This is our first official week back to school. I've spent the week leading professional development and helping teachers prepare their classrooms. Each classroom has to have a beautiful library! And each classroom has to have a great read aloud for the first day of school! And baskets of sure-to-grab-even-the-most-reluctant-reader's-attention on every table! And poetry, of course there must be poetry that first day!
Kalli Dakos is a teacher/poet I have loved for many, many years. I stumbled across her first book, IF YOU'RE NOT HERE PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND, shortly after it came out. The poem I'm sharing today comes from PUT YOUR EYES UP HERE! I think my favorite Kalli Dakos' book, just because it's a guaranteed kid pleaser is THERE'S A FUNERAL IN THE BATHROOM. I love to cruise by one of those "pretend readers" desks on the first day of school and just slyly slide it onto the corner, then wait to see what happens. Here's a poem I might use the first day of school.
"Introducing a new ME"
There’s a new ME this year,
An on-time ME,
A clean-desk ME,
A first-to-hand-in-assignments ME,
A listens-in-class-to-the-teacher ME,
A teacher’s-pet-for-the-first-time-in-my-life ME,
An-always-willing-to-be-good-and help-out ME,
A dead-serious-get-the-work-done-and-hand-it-in
Before-it’s-due ME.
The problem is
The new ME
Is not like ME
At all.
An on-time ME,
A clean-desk ME,
A first-to-hand-in-assignments ME,
A listens-in-class-to-the-teacher ME,
A teacher’s-pet-for-the-first-time-in-my-life ME,
An-always-willing-to-be-good-and help-out ME,
A dead-serious-get-the-work-done-and-hand-it-in
Before-it’s-due ME.
The problem is
The new ME
Is not like ME
At all.
Kali Dakos
Kalli has a PDF of ten back-to-school poems on her website!
Another poem I will probably use that first week is "Now" by Prince Redcloud.
I might also use Judith Viorst's poem, "The First Day of School."
Irene Latham has a whole bunch of great poems at the Poetry Friday roundup!
3 comments:
I have these, too, Carol, & they are terrific. One thing I know is that more than one of the younger teachers don't know these books, or ones by Judith Viorst either. I have fun sharing with them so they can share with their students! Hope your beginning time with students is great!
Love the covers of those books and that you are planning poetry as part of your first week! The words might be kind of hard, but I like "Motto for a Front Hall" by Nancy Byrd Turner as a welcome :-)
Happy Back to School!
Let the good times roll!!
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