Bloomsbury Making Poetry Happen: Transforming the Poetry Classroom

Making Poetry Happen provides a valuable resource for trainee and practicing teachers, enabling them to become more confident and creative in teaching what is recognized as a very challenging aspect of the English curriculum. The volume editors draw together a wide-range of perspectives to provide support for development of creative practices across the age phases, drawing on learners' and teachers' perceptions of what poetry teaching is like in all its forms and within a variety of contexts, including: - inspiring young people to write poems - engaging invisible pupils (especially boys) - listening to poetry - performing poetry Throughout, the contributors include practical, tried-and-tested materials, including activities, and draw on case studies. This approach ensures that the theory is clearly linked to practice as they consider teaching and learning poetry to those aged between 5 and 19 from different perspectives, looking at reading; writing; speaking and listening; and transformative poetry cultures. Each of the four parts includes teacher commentaries on how they have adapted and developed the poetry activities for use in their own classroom. Review "Packed with energy and ideas, this engaging book is a must-have for poetry teachers across the age phases. Accessible workshop activities for the classroom show how to bring poetry alive on the tongue, in the mind and the body. Pleasure and play rub shoulders with attention to language, interpretation and meaning, and conspire to inspire. A book to read, use and enjoy." --Teresa Cremin, Professor of Education (Literacy), The Open University, UK"Rich in classroom experiences of the teaching of poetry, and covering a wide range of important issues, this book allows teachers and educators to take us on their journey of discovering the power of poetry." --Barbara Bleiman, Co-Director, English and Media Centre, UK"This is an outstanding collection that gives voice to teachers and students as they engage with poetry. It is essential reading for those who want to make poetry happen. An invaluable resource for new and experienced teachers, this text will change how you approach poetry. Rarely have I read a book that is so transformative. Making Poetry Happen will become a classic." --Clare Kosnik, Professor, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Canada"I can think of no more comprehensive or up-to-date volume on the teaching of poetry today. Editors Dymoke, Barrs, Lambirth and Wilson have assembled twenty-four chapters that span the full range of possibilities for engaging students from early primary to late secondary school in reading, writing, performing and studying every conceivable poetic genre. Here are approaches that are practically, pedagogically and theoretically sound, and that will reassure the most anxious teacher and encourage the most reluctant student. What an extraordinary resource for language arts teachers around the world." --Mark Dressman, Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA"Making Poetry Happen is an engaging exploration of the matters arising within curricular and their consequences in the poetry classroom. Exercises, case studies, anecdotes and relevant research from numerous student and teacher perspectives guide a transformative approach to the teaching of poetry. Encompassing the many facets of poetry and reaching across year levels and countries, this book shows how poetry can be the making of education. Informed by researchers, teachers, writers and poets who are teachers, this book offers expansive pedagogical approaches to revitalise poetics in education, working alongside, and independently of, the companion book, Making Poetry Matter. Making Poetry Happen does not tell teachers how to teach. It is a poetry bible. Written by teachers for teachers to share the wild heart of poetics in the classroom." --Kelly Malone, poet, educator and