Teaching Poetry Out Loud in the classroom

The NEA and The Poetry Foundation have created standards-based curriculum materials for participating schools to use. Each participating teacher/school site will receive a toolkit, which includes a program guide to help teach recitation and performance, an audio guide with selected poems recited by distinguished actors and writers, and print anthologies for students to select their poems—free of charge. In addition to the toolkit, the Poetry Out Loud website offers resources for teachers including a teachers forum and an expanded online anthology.

Many teachers who have participated have used Poetry Out Loud in addition to, or as an extension to their existing curriculum.

If you are a returning school and would like to share some of your Poetry Out Loud secrets, we welcome you to do so.  We will be sending out monthly updates to all participating teachers with date reminders and additional resources and would enjoy to have you share your insight with fellow colleagues.

Residencies

The Commission will provide each school with teaching artists to do short, topical, classroom-based residencies. Teaching artists will work directly with students to help them understand and recite poetry. This opportunity is only available for participating schools.  If you are interested in hosting a residency for your students, please contact Kim Willey at 602.771.6521.

Please review the Arizona Commission on the Arts Residency Roster for a list of artists who are able to provide residencies at your school site.  www.azarts.gov/residencyroster. If you are interested in working with a teaching artist who is not on the Residency Roster, please contact Kim Willey for more information.

Visit the official Poetry Out Loud website at www.poetryoutloud.org for additional tools and resources to use with your students.

If you would like more information about the Poetry Out Loud program, contact Kim Willey, Arts Learning and Poetry Out Loud Coordinator at 602.771.6521 or kwilley@azarts.gov or visit the official Poetry Out Loud website at www.poetryoutloud.org for additional tools and resources to use with your students.