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Monday, March 12, 2012

Trying Something New - SOLC 12

O.K. I am trying something new.  Since this whole challenge is about writing and being a better writer, I thought I would look at some poems to use as a mentor text for my own writing.  I found one poem that I thought had an intriguing beginning.  So I decided to use it for the ideas and craft.   The original poem is "Bad Day" by Kay Ryan if you want to search for it. This poem sums up how I feel this rainy Monday morning.

Not every day
is a good day
for the teachers of today.
Some days
our students
reveal what
they have learned:
the knowledge
or the skills
to be successful.
Other days
the teacher
must guide
and assist
the students she teaches.
But some days
neither the skills, knowledge,
nor the guidance
presents itself;
and these are
the hard days
for the teachers of today.

8 comments:

  1. Oh, your poem rings so true! Great job on stepping out of your comfort zone. My favorite lines are "Not every day/is a good day/for teachers of today." Very nice!

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  2. Excellent! I love that you used a mentor poem to guide your writing. Your beginning hooked me. Try again another day. You did good!

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  3. Your voice is clear. I think every teacher can connect to this. I liked the use of day(s). There is a rhythm to the days in the classroom and you put life into those hard days. I hope the hard days make us better teachers! (at least it isn't a WHOLE year)

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  4. Well done! I'm glad you tried something different and were willing to post it. The final section is the most frustrating for all educators.

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  5. Great idea to use a mentor poem - nicely done! You captured some of our frustrations and our successes too. Thanks for sharing!

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  6. Have you read Love That Dog by Sharon Creech? You'll enjoy it...a boy uses a mentor poem and what he writes is powerful just like yours. :)

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  7. Great job! Love it! I agree, you should read Love That Dog & Hate That Cat! I am planning on reading them with my kids this May when we do poetry. :) Thanks for sharing!

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  8. You sound like a pro with this poem. How smart to look to a mentor. You nailed it! Can't wait to see what else you've got hiding in your mind.

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