Introductory.Poem

=Introductory Poem= I found this project amongst a number of assignments in the files of my master teacher at Lowell High School in San Francisco. Most teachers are very giving to newbies, offering to share lesson plans and whole swathes of curriculum in order to help new teachers in their never ending quest to lay down track in front of a moving train. When I found this assignment I decided it would be perfect to start the year off with. It introduces students to each other and helps get them comfortable with presenting in front of others and giving of themselves.

I encouraged students to decorate their poems, since they were to be on display in class throughout the year. Some didn’t bother, but most took to the assignment as a fun way to ease into the class. But every once in a while a piece stood out, and this was one of them. This student had a true multimedia frame of mind. She combined the text of the poem with her own self portrait and found computer art and created something truly wonderful.

Reflecting on this poem made me realize what an opportunity I had to connect with students. From day one I wanted to know about them, what they were like, what interested them, but I never took that knowledge and applied it to the curriculum. With the exception of a few projects, nothing I taught in class was inspired or influenced by the students themselves. Although I gave them many opportunities to respond creatively to the texts, I never gave them any power over the texts themselves. I’ve learned that students are the most important part of class and that, though they are there to learn, the best way to influence that learning is to incorporate their own interests.