Maximizing Conference Time - The Task at Hand

This past weekend, my coauthor Quraysh Ali Lansana, and I presented a workshop based on some of the pedagogy in Our Difficult Sunlight at the Preemptive Education Conference in NYC. Thanks to Michael Cirelli and the Urban Word NY staff for the invitation and the event itself. And thanks to those who chose our session among the great offerings that day. We appreciated the talent and commitment of all who were in the circle.

During our workshop, we aimed to offer three different elements of our approach that could be adapted and used in the classroom by the participants upon their return. Quraysh opened with his sculpting activity of Gwendolyn Brooks' timeless statement, "We Real Cool." In this, seven volunteers work with him to quickly stage a performance of the poem of just 24 words that speaks volumes to the circumstance of drop-outs and losing one's way, one's motivation. The sad truth is that this poem is even more relevant now than when Ms. Brooks wrote it nearly 60 years ago.

I then replicated my poem-as-video-game method for investigating a poem in a tiered examination that reveals context and drives inference by repeated reading, listening, and discussing the language from different vantage points. This metaphor correlating the experience of a poem with the process of playing a video game has proven to be very successful in my own practice and it is a flexible method of inquiry that encourages engagement, as does the sculpting activity. Both of these can be adapted to any poem, any group of students, any age.

The third portion of our workshop involved Ms. Brooks' construct of verse journalism, the poetry of events and news items, leading to poetic statements of not just awareness but social justice, and Q's interpretation of his community awareness scaffold for creating a poem. In this, by taking conscious reflective steps to identify the smells, sounds, characters, physical elements, and personal connection to one's neighborhood and relying upon these elements for inspiration; the prompts encourage a student to look beyond the expected, beyond habit, to examine the details of his/her world, even to identify beauty and pride where others may see despair. It is quite powerful and yields personal statements that are often quite moving.

There are inherent flaws in the conference model but this was a good conference nonetheless. As is generally the case, there is never enough time to do everything on the agenda. The goal of getting as much as possible squeezed into a single session is daunting. But we did offer three opportunities: one, a kinesthetic connection to a poem; the second, a deliberate method of reading poetry in a way that breaks down the barriers of self doubt and comprehension to empower readers to trust their interpretations; and a third that provides a platform for a panoramic view of one's own world that is rich with imagery and sensory awareness.

Although Q and I know that there is so much more that each of these components could have been presented with much more depth if there had been more time, it is our hope that the individuals who selected our workshop over the others available to them in that session were fed well. We expect that the educators and teaching artists who attend any of our professional development sessions recognize the many opportunities for adaptation of our suggestions, rather than attempting a rote replication. We are only modeling potential based on our own experience and, often, our successes in the classroom. We give these prompts and activities to others so they can also witness success and keep the art of poetry alive.

The Dictionary: An Endangered Species

In my work, I often rely upon the ways I was taught, the elements of my basic education that have never left me, nor failed me. Examples of fundamentals I count on are the short and long symbols for vowel sounds. The graphic symbols for pronunciation that we find in the dictionary have helped me for approximately 50 years of reading and encountering the unknown in language.

But different school districts each have their own way or method for instruction, even reading. Each textbook publisher develops its own method, which, in turn, is marketed to schools as the newest and best. Each generation learns how to read differently, which makes for some confusion for me once in awhile.

So what about when I am in front of a group of students and I rely upon what is natural to me and it is not natural to them? That was my dilemma a few weeks ago...the short and long. I assumed that when I stated those two terms that I was understood; however, in that particular school, the long line over the vowel and the little smile indicating short sound were not taught in the reading program that the district had purchased. None of those graphics for pronunciation were being taught, to the chagrin of some of the teachers. 

I was confused. I found a way to explain what I wanted them to know for my lesson at the time. Yet, I had a larger question from the moment. How are students going to be able to relate to proper usage of a dictionary? This is not an uncommon occurrence, a student unable to find a word in the dictionary, not knowing how to use the key words at the top of the page and why they are there, etc. But wait, to not know the symbology of sound that helps a reader become more literate? How can that be rationalized? It is as absurd to me as the decision to not teach basic handwriting.

I will admit that I rely on www.dictionary.com and www.thesaurus.com with daily regularity. But I have an unabridged dictionary on an antique lectern in my dining room that I refer to frequently. I have four or five other dictionaries and an equal number of thesauri, my favorite was a gift from my Uncle Leon and it is well worn. Thankfully, it is also hardback.

My question is, how do we offer the skills that lead to independence in reading as lifelong learners? It seems that the newest trend or program with the best marketing will win. Is there parity in this for young learners throughout the nation? Does this continue to perpetuate the literacy divide? Will the dictionary become obsolete? The Oxford English Dictionary is no longer going to be published in hardback form. It will only be available on line. There are little speakers to click on in order to listen to the word on many online dictionaries. This is helpful but does not preclude the possibility of a power outage or any other limitation to computer access. What if I were to have a dictionary crisis?! What if I need to know that word NOW! I know I am ok...but what about when the 3rd graders who are not learning this skill when they are older? What will they do?

I will always be a fan of basic phonics. Phonics have never left me wanting. Neither has my dictionary.