I am teaching poetry to my Year 5/6 class and it is a unit I love teaching. This term my focus is going to be not only on composing but also on evaluating and critiquing poetry. What makes a poem good? What structure and vocabulary does the writer use to convey emotions and to paint pictures in the reader's mind? Often the first type of poem I like to use is the "Sensory Poem" which the author has to say what he/she sees, hears, tastes, can touch and can smell. I have seen children who have never written poetry before begin with a sensory poem and then start producing high quality poems.
I love words and being descriptive when I write. I want to engage my reader and make them feel that they are there too. When I write these blog posts, I want the reader feel like they are sitting in the same room with me, perhaps having a cuppa (I'll stick to my diet coke, thanks) and that there is a companionable atmosphere. We get so caught up in rushing from here to the next place, being constantly on the move, that we often forget to stop, to be, to ponder and reflect and to breathe in the fresh air.
Recently I heard a pastor say, "God made human beings, not human do-ings."
So many verses in the Bible encourage us to take time out, to be still, to rest. As teachers we work at school, then we often bring our work home. We might not get the computer out, we might not look like we are physically working but our minds are ticking over. I could write a thousand possibilities of what you might be thinking right now and I'm pretty sure you'd relate to them, if not now, then maybe at other times; such as when you're trying to sleep, when you're spending time with the family, watching TV, doing shopping...
This afternoon I went to my friend's place where I keep my horse. I grabbed the halter, opened the gate and Shorty came towards me. I reached up to pat him and put his halter on and he walked alongside me to the post where I tied him to give him a good brush. He was so dirty! Shorty likes to roll around after every ride, every groom and just for fun, when he's not eating. As I brushed him, I spoke with him about my day, told him he was a good boy and combed out his mane. I saddled him up and went to the round yard and rode him around, turning him to the left, the right, going straight ahead, in circles, and did a figure of eight a couple times. He listened and responded to my touch, going in the direction that I asked. I found it relaxing.
When we (teachers) have had a full day, week, &/or month etc, we need to take moments to engage our senses, refresh our minds and souls and just "be". We need to find time away from the classroom and the thoughts that take us back into the classroom out of hours.
Grab a piece of paper and write these words into boxes: See, Hear, Smell, Taste, Touch.
Fill the boxes in - either for what you are sensing now, or choose a vivid memory. I choose this afternoon, although I also like to do this when I'm at the beach.
See - horses grazing in the paddock, 2 green parrots in the tree and 3 cockatoos flying overhead.
Hear - Dogs barking, a pony neighing and the padding of horses' hooves on the ground.
Smell - fresh air, horses
Taste - diet coke
Touch - the mane, tail and hair of Shorty and I feel his breath as he comes in close
And now I am content, my classroom is a day away and I'm ready to sleep.
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