POETRY POWER!!!How to Create a Culture of Poetry in Your School

I don’t like poetry because …

I DON’T GET IT

and/or

IT’S BORING

Shel Silverstein is the Only Exception

POD (Poem of the Day)

• Poetry “Gateway Drugs”

• Fun, Light Verse

• Short

• Curriculum Related

• Relevant

• Varied Forms

• Staff Suggestions

• Email, social media, announcements, even hard copies

Start a Poetry Committee!

As in …. Delegate!

Fun Contests

Spontaneous and/or planned

Haikus and other simple forms or themes work best

For staff, not just students!

Give out “fabulous” prizes (like pencils) !

Special Events

Poem in Your Pocket Day

Poetry Café/ Poetry Blasts/ Poetry Slams

Author visits

Your ideas?

Has it Worked? Poetry by the Numbers!

7 years

140 Poems of the Day

More than 50 fun poetry contests

More than 60 staff poets including P.E. teachers, paraprofessionals, and our amazingly prolific security officer. . . with new contributors every year!

Too many student poets to count

Eight past and current “poetry committee” members

Multiple poetry “special events”

And…. an impressive number of students winning local, state, and national poetry contests and participating in poetry events!