“Poetry is a beautiful way of expressing feelings — happy, sad, angry, caring. It’s also a way that we share with other people, to help them with those feelings.” Mattie Stepanek
Learning the art of communication is an integral part of a child’s education. It is a foundation from which they can investigate, question, explore, and express themselves. Communication comes in many forms: verbal, non-verbal, written, visual, and listening. Perhaps the most artistic and expressive type of communication vehicle is poetry.
It’s the 3rd October, which means today is National Poetry Day. On this day, schools, libraries, bookshops, businesses, and organisations across the United Kingdom are hosting events to bring people together and celebrate the beauty and power of poetry.
The theme for this year’s event, which marks National Poetry Day’s 25th anniversary, is ‘truth’. Poems that help the poet reveal something about themselves, deliver a home truth, or conversely tell a lie, will be the focus of today’s activities.
As our students continue to develop their communication and literacy skills, poetry is a great way to make sure they engage with each lesson. When they write poetry, our students combine their grasp of literacy and communication with their creative instincts. The results are often spectacular and allow shy students who wouldn’t normally share their feelings to safely express themselves.
Celebrating National Poetry Day is always exciting, and as we take the opportunity to introduce our children to some of the best works from the greatest poets, we help them to better express themselves and explore their creativity.
