners were selected along with 20 noteworthy runners-up.

What conclusions did we draw about this year's contestants? Hats off to the teachers who inspired such joyful leaps of imagination. There were poems about tadpoles and paintings, homework and hamsters, piano lessons and global peace. Some entries were serious, some delightfully silly. A number were written in free verse, while others unfolded in careful rhyme. The children's work was chock-full of metaphors and similes, onomatopoeia, and awesome alliteration-all the good things that make poetry sing! Teachers were obviously doing something very right. So we decided to get in touch with a few of them to find our how they help kids make the magic happen.

What were their words of advice? Second-grade teacher Sylvia Hakala at King-Murphy Elementary School in Evergreen, Colorado, considers her own enthusiasm her number one strategy. "I love poetry" she declares, "and it all flows from there. We do a poem each day--we read it, we write it, we just can't get enough!" Meanwhile Diane Doebel, a second grade teacher at Detroit Country Day School, in Bloomfield Hills, "Michigan, heads off writer's block with energetic brainstorming sessions and lots of modeling. "We always start by writing a poem together.

TEACHING THE POEMS

That gives kids the confidence they need to strike out on their own," she says. Seventh-grade teacher Teresa Blankenship at Northwest Middle School, in Travelers Rest, South Carolina, stresses the importance of making sure students take their poems through every step in the writing process. Editing and peer conferences," she reports, "are essential to polished products." Finally, third-grade teacher Elizabeth Allen at Columbus Academy, in Gahanna, Ohio, keeps the m ood light while preserving the authenticity of each child's voice with her cheerful refrain: "You may not get to be the boss of everything, but you sure get to be the boss of your poem!" (For more tips, see Top Ten Ways to Create a Poetry-rich Classroom at www.Scholastic.com/instructor.)

Now that we've heard from the coaches, let's meet our poetry stars.

"The Growing Flower"

First grader Amanda Hurst may be our youngest winner, but her poem certainly showcases a sophisticated grasp of simile. Savor the line, "And then a bud like a raindrop/Opens like an umbrella." How is a bud like a raindrop? How is it like an umbrella? Guide kids to see that Amanda's words make pictures in our minds because her comparisons--called similes--ring true. Together brainstorm a list of objects that are different but also alike in at least one key way. Then post the chart for kids to refer to when they need a boost generating similes.

"Tadpoles"

Second grader Jane Ziecik's homage to tadpoles is so energetic it practically leaps off the page! Read the piece chorally, then invite your students to explore the text. Can they find alliteration ("Flip! Flop! Flip! Flop!"), precise images (eggs are "little jelly balls"), and strong words ("float," "Poof!")? What other elements make this verse so memorable?

"Fire"

Fifth grader James Waters' terrific poem grabs our attention and never lets go--the goal of any creative work! Build fluency by inviting students to read it as if they are the voice of fire. How would fire sound? Strong? Angry? Determined? In the piece, lames gives fire many human qualities. Can students locate them? (The fire "eats," "spits," and "devours.") Explain to children that this literary device is called personification. Can they come up with more human qualities for fire? How about for water, or wind? Make a list and use it to create your own personification poems.

"Abundant"

Last, but certainly not least, is eighth grader Humza Quadir's moving meditation on abundance. Read it aloud to your class, mindful of the meticulous line breaks. Ask: Why did Humza choose to break each line as he did? Guide children to understand that each line presents an important thought. Could he have made other choices? Invite students to re-break the poem in a different way. Does it alter the meaning? Point out that "abundant" is an adjective-and a spectacular one at that! Together, brainstorm and choose your own spectacular adjective and write a poem in the spirit of "Abundant."

RELATED ARTICLE: Congratulations to this year's winners!

WINNERS:

See the winning poems on the instructor poetry, page 32.

* Amanda Hurst

1st grade Acacia Elementary School Phoenix AZ

* Jane Ziecik

2nd grade Detroit Country Day School, Bloomfield Hills, MI