Help I hate poetry!

[annaz]

This is absolutely nothing to do with the program, I just don't like poetry. I don't understand it either. Do we have to do this, or could we read a good classic instead? Like Peter Rabbit or Burgess or something. We're doing "Beyond" and I don't understand the purpose of poetry and never did. I mean why not read a good book or sing a good song ?

[MidwestMama]

Just my two cents worth on this... keep in mind that even if you don't like poetry, it's out there, and it is good for a child to be exposed to ALL aspects of literature and writing. Plus, you never know... you may hate it but your DC may turn out to love it!!

Cris

[MainelyJen]

Ah, but isn't a good song really just poetry put to music?

I'd suggest that you try to find some poetry for yourself. Have you tried reading Christian poetry? Poems about motherhood? I think if you start with that, you'll find it touches your heart and you'll want to continue on.

But, then again, I've always loved poetry. When I was growing up we had poetry books around the house and we loved to read them and memorize them. I think it was my mom's good influence!

It could be that poetry will never be your thing, but it is part of a well-rounded education. You might have to really hide your lack of enthusiasm and just soldier on!

[netpea]

remember that Psalms and Song of Solomon are poetry. Other parts of the bible are poetic as well. I bet you have enjoyed those.

Poetry can be very beautiful prose or be more subtle, it's good exposure for the kids and us grownups too.

[MamaMary]

LOL Ann,

I don't LOVE poetry? I am enjoying doing it with the boys and it literally takes minutes, but I don't love it. I had friends buying books at convention to add MORE poetry. They came back to my room and pulled out their books and broke into an oral presentation. I smiled really big and said, "Wow". But it just doesn't grab my heart the way it does theirs.

However, as a pp stated it might one of the boys so I'll keep plugging along

[my3sons]

I'd have never believed my ds could love poetry - imagine the most logical, mathematical, boy possible. He had no feelings about poetry when we first began reading it in Beyond..., but gradually he warmed up to it, and now that we've finished Bigger... he loves it. In fact, he always chose 2 poems for the "read your favorite poem we've studied" day. He'd always say, "I just can't pick ONE, Mom, they're all so good!" He also began thumping out the meter of the poem on his leg as he read it (the mathematical side coming through again)!

The poetry in Beyond... does a nice job of preparing the way for the poetic "skills" learned with the poetry in Bigger... You'll connect in more ways with the poetry in Bigger..., and in Preparing... it takes this connection one step further as your dc will really get to know one author's (Robert Louis Stevenson) poetry well.

I think the ladies here have already shared some great insight. I've been reading my CM books again as of late, just to refresh my memory about the "why" behind her methods. Catherine Levison devotes a chapter to poetry in her book A Charlotte Mason Education. She stresses the need to enjoy poetry, and to not think of poetry as a school subject.

Now, I was not a person that enjoyed poetry before. I think most of us did not grow up hearing classical poetry, and therefore, it takes some getting used to. However, I can honestly say that I am enjoying it so much more now, especially as I keep doing it in the manner HOD has it being done.

I know I've shared this before, but one of my favorite movies is "The Notebook", and a scene that always grabs at my heart is when the father and the son are sitting on their porch reading Walt Whitman (and another classical poet that I can't remember the name of) to each other. You couldn't imagine 2 more masculine, rough-and-tough men than those 2, and yet they were sharing poetry on a moonlit night on their porch. Not talking or analyzing it to death - just enjoying reading it together. Watching that, I realized, my educational experience with poetry as a child wasn't like that at all. I want that for my dc - that easiness of just sitting back and reading a poem for no other reason than for enjoyment... and as they learn to do this through HOD... I am learning it for the first time right along with them.

In Christ,
Julie

[momof2n2]

I have to say, when I first saw Poetry as a box in Beyond, I had no intention of doing it. I was getting poetry in my language program and felt that was enough. Well, as the year moved on, I began to add the poetry some weeks. Then I did more weeks. Now it is a rare unit that I do not do it. I can't say it has made us passionate about poetry, but we've had some good conversations about what the author meant by what s/he wrote, and we also have had GREAT conversations trying to discern why it was included on a certain unit. Meaning finding the common link b/t Carrie's unit and the theme of them poem. That part has helped him to use some thinking skills we may not have exercised otherwise.

