Into the Driver's Seat

April is National Poetry Month here in the United States. This is a good time to remind you or introduce you to a couple of good resources from Read Write Think about poetry.

Stories that move us

Description by New Learning Times

"Everyone has a Story to Tell
Do you have a story you would like to share? Do you enjoy reading short stories?Narrativs believes that everyone has a story to tell and aims to connect people all over the world through storytelling. Narrativs has created a digital space where aspiring writers can gain support for their work and receive constructive criticism. On the Narrativs website everyone is invited to submit a poem or short story – fiction or non-fiction. The Narrativs editing team provides feedback on the submission and the author is encouraged to make the necessary changes. After the piece goes through the editing process the story is then published on the Narrativs site and readers can rate and write comments in reaction to the story. This new publishing format allows one to learn about the world from many different perspectives by reading this diverse collection of stories.

"Social Entrepreneurship 
Narrativs aims to give everyone a voice, not only by creating a platform for writers to share their work, but also by financially supporting non- profit projects that promote literacy. Founder, Rachel Ngoc Anh Bui was inspired to develop Narrativs after listening to a global responsibility-focused speech by the prince of Norway. Narrativs plans to gather the best stories from the site to publish in a book. The money that the book generates will be given to groups that aid education in developing countries. The Narrativs team hopes to inspire others to find ways to develop businesses that make the world a better place. The team has been visiting schools in the United States and motivating students to create businesses that are socially responsible. Narrativs is creating a valuable narrative around both digital authorship and global citizenship."

In some ways, what you need to teach poetry well is a lot like what you need to write poetry well: You have to care a lot about your subject matter, and it’s important to foster conditions that inspire creativity. When these conditions are in place, teaching students to write poetry becomes much more fun, imaginative, and productive.