Teaching Poetry & Prose

The Methods & Menu Directory

The important point to consider in teaching poetry is your approach to this subject as it relates to each child. It is not always true that the teacher must love the subject they are teaching to create an interest in Poetry. Some children are naturally gifted. Many are born with the interest in reading Poetry, writing Poetry or both. However, the teacher may help or hinder the student's interest or otherwise provoke an unknown, hidden interest. If the student is very much interested in Poetry but yet receives too much teaching and focus on the mechanics, without allowing the student to try their own hand at writing, the student may become disinterested. If the teacher's approach is from the creative aspect, not addressing enough mechanical teaching the student could very well become bored and disinterested or lose an unknown or hidden interest. A child not interested in Poetry or creative writing would become bored with anything more than the mechanical teaching. A child may be interested or enjoy reading and analysis but nothing more.



The two types of teaching approaches to Poetry are the creative, how to write Poetry and the approach of instruction into the mechanics, dynamics and analysis of Poetry. It is important to discern and consider each of your children's interest in Poetry before choosing which approach you will use or in deciding the proper balance of the two. Former Poetry students have very critical comments regarding their high school or college Poetry teachers because it is impossible to balance the two approaches to suit the interests of every student on an individual basis in a large classroom setting. As home educators we have the advantage!

Our approach and purpose at Home School Treasures is to provide a spring board of basic information into the mechanical approach. We suggest using the recommend products and utilizing the free resources for further study if desired. Our webpages below will provide a basic foundation, divided into two sections, basic and advanced, which include vocabulary words and a Poetry Evaluation Form to print out that students can analyze, classify and indentify various writing styles, while provoking thought into understanding what message the poet is trying to convey.

As home educators we have a wonderful opportunity to expose our children to the creative society of poets, which they will enjoy and excel beyond what can be and is accomplished in any classroom setti