Poetry & Praise

The ability to express ourselves and our ideas is one of the greatest things that sets humans apart. The manipulation of language in order to convey a message or an image is inspiring and intricate. Because my students had gone through most of our activities directly related to composting, I wanted them to have the opportunity to express what they had learned through poetry. I briefly taught them 5 forms: haiku, limerick, diamante, acrostic, and sensory-based. My only requirement was that their piece had to relate to composting, the environment, or anything natural. Many chose the acrostic because it was the most familiar to them. A handful branched out and crafted their own haiku, limerick, or diamante. I was refreshed and surprised by their eagerness to do this activity and to challenge themselves. This activity allowed me to see how each of my students reflected on my project, and it heightened my respect and admiration of a young mind. The majority of the topics explored related to flowers, fruits, animals — the positive side of our environment. However, one student took the opposite stance and focused on pollution, a more complex issue. Her poem explored the effects of pollution and how we as people are not doing enough to help and protect our planet. I was gobsmacked because, to be honest, I was not expecting such depth from a fourth grade student. Although, at the same time I became hopeful. The first part of fixing something is acknowledging that there is an issue at all. Her perspective reached the rest of the class due to the presentation portion of this activity. Each student had the opportunity to present and explain their poem. I loved hearing all of their thoughts and made sure to praise at least one part of each poem. The students began to also offer praise to their classmates. I didn't even ask them to! It made my heart smile and made my cheeks hurt from pride. Teacher and peer praise is so important, and that was made clear every time a student was praised and their cheeks turned red, and I could feel their bashfulness. But I also felt their self-esteem rise and rise with each comment. Giving a child and student time to share their accomplishments and be praised for their hard work is crucial in a learning environment. The preservation of a healthy and happy environment of the world and the environment of a child's education are equally important in this project and in all situations.