April is National Poetry Month! Poems, in their many styles and forms, are being celebrated all around the world. Have you considered incorporating the celebration of poetry into your homeschool?
Reasons Why Poetry Can Boost Your Homeschool
We have recently included poetry into our homeschool studies with great success. I love how poetry can be enjoyed by all ages. Toddlers to teens can benefit from exposure to this creative form of written expression.
Children (and adults) with different learning styles can also enjoy the assortment of features contained in a poem. Visual learners will gain from reading the poetic words and any imagery paired with them. Auditory learners will delight in the rhymes and rhythms with the musical nature of read-alouds. Kinesthetic learners will find pleasure in clapping along to the poetic meter or using materials like post-it notes or magnetic words to copy poems.
Reluctant readers and writers may find themselves comfortable in the written world of poetry. Struggling readers may appreciate the shorter verse or space between lines. Children who dislike writing essays or reports may take satisfaction in the freedom from rules for some poetic styles.
Poetry Teatime For Your Homeschool
Through some of my Periscope friends, I heard about a veteran homeschooler who has been sharing her wisdom, inspiration, and encouragement. Julie Bogart is the creator of Brave Writer, a homeschool lifestyle curricula that helps parents and kids find their comfort zone with writing and so much more. I watched one of her scopes and was hooked.
One of Julie’s passions is to help homeschool families enjoy the process of homeschooling. She shares stories from her own experiences as a homeschooler. An activity that proved to be a success in her own homeschool, and now for many others, is Poetry Teatime.
Due to the popularity and desire for more resources, Julie and her team created a new community called Poetry Teatime. This site recently launched and has already become a valuable asset to the homeschool world. Poetry Teatime will include resources like:
- themed poetry teatimes
- poet interviews
- recipes
- book lists
- favorite poems
- ideas for writing poetry with kids
Two other opportunities are available to all. A Free Quick Start Guide to Poetry Teatime is available to all subscribers. This resource has been invaluable to our homeschool as we tweak how poetry teatime works for 5 boys ages 2, 4, 7, 10, and 13.
Looking for some fantastic poetry books that your kids will love? Here are a few that my boys have asked to read over and over again:
Read-Aloud Poems For Young People: An Introduction To The Magic And Excitement Of Poetry (edited by Glorya Hale)–This book is recommended by Julie and is full of wonderful poems and tidbits of information about the poets.
A Children’s Introduction To Poetry (written by Michael Driscoll)–This book explains different types of poems, as well as gives popular examples and vocabulary. It includes a CD which is especially helpful for auditory learners.
A Light In The Attic (written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein)–A classic poetry book for kids. My boys always ask to read more!