[my3sons]

...but we've had some good conversations about what the author meant by what s/he wrote, and we also have had GREAT conversations trying to discern why it was included on a certain unit. Meaning finding the common link b/t Carrie's unit and the theme of them poem. That part has helped him to use some thinking skills we may not have exercised otherwise.

This is a great point! We had good talks about this as well. In fact, I'd often ask, "Hmmmmm, now I wonder what this poem has to do with our history today?" My ds enjoyed pointing out these connections so much, and he became quite good at it over time. Excellent idea!

Julie

[Carrie]

Oh Annaz,

I never had ANY poetry growing up, and I agree it is an acquired taste. The classic poetry from the past gives a feel and tone from everything from emotions to beliefs to periods in history.

I would invite you to soldier-on with it, because in spite of all my personal lack of exposure or love for poetry, my oldest two boys firmly love, quote, and seek out poetry!

They understand it and find it meaningful. They even recoginize snippets of poetry when it comes up in many places. The lyrical style of poetry is also a great pre-cursor to reading and understanding more classic literature.

Now, we have done 4 years of poetry study (and while it didn't happen all at once), I have learned to love poetry too.

Blessings,
Carrie

[Vicki]

We have kind of always enjoyed poetry. I love to read it at bedtime, as it's a soothing thing to hear. We've read through A Child's Garden of Verses, and so far that's really been a favorite.

I do think that it's possibly because of our love of poetry that my child seems to enjoy memorizing the poems from each unit. I don't really require him to, but it just seems to come naturally as we go through the week.

I don't know if this helps, but my thoughts are to give a try with reading from a poetry anthology for children at bedtime and see if you begin to notice any difference.

[water2wine]

I actually like poetry, my mom used to write some and I loved reading hers as a child. But I have no talent for it myself so I was intimidated by sort of analyzing or trying to understand it it I guess you would say. When I thought about it though, the point is not my fears or likes as much as it is having them find their call and loves in life I realized it would be good to do. So we went ahead and included it. I have to say actually it has been most enjoyable. What has been great is really the hard part is done for me and the seeing my kids pick up meaning in it that I know I never would have at their age. Plus I guess the shock that they actually really enjoy it even my son.

So all that to say it is worthwhile and you may be surprised how enjoyable it is to do with your kids after all if you just give it a try for a while. We have made some wonderful memories doing the poetry in Bigger, sometimes they get crazy and imitate it . My first grader sometimes listens and draws pictures about it even just from listening in on what we are doing. So you never know what will float their boat.

[annaz]

Okay, okay, I'll keep truckin through it ladies....but only till I get to another "ye" or "morn" then I'm outta there!

Besides, I only like the ones that actually make sense. Some don't. It's those I just don't get.

[naturegirl]

Hi Ann!
My experience has been similar to Carrie's. I remember being in high school and having to memorize a poem and I didn't even know one or how to go about finding one. I ended up asking a friend and she told me the poem that she had memorized, so I chose that one as well. I had no idea that books full of poems even existed.

But since I have been homeschooling my boys, poetry has become a regular part of our schooling and now I love it too. My boys have grown up with poetry and have always loved it. I encourage you to hang in there with it and it is ok if you don't understand what you are reading. I don't always understand the poems that we read either. But when that happens, we just appreciate it for its cadence. Kimber

[MainelyJen]

I thought of you this morning when I was reading from Karen Andreola's CM Companion. On p. 221 in the chapter "Approach to Poetry" she states, "If you do not like poetry, there is an obvious remedy: introduce the child and the poem and leave them to make friends for themselves."

Do you have a copy of the CM Companion? The whole chapter on poetry is excellent!

[annaz]

Do you have a copy of the CM Companion? The whole chapter on poetry is excellent!

Yes I do. I'll go back and read it. Thanks.