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Multicultural Lesson Critique. Poetry. Original Lesson . This lesson introduces Walt Whitman & Emily Dickinson. Lesson. The lesson includes a short biography of each poet. The students read a poem from Whitman and Dickinson.
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Original Lesson • This lesson introduces Walt Whitman & Emily Dickinson
Lesson • The lesson includes a short biography of each poet. • The students read a poem from Whitman and Dickinson. • Teacher then presents poetry terms and how they relate to each poet, terms such as: cadence, free verse, speaker, tone, imagery. • Students then compare and contrast each poet, with themes such as Death& Life
Continued • Dickinson and Whitman are considered the mother and father of free verse. • Each of these poets stepped out of the line and decided to write poetry in a different way. • These are the main ideas of the lesson. • The teacher then chooses selections from each. The students read poems, and write a short compare and contrast of the poems.
Critique • What's Missing???? • A poet from a different culture who was inspired or maybe wrote the same kind of poetry: How could they compare? • Stereotype: Yes, does early poetry only include White Europeans? Shouldn’t it include poetry from the Americas? Or, include ethnic poetry with the same themes. • Bias: A teacher shows only one view: the bias is not including other cultures to extend the lesson.
Alternative Lesson • Walt Whitman inspired many poets after him. • I incorporated Pablo Neruda (1904-1973)
The significance • The cultural significance of the poet Pablo Neruda • Neruda was deeply inspired by Whitman, Neruda said before Whitman’s death, “He is the first absolute poet, and it was his intention not only to sing but to impart his vast vision of the relationship of men and of nations.” • Read short Biography of Pablo Neruda
Whitman’s “Song of Myself” from 33 http://www.daypoems.net/poems/1900.html Neruda’s Full Powers http://hughesvilleca.blogspot.com/2009/02/rubric-for-literary-response-and.html
Thinking critically in cultural context • In many ways, each of these poets are “cut from the same Cloth.” • Even though they are from different cultures and are years apart from each other, they are very much saying the same thing in their poems. Read Neruda’s poem, jot down images or phrases that remind you of “Song of Myself”
Cultural Significance • Students will not only connect the two writers with poetry, but they will also see how a Chilean poet celebrated the same themes in humanism, and had respect for the same elements of the world, especially with peace and equality. They were years and worlds apart! • Students will compare and contrast Whitman & Neruda and look for themes such as Imagery (how they are alike) How they each view themselves in the poems, attitudes toward death.
We see the same connections between Emily and Tupac • The rose that grew from concrete: • http://www.ctadams.com/tupacshakur10.html • Nobody knows this little rose:http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/emily_dickinson/poems/5215
Lesson extended • When you compare and contrast two very different poets, they find similar themes, students get involved. • I give a contemporary view of poetry in terms of Rap music and compare with 19th century poetry of a woman. • We talk about slant rhyme and figures of speech, but also how each poet is alike in many ways • After reading short biographies, we see that they each faced adversity, and each poet felt alone and isolated: woman/black man • This is for interests and motivation
Motivation and Interests for cultural Lessons • I used a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast Tupac and Emily • We also compare their poetry • I then ask the students to create a compare and contrast for themselves • Ex: they compare themselves to another artist, writer, singer, sport figure, ect. • I not only connect the poets, but I want to have them connect to someone else they are inspired by, or who they think they are similar to.
Issues and Relevance • Cultural perspective: Brings in another view • Break the systems of beliefs that all classic/excellent poems come from Americans only • Have you ever heard of the poet, Pablo Neruda? Why is that? • Emily and Tupac, although very different felt isolation and faced adversity. Who is Tupac? • How were Blacks and woman treated in history • It is a deficit in education when curricula does not include a cultural framework for students • I build and always refer back to all of these poets
Nitza Hidalgo said, “Meaningful insight comes from having to think about our backgrounds and then sharing this information with others.” • Take this idea and reverse it: Multicultural lessons bring in other backgrounds of people who bring culture and ethnicity to lessons and they share critical information that expands the student’s learning.
Connection • The importance of “connection” is worth the extra step a teacher must take to have students make connections, have role models, and support their cultures in the classroom. • Students will “define themselves ethnically and culturally.” They will feel that they are truly part of a community of learners in the classroom.
These are the contributions I brought into these lessons. It takes a little extra RESEARCH to incorporate. Some texts have a cultural perspective built into the lesson, but for time constraints , many teachers skip over this part of the lesson. If you take an extra day on the lesson, you will bring a cultural perspective into your classroom that will enhance your student’s learning experience.
