1. Melissa Winfield
Oh No, Anything but Poetry!
August 2012
Poetry Reflection
This course delved into the uniquely diverse nature of poetry. Throughout
the progression of this course, a wide range of different types of poems were
presented for analytical purposes as well as to help foster self expression in the
form of our own poems. This course helped bring to light how teachers can help
their students create poetry by making it relatable and thereby accessible to them.
In many incidents students have trouble with writing poetry because they find it
hard to relate to. However, this course provided a wide range of ways to help
students be able to make a variety of different types of connections that would help
enable them to create meaningful pieces of poetic text. By understanding poetic
elements and interacting with different forms of poetry, students can gain a true
essence of what makes poetry meaningful. This can ultimately help facilitate them
in their own writing experiences.
Another benefit to writing poetry is that there are so many different forms of
poetry that it easily lends itself to accommodate for differentiated instructional
opportunities. After learning about the different forms of poetry and poetic
elements and techniques, students can choose a format that will best help them to

2. express themselves in a creative way. Students do not have to be limited to one
particular format. This would also create opportune moments for student
collaborative learning experiences. Students would be able to learn from and share
their work with their peers. Poetry often allows for students to express their
individual differences in a creative outlet.
Overall, I really enjoyed this course. I will be able to incorporate many of
the techniques that I have learned in the course within my own classroom. I am
hoping to be able to make the learning experiences of my students meaningful to
them. I would like them to view poetry as a creative outlet that they can use to
express themselves in a unique way. Poetry is a unique form of expression and
comprehension that will ultimately help shape the learning experiences of our
students. Through the techniques I have learned in this course, I hope to help
enhance these experiences to make learning in this area all the more successful for
my students.