“Repeat after me, “ poet Phillip Shabazz began. “Happy Monday! Good to see you! Welcome to our grumpy fifth-grade class!”
“We’re gonna have some fun this week! Let’s go! Make some noise!”
The fifth-graders at North Chatham repeated each phrase as instructed, clapped with wide smiles, and started their week-long Powers of Poetry artist residency.
And So It Began: Student Workshops, Day 1
Call and response is a vital part of Shabazz’s bonding ritual with students. After Shabazz dived into an example poem from his own book of poetry, “When the Grass Was Blue,” he prompted a resounding call and response, with the students declaring, “I’m a poet! And I know it!”
“It’s important you discover different ways to express yourself,” Shabazz said. “And, poetry is word magic.”
Students jumped in. They bombarded Shabazz with questions about his life as a poet, touching on topics from his reading habits to his signature “grumpy” demeanor.
The first day ended with a writing exercise with lunes–poems that have a set number of words per line, and involve a color and strong verb.
The students wrote about toast and stars, rivers and doughnuts, asking Shabazz for feedback during these initial attempts.
Diving In: Student Workshops, Days 2-4
Day 2 was stymied by severe weather, and Day 3 rolled in with a slight schedule adjustment.
Undeterred, Shabazz shared a personal anecdote about weathering the storm the previous night and dived right back into their poetry lessons.
He asked the class to contemplate the power of the pen with the famous adage, “The pen is mightier than the sword.”
“Writing is more powerful than fighting,” one student shared.
“If you write, you’re trying to have a conversation instead of going to war,” another student responded.
Shabazz went further, asking the kids to consider the idea that writing transcends fighting, fosters communication, and offers negotiation. “The pen is the way of life of education and success,” he said.
Exploring poetic forms, the class then experimented with rhyming couplets. These two line poems all began with, ”Hope is…/and…”
Fifth-grade teacher Ms. G was eager to help her students complete the poem frame. One students writing: “Hope is a light reflection/and working towards perfection.”
Next, they went to odes, or praise poems. Shabazz crafted an ode about his uncle alongside students, encouraging them to “throw a little drama in there.”
Students were eager to share what they had come up with. At the end of each day, they could read what they had written during the workshop session.
One student shared an ode to his late grandfather. There were pieces about an older sister, a beloved dog, and a father, who “makes everyone a better person.”
The students continued to work hard through their final day of workshops, crafting list poems and acrostic poems, too.
Then it was time to select their best poem from the week to perform at the poetry slam the next day. Shabazz encouraged the kids and helped them with their selections.
Many students opted to type their selected poems, knowing that some of the guest judges from residency sponsor Carolina Meadows were hard of hearing and would benefit from being able to read the poem after it was performed.
Time to Share: Poetry Slam, Day 5
Each class filed into the multi-purpose room, where a North Chatham Elementary backdrop, a podium, and a microphone were set up for students near the stage. A judges’ table sat at the side, and plenty of chairs waited for teachers, parents, and guests to witness the shared word magic.
“Whatever the future brings, we will take it…” Shabazz opened with a powerful poem, setting the stage for an emotional and expressive showcase.
Shabazz and two residents from Carolina Meadows were set to judge each poetry reading with a rubric to determine the awards for each class.
The fifth-graders read their poems ranging from intense feelings about the loss of family members to lighthearted odes about pets and favorite people.
We heard about lost cats, nature, and sibling relationships.
We heard about thunderstorms, hockey, and a best friend named Graham.
We heard about the Eagles, cockroaches, and the beauty of letting go with the changing seasons.
And sometimes, students needed a little help from their friends to present at the podium.
The poetry slam concluded on a high note, with Shabazz commending the students for their bravery and encouraging everyone to appreciate the depth and courage in the students’ creations.
“Can [Shabazz] please come every year?!” said Ms. Meyer, as her class left the multi-purpose room.
“This was a truly special experience for our fifth-grade students and teachers. Mr. Shabazz gave the students an opportunity to write heartfelt meaningful poems about themselves and their loved ones. [The residency] helped build resilience in our students. It was a big step for some to read their poems aloud,” shared Principal Janice Giles.
The residency at North Chatham Elementary was sponsored by Carolina Meadows. This residency is part of the Chatham Arts Council’s Artists-in-Schools Initiative.
Arts for Resilient Kids programming is made possible by partnerships with Chatham County Schools, Chatham County, the North Carolina Arts Council, and many individual, foundation, and business donors. If you feel inspired to help us educate kids through the arts, click here to donate.
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