Blog #2 Writing Poetry and Writing About Poetry

I found writing about poetry and writing poetry to be two unique experiences. When I was writing about poetry, I had to look at someone else's work, and try to uncover the meaning embedded within their poem. By explicating the poem of another, I had the opportunity to appreciate the intricate details used. When I was writing my own poems, I really began to understand the complexity of devices such as alliteration and consonance. Weaving them into my poem was difficult, yet rewarding. After I finished my poems, I went through them and looked at them using the same techniques I used when writing about other poems. I was surprised at the different approaches in thought I was able to find towards my own poetry. I realized that others may interpret my poetry in a way unique to the message I had originally intended. It made me wonder how the author of the poem I wrote about would view my interpretation of their work. Was my interpretation anywhere near what they had in mind when writing their poem? There was a lot more freedom in writing my own poem. I was freed from such thoughts, and was chiefly concerned with creating something original and personal. After writing my poem, I was able to look at the poetry of others with new awareness. This experience has given me great insight into teaching poetry to others. I realized that to truly appreciate the poetry of others, it helps to appreciate the process of writing poetry. Not only does it help to know the names of different devices used in poetry, as well as different forms of poetry, it also helps to actually write poetry. By writing their own poetry, students will be more aware of the hard work that went into the poem they are writing about.

See Laura's Thoughts regarding Blog # 1

Hi reader!
My name is Laura, and this is my very first blog for English 495ESM. My hopes are to become an English teacher for Deaf students. It is my goal to teach them in their native language, American Sign Language (ASL). Because I will be teaching in my second language, my fear is that I will not be as clear to my students as a native signer. I believe Deaf students should have the same opportunities to learn English as hearing students, and they should be able to learn without becoming bogged down by communication issues. By achieving fluency in ASL, I will be able to provide them with the opportunity to learn directly from their teacher without losing precious time in repairing errors made because of miscommunication. Technology will play an important role in my class. The internet provides an amazing amount of information, and students will most likely use the internet to research papers and find information for upcoming presentations and assignments. For a Deaf student, the internet is a vital tool, providing students with the ability to contact other students and the teacher. I would like to provide a place online for the class to come together. Film could be used to support or expand the student's learning, but as the teacher, I must be careful to choose media that has closed captioning or English subtitles. As Deaf students are often incorporated into classrooms with hearing students and teachers who do not know ASL, my hope is that more teachers will become aware of the needs of their Deaf students. Although the teachers may not be able to communicate in the language of their Deaf students, I hope they will be able to respect ASL, and provide a classroom environment that includes and respects the Deaf student.