6 strategies I used for teaching poetry writing
Poetry is open to multiple interpretations, and there may not be a single “right” answer. Helping students navigate this is tricky
It’s been almost 15 years that I have been writing poems. Though the majority of my poems are in Hindustani or Hindi language, I also write in English. When I look back today, it is difficult to pinpoint how and why exactly I got into poetry writing. I have no qualms confessing that I didn’t take any formal training in poetry writing. I just followed my heart and kept adorning my thoughts with lovely garments of words. About six months ago, I was approached by Lampshade Writers and Bansa Library to conduct a workshop in Hindi Poetry Writing for the kids of Bansa Library. After initial hesitance, I agreed.
APPROACHING THE WORKSHOP
Putting myself in the shoes of the Bansa children, I started to consider what I would be interested in learning to write poetry if I had to learn it from scratch. This assisted me in creating the workshop’s framework. Since I had to lead four workshops in total, each lasting sixty minutes, I had to plan them in a way that every topic would be addressed. I stayed away from turning sessions into dry monologues; I made it participative so that kids could enjoy the process of poetry writing.
KNOWING YOUR AUDIENCE
Bansa is an Indian village in Hardoi district, Uttar Pradesh with a population of about 5,000 people. The kids belong to financially disadvantaged families. These kids study in Hindi medium schools between 5th to 8th Std. Their parents are farmers / daily wage workers / MNREGA workers. Given their background as well as the workshop topic itself, the mode of instruction essentially had to be Hindi. I kept it colloquial for the most part. Since the aim of the workshop was to generate love for Hindi writing, educating them about potential career opportunities in Hindi was important.
KEEPING THINGS SIMPLE
As poetry writing was completely new to these kids, the approach had to be subtle and not intimidating. At the same time, while designing the workshop, I ensured that I was touching upon all the important facets of poetry writing, such as:
- Difference between poetry and prose
- How to identify different emotions and use them in poetry writing
- Developing one’s own writing style
- Things to keep in mind while writing poetry on a certain theme
- Importance of taking feedback and revisiting/reworking on your poem
- How to decide the title of your poem
- Using rhyming words in your poetry
- Utilizing five senses in your writing
Further, I broke down each of the above topics into parts and simplified complex concepts so that it was easy for them to comprehend.
MAKING IT ENGAGING
To add interest to the session, I incorporated real-world situations examples, well-known tales and poetry, images, etc. The children were given homework on subjects that encouraged them to be innovative and creative during the class. Students were frequently reminded that there was no one “right” method to do homework assignments (poetry writing), and thus they were free to utilize their imaginations and creative faculties when writing, instead of viewing homework as a “punishment”.
LEAVING ROOM FOR INTERACTION
After a kid delivered a poem in Hindi at each workshop, we had a discussion about the poem’s theme. The idea was to get them to reflect and evaluate the poetry in their unique ways. The kids as well as I found the “Group Poem” to be the most engaging aspect of the session. In this activity, the first two lines of the “Group Poem” were given by me. Then, each student had to come up with two lines. This activity brought out their creative side in a fun manner.
PROVIDING CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK
When teaching a new subject to younger pupils, it is important to provide them with positive feedback. Students are much encouraged and their best qualities are brought out when supportive remarks and expressions of appreciation are used. There was a relaxed vibe, and everyone was encouraged to participate. If one of them got stuck while writing, others were motivated to help him/her. Every time a student suggested a good line for a poem, all the students clapped for him/her.
LEARNING LESSONS
In the end, creating this Hindi Writing Program has been a tremendous learning experience for me. Writing poetry is one thing, but teaching poetry is a multifaceted, intricate process. Deconstructing the poetry writing process and devising easy ways of communicating my ideas to my students, taught me a lot.
Last week marked the conclusion of the two-month course, and I am feeling pleased and contented. The happiness quotient doubles when I read poems written by my students, which are simple, innocent, and raw to the core. I proudly share their work with my friends and family members. Every session prompted me to reflect on what I had learned personally and how I could still get better. I could use this line of thinking the next time I lead a workshop like this for other children. BTW, I have already finalized talks for a similar session with a school based in Uttarakhand, and am kicked about it.
Also check out:
https://kuscribbler.blogspot.com/2024/06/bansa-library-hindi-writing-program-led.html
