Poetry Lesson Week 4

Riddle Me This
M and J's poetry discussions brought up interesting approaches to the same old song and dance. I loved J's use of riddles for his lesson, it's something I've never even considered. I think that the skills he was going for were met in a fun way, and it also illustrated a great way to get the students warmed up to poetry and close reading. M's approach to leading discussion was a refreshing idea, though a little odd to me at first. I've never really had such an experience before, but I think it turned out well. I wonder what high school students would feel like if we were to sit amongst them for discussion - what message would it send across? I can see myself doing such a thing, but wonder what it says about the authority I hold. It just got me thinking about how different we'll all structure classes, as we all have our own personalities and styles - it's nice to see them coming through in our teaching. J's lesson brought up my inner turmoil over close reading and analysis. These are skills that I think are important to teach, but I always question how far to take them. Sometimes I think it's just as important to appreciate a piece of writing, rather than tear it apart for some elusive meaning. Is there a line? Can it be crossed and then doubled back over again? Does analysis, literary criticism and interpretation take precedence over personal responses to a great piece of writing?