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as an educator, i've found that the single most influential and successful tool to use in a diverse gropu of youths is oral or performance poetry.
all evidence here in the san francisco bay area has been that this is a growing movement that has lots of room for new voices. from day one (septemeber, 1997) teenagers from all ethnic, cultural, and class backgrounds, of both genders and differing sexual orientations have found something for themselves in the writing, performing, and listening to spoken word poetry.
not only are these teen poets expressing themselves and the time they live in, they are also finding the courage to get on stage to perform their poems, and to also ask themselves, their peers, and the larger sociey difficult questions. i believe many of the youths are finding that the acts of writing and performing poetry are freeing acts. for years, poetry was taught as a limited art form - one that only a few could read/write. i believe that has now changed.
i'd love to know your opinion on this - i'd be interested in hearing from both classroom teachers and afterschool program directors on the successes and/or difficulties you've had in teaching poetry to youths.
thanks
james kass |
