I just came back from my school district’s poetry celebration called Poetry Central. It ended with a
Poetry Slam and we were there to WIN. A few months ago I took a couple of my students to a poetry contest at South Mountain High School to read and it felt like an ambush. I had no idea they had slam team, a
GREAT slam team.
My kids are good but they were eaten alive. We went back to Metro Tech realizing we had to up our game. At this point we have no team, no club, no nothing. Just a couple of skilled kids with raw talent and little old me.
Originally, all I was trying to do was show kids the power of their own voices though their own words. I tell them that on day one and then show them day after day six weeks at a time.
Reading off paper just evolved as the next level. I told them that for four weeks they spend time spilling their words onto the page and for those that want to take it to the next level, we will take the last two weeks re-digesting those words on the page. Owning them consciously. Becoming a channel for them to move out onto those in the audience.
I started bringing in local writers and poets who also read off paper to give the students inspiration and examples of others who own their words consciously.
I told them, “When you’re reading from a page there’s still you and the page. There’s still a separation. ON stage and OFF paper, you can BE your words.”
They listened. And practiced.
Tonight we took the top two places with straight tens. Both of them were on fire channeling their words. It gives me chills right now just thinking about it. I've caught the bug and it' not from swine it's from talented kids finding and owning their voices right before my eyes.
And now the students have asked that next year we take it to the next level and get a slam team going at our school. The South Mountain team is going to compete this summer in
Chicago. I know they will do well. Some of their writers blew me away with their words tonight. I wish them great success.
HOWEVER
I think my students deserve to compete in events like this too. But they need a coach. If not me, then who? I guess I’ve got to up my game . . . again.
Endless Practice . . . .
Thankfully.
I just came back from my school district’s poetry celebration called Poetry Central. It ended with a Poetry Slam and we were there to WIN. A few months ago I took a couple of my students to a poetry contest at South Mountain High School to read and it felt like an ambush. I had no idea they had slam team, a GREAT slam team.
My kids are good but they were eaten alive. We went back to Metro Tech realizing we had to up our game. At this point we have no team, no club, no nothing. Just a couple of skilled kids with raw talent and little old me.
Originally, all I was trying to do was show kids the power of their own voices though their own words. I tell them that on day one and then show them day after day six weeks at a time.
Reading off paper just evolved as the next level. I told them that for four weeks they spend time spilling their words onto the page and for those that want to take it to the next level, we will take the last two weeks re-digesting those words on the page. Owning them consciously. Becoming a channel for them to move out onto those in the audience.
I started bringing in local writers and poets who also read off paper to give the students inspiration and examples of others who own their words consciously.
I told them, “When you’re reading from a page there’s still you and the page. There’s still a separation. ON stage and OFF paper, you can BE your words.”
They listened. And practiced.
Tonight we took the top two places with straight tens. Both of them were on fire channeling their words. It gives me chills right now just thinking about it. I've caught the bug and it' not from swine it's from talented kids finding and owning their voices right before my eyes.
And now the students have asked that next year we take it to the next level and get a slam team going at our school. The South Mountain team is going to compete this summer in Chicago. I know they will do well. Some of their writers blew me away with their words tonight. I wish them great success.
HOWEVER
I think my students deserve to compete in events like this too. But they need a coach. If not me, then who? I guess I’ve got to up my game . . . again.
Endless Practice . . . .
Thankfully.
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