CURRICULUM:
A) Duration of Workshop: 6 weeks (also available as a 3-week session); one 1-hour class each week
B) Classes 1 and 2: Presentation of poetry as a force in our everyday lives, as opposed to it being a dry notion that people are forced to study in schools and think of as separated from their lives and reality. Poetry is in the music we hear, the stories we read, even the advertisements we see. These introductory segments aim to bring poetry off of the page and show how it is a lot closer to the students' lives than they may realize. These segments serve as a way to introduce poetry by connecting it to things students are already familiar with and enjoy.
Classes 3 and 4: The study of two songs' lyrics as poetry. I choose two songs of very differing genres, and have copies of the lyrics printed out for each pupil. Without the class being told what the songs are, their titles, or who they are performed by, we study them for meaning and expression, and the way the meaning is expressed through words. Studying them anonymously, without the connotation or attachment of what the songs may mean popularly, lets us focus on the fact that it is poetry and study how the words and metaphors are connected. At the end of class four, we listen to each song, and the students can compare what they'd imagined about the sound in their minds purely from the words, to the actual song.
Class 5: Each student creates his or her own poem, and I collect them at the end.
Class 6: I return students' poems with any corrections for grammar and spelling and work with anyone who has questions, so that students can gain a better grasp of written expression. Then, volunteers read their poem aloud, and we discuss them as a class--what the poet was trying to express, and the unique route to that expression that he or she took--to gain better understanding of the art form and allow it to become a personal experience.
C) Instructor Fee: $600 (or $300 for 3-week session)
If you are interested in having the
InkBlot Complex Poetry Workshop taught at your school or program, please, get in touch.
TELEPHONE: 802/275-7799
E-MAIL: clara@inkblotcomplex.com
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Title and curriculum © Clara Rose Thornton and InkBlot Complex, 2005-2009. All rights reserved.
