Georgia Heard (1999) suggests in her book, Awakening the Heart, that there are three layers of reading poetry. These layers help us, as teachers, make sure our students experience the depth and breadth of poetry and are encouraged to revisit poetry even after our time together. These three layers are:
1. Choose poems to read that are immediately accessible, nonthreatening, and relevant to students' lives - encourage reading projects that will invite all students into the world of poetry.
2. Help students connect personally, to a poem by guiding them toward finding themselves and their lives inside poem.
3. Guide students toward analyzing the craft of a poem, figuring out how to a poem is built, interpreting what a poem means, or unlocking the puzzle of a difficult poem.
I plan on implementing all three of these layers into the poetry instruction in my classroom. Of the three layers, I think my focus will mostly be on layers one and two. Layer three is definitely important and worth exploring, but I believe students have to see poems as something of interest and worth before they can move towards analyzing structure and meaning. In order to help poetry play a prominent role in my classroom, it will be taught in more than just one unit. I don't stand by the idea of teaching a poetry unit and then never addressing poetry again. Poetry is versatile and can be used in a cross-curricular context.
The following poem has been selected for my Self-Portrait Anthology
After selecting this poem I examined it through the lens of layer two and the lens layer three in order to justify and explain why it was chosen for my anthology.
Layer Two:
Like a lot of other people I know, I'm horrible at accepting compliments. I never know how to react. Should I be overly excited and thankful? Should I be humble and slightly aloof? It gives me anxiety even now to think about accepting a compliment from someone face-to-face. This poem states, "dare to believe, the whispers in your ears, that you might be special". This immediately connects me with my inability to accept and deeply believe in the compliments given to me by other people in my life.
Layer Three:
This poem carries a message of believing in yourself. Those who believe in themselves will often make the biggest difference. If we do not believe in ourselves then how can be expect others to believe in us and our ability?
I really enjoyed searching for poems to include in my anthology. I'm excited to discover the remaining poems that will help complete my anthology.
Callie,
I am so glad you have found a poem you connect to and are able to take Heard's advice for poetry into your life. This will help you understand at a deeper level when you are applying those three layers to reading poetry!
Callie, I love the poem that you chose. This week when I went searching for poetry I tried to find things that were uplifting, inspiring, made me feel hopeful and powerful. (I've been feeling pretty overwhelmed with school stuff recently), and I feel that this poem reminds me to take the compliments I get and believe that I can make a change with what I have chosen to do. I think I'll add this one to my notebook.
Callie, I think it is awesome that you are positive that poetry will be taught to your students throughout the school year. This is beneficial in multiple ways, especially in that students are more likely to see it as an important type of writing. It is also a great point that students will spend most of their time in layers one and two. Thanks for the post!