This document describes an innovative work that presents the poem "Those Winter Sundays" by Robert Hayden as a conversation between two characters, Robert and Sam. The conversation reveals the themes and ideas of the poem in a new format. By changing the poem to a dialogue, the teacher can convey the meaning to students in a more engaging way compared to a traditional line-by-line explanation. This innovative approach helps students understand the poem more easily and increases their interest by presenting the content in a novel format using drama and role-play.

1. INNOVATIVE WORK
DIVYA.A.S.
NEW B.Ed. COLLEGE, NELLIMOODU
REGISTER NUMBER: 13376010

2. Innovation is defined as “the process of making changes to something established by introducing
“something new”. Innovative work helps a teacher to teach a lesson easily. The role of innovative
work is very important in the teaching and learning of English. In order to teach a lesson
innovatively the teacher uses a lot of new methods like pictures, songs, videos, games, role-play
etc. Innovative works help in the easy transaction of the concept and helps in arising the interest
of the pupils. It is one of the effective methods of teaching the language.
The present material is a conversation form of the poem Those Winter Sundays written by Robert
Hayden. The whole poem is changed to a conversation between two persons – Robert and Sam.
In the words of William Wordsworth, “poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings…”
So it is not necessary that every reader understands the real feeling and idea conveyed by the poet.
Poetic language is different from prose language. Poetic language contains images, figures of
speech and meters apt for the lines and ideas. So the learner who do not have a good mastery of
the language may fails to understand the exact idea. So a conversation form can convey the idea
without losing the soul of the poem.
This is an innovative work because it conveys the theme of the poem in a new way. The poem is
presented in the form of a conversation between two men and it reveals the concept easily. Apart
from teaching the poem by explaining its meaning line by line, teacher can present the conversation
either as a role play or as a conversation between the students.

3. Sam : Hey Robert, What happened? Why are you so sad?
Robert : Oh! Sam… I was thinking of my son. I have to arrange things for his studies, na?
Sam : Yes… but you have been doing it for years. But now what happened?
Robert : I feel sad on seeing his indifferent attitude and reactions to me.
Sam : It’s quite natural Robert. Children fail to understand the hardships of their parents.
There was a time we also behaved like this.
Robert : Yes Sam.. Exactly yes. Actually I was recollecting those old memories. How my
father loved me, sacrificed his life for me. He used to work all days. Even in
Sundays, he used to wake up early and set the banked fires on blaze. He neglected
the blueblack cold and made the home warm- made me stay comfortable. I used
to wake up only when the house is warm. I woke up fearing the angers of my house.
Sam : I was also like that. But now I too start realizing things…
Robert : Yaa.. Do you remember your schooldays? My father used to polish my shoes. But
I was always indifferent to him. I couldn’t realize that innocent love.
Sam : Robert, don’t get upset. As children we were not matured enough to think from
a parent’s point of view. But now we are grown ups. We are parents and now we
are experiencing the same.
Robert : Yes Sam. You are right and that is the fact. But my heart still regrets….

4. What did I know? What did I know?
Of love’s austere and lonely offices?
The famous saying,
“I listen and I forget,
I see and I remember,
I do and I understand”
sums up the importance and relevance of this innovative work. Any idea that deviates from the
normal one attracts the interest of the pupils. So innovative works help in the easy transaction of
the learning material.