Laura Robb: A Passion for Poetry
This week’s featured guest is Laura Robb, a resident of Winchester, Virginia, renowned as both a dedicated teacher and prolific author. Laura embarked on her writing journey in 1994, with a particular focus on educational literature centered around the realms of reading and writing. Noteworthy among her works are “Teaching Reading in Middle School” (Scholastic, 2010) and “Promote Reading Gains With Differentiated Instruction” (Shell Education, 2023), projects that she found particularly gratifying. An intriguing fact about Laura is her penchant for engaging in the intricate world of 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzles, a hobby that keeps her constantly engaged. These details were shared by the esteemed writer, David L. Harrison.
Embracing Poetry Throughout the Academic Year
During the nascent stages of my teaching vocation, I unearthed a profound truth – my students’ affinity for poetry blossomed when poetry became an integral component of our year-long reading and writing curriculum. The voyage into the realm of poetry commences with a visit to the school library, where I gather an assortment of around seventy-five anthologies, collections, and picture books on a cart, which I then wheel into our classroom. Students are encouraged to peruse through these literary treasures, selecting two to four pieces to immerse themselves in. The classroom is enveloped in a serene ambiance punctuated only by the soft rustle of pages as students delve into the world of poetry, occasionally sharing their newfound gems with their peers. This marks the inception of a year-round odyssey into the realm of poetry. The ensuing recommendations are tailored to aid you in seamlessly integrating poetry into your curriculum, ensuring that poetry assumes a pivotal role in the literary tapestry of children’s lives.
- Interactive Poetry Sessions: Engage students through interactive read-aloud sessions, acquainting them with the nuances of imagery, emotions, diverse poets, figurative language, rhythmic patterns, and various forms of poetry such as narrative and lyric compositions. Kickstart your day by regaling students with a captivating poem, seamlessly transitioning between subjects with the allure of poetry, and conclude the day by sending students home with a resonant poem that lingers in their hearts and minds.
- Poet Studies: Encourage students to embark on poet studies, delving into the works of a chosen poet by exploring their literary repertoire and delving into their biographical details through online resources. Subsequently, students can curate a presentation highlighting their favorite poems by the selected poet, thereby fostering a deeper connection with the poet’s oeuvre.
- Cultivating a Poetry Garden: An annual tradition in my classroom involved creating a poetry garden, where students transcribed their cherished poems onto decorative paper, affixed them to wooden sticks, and planted them with care. This initiative extended an invitation to fellow classes to partake in this poetic sanctuary and contribute their unique “poetry plants.”
- Nurturing Poetry Notebooks: Encourage students to maintain poetry notebooks, wherein they can not only pen down original compositions but also transcribe beloved poems for repeated perusal, compile illustrated anthologies of their favorites, and reflect on verses that resonate deeply with them. Periodic sharing sessions can be organized, allowing students to elucidate the significance of a chosen poem or excerpt to a small group or the entire class.
- Creative Expressions: Encourage students to design personalized bookmarks inscribed with their favorite poems, which can be shared as tokens of affection with family and friends, doubling up as cherished keepsakes while delving into literary pursuits.
- Interdisciplinary Connections: Foster interdisciplinary connections by incorporating poetry into various subjects such as math, science, history, and geography. Encourage students to unearth poems that resonate with these disciplines, fostering a holistic appreciation for the interplay between poetry and academic domains.
- Enhancing Fluency Through Performance: Elevate fluency and expressive reading skills through recitation and performance of poems. Encourage students to select a poem, rehearse it with a partner, and subsequently showcase their oratory skills by performing it before an audience. This practice not only augments fluency but also enriches comprehension and vocabulary acquisition.
Renowned poet Beatrice Schenk de Regniers once extolled the virtues of carrying a poem in one’s pocket, where it can serve as a source of solace, inspiration, and companionship. This profound connection with poetry materializes when students are immersed in a year-long exploration of the poetic realm!
Laura Robb’s illustrious career spans over four and a half decades, during which she has not only imparted knowledge but also nurtured the talents of fellow educators. Her unwavering commitment to the field is underscored by a plethora of accolades, including the Richard Halle Award from NCTE for her exemplary contributions to middle school education, Scholastic’s Hero Award for her unwavering support to educators, and the prestigious Literacy Leader award from Nassau County Reading Council. Her latest collaborative endeavor with David L. Harrison and Dr. Timothy Rasinski culminated in the publication of “Promote Reading Gains with Differentiated Instruction” (Shell, 2023), a testament to her enduring dedication to the realm of literacy.