“I” poems article
The article by Linda Kucan, entitled “I” poems: Invitations for Students to deepen literary understanding, addresses a very unique way to engage students in writing so that they will better understand a text they have read. Kucan explains that writing in response to reading can deepen a student’s understanding of what they have just taken in. Writing allows students to go back and examine a text again; in the process, they discover things they missed the first time they read through it. The method example that she gives is making use of what is called and “I” poem. By using this method, students place themselves in the position of a person, place, or thing and create prose description of it.
An example Kucan gave was using “I” poems to build background for reading and responding to Sarah, Plain and Tall. In the book, Sarah leaves the coast of Maine to marry a farmer in the Kansas prairie. The author uses a lot of description of each location and the contrast of the two is something that Sarah is constantly dealing with; she misses the coast, but over the course of the book she develops an appreciation for the prairie. Knowing the distinction between the two places enriches the reading process for students. Kucan had her students research the Maine coast and the Kansas prairie and then to write an “I” poem about one location. By doing this the students learned a lot about the differences and what makes each place special. When they went to read the text, they started with a better, fuller understanding which helped them appreciate the story even more.
“I” poems help students have the mentality of a poet. Kucan writes that poets take time to look and listen, they turn things over again and again, and when they have something to say, they choose their words carefully. “I” poems help students to begin the process of noticing who characters are, why they feel the way they do, and why they act they way they act. This process helps them to not simple read characters as flat objects but as people with depth. This technique is a great tool to help students develop as readers and as writers. It is a way to make them more rounded students by helping them understand various techniques and approaches to reading and to writing.
1) “I” poems are great for working through novels, but I’m sure they can be adapted to other content areas. What are some ways that “I” poems can be used in various genres as well as other subject areas all together?
2) How can “I” poems be enhanced to benefit students in various intelligence groups?
3) There are many aspects of a novel that are difficult to grasp and “I” poems help students understand people, places, and things, but can they be used to help teach elements such as theme and mood?
kk76572 said,
April 24, 2009 at 10:23 pm
I agree that stepping into the author’s shoes will help students understand the process of writing and reading poetry.
Katie Keech
setzeraj said,
April 24, 2009 at 10:29 pm
I will personally use the “I” poems in my class because they just sound so interesting and I feel that they will encourage students to become interested in school.
Amber Setzer