Moments We Live For

Despite all the recent interruptions in classroom time throughout the past month, my students have risen to the challenge of writing poetry. For the most part, the majority of my students are a pretty rough crowd. Many are four to five reading levels below their grade level, and as with any given classroom across the U.S., some have motivation and behavioral issues. We've come a long way since the beginning of the year.

Because of NWEA, SBA, Shattered Lives: Every 15 Minutes, and several other scheduling dilemmas that take us out of class, I was told to cut short my poetry unit, which broke my heart since it's my favorite genre. Originally, we were to cover a wide variety of time periods and poets, but given my new directive, I decided to chance it... we would do slam poetry.

We now have two original poems under our belts, and my students blew me away. While still learning about the technical aspects of poetry, many have managed to really master rhyme and rhythm beyond my expectations. Frankly, some of them have the gift. I now realize that they've been holding out on me in their previous writings.

Here's what I think is the difference: I gave them complete freedom to express themselves in these poems--and boy, did they. Some wrote about sex, drugs, and yes rock/rap and rollin. Some wrote about their pain... with the depths of wise old souls. And some wrote about nostalgia as if they've lived to ripe old ages. I have been humbled and amazed all at once. I'm also grateful... grateful that we have bonded on an entirely new level. A couple of them even memorialized me--me--in their poems.

These are the moments we live for. This is why I teach.