[jvar87]

Anyone have any experience teaching poetry using a coffee house format? Or turing your room into anything related to poetry...?

I teach middle school and would like to give this a try - just looking for some tips!


Students will have to read & analyze poems as well as learn about diffferent types (sonnets, haikus, etc.) and write their own. Any advice or suggestions on how to set up the room / each day are welcome and appreciated!

I thought of putting the desks into a giant U shape and in the middle having a stool for the "poet of the day." I would like to shut off the light and get some lamps to shine on the poet in the chair and maybe play some music in the background...I want it to be as authentic and engaging AS POSSIBLE! Thoughts on kinds of music or anything? Please do share!

I'd also like ideas on how to motivate students to actually be motivated to participate as poet of the day.

[teacherfl]

last year after our poetry unit, we did a poetry slam where the kids read 1 poem dressed in black.
They really liked that!

[Nyanza]

are covered with tablecloths....candles are placed on desks. Years ago when I started our Poetry Cafe, the candles were not lit (of course).
Now I use battery operated! I do have snack bowls and juice. I provide students with background music. I have them choose from my Soft Jazz collection lol...They do enjoy our cafe!

[kkatzpurr]

I'm a resource and collaborative Language Arts teacher. Does anyone have any good resources, websites, poems, writing ideas.....anything at this point would be greatly appreciated. We are limited to about 9 days of teaching a whole poetry unit, creating a unit test, and having the students write their own poem. We are under a strict deadline at our school. Thanks so much for your time.