Poetry

Today we were doing our teaching plans for next week, and I suggested to the 3rd grade group that they consider reading aloud the book Love That Dog by Sharon Creech (author of Walk Two Moons), as their theme for next week poetry. When I was student teaching at Oasis I taught this book to a group of kids, grade K-6. Love That Dog is a funny, short novel about a boy, Jack, whose teacher insists on teaching poetry. He is reluctant, as after all, boys don't write poetry! The teacher, Miss Stretchberry, persists introducing the class to poetry from Robert Frost, William Blake, Walter Dean Myers, among many others. The book is written in free verse, from Jack's point of view, and as you read you slowly see his perception of poetry change. Miss Stretchberry is that fictional teacher that all of us in the teaching profession strive to be, quietly guiding the children and coaxing a love of poetry from them. It is a truly wonderful read, one that I would recommend for everyone!

Anyway, after telling my fellow teachers about it, I started paging through the book and re-reading it. One of the poems that Jack wrote really struck me, as it is so true. It exemplifies my thoughts of late! :) Enjoy!

April 26

Sometimes
when you are trying
not to think about something
it keeps popping back
into your head
you can't help it
you think about it
and
think about it
and
think about it
until your brain
feels like
a squashed pea.