Cloud Chamber: connecting poets and teachers
Teacher Toolkit
Pilot as part of
Created in partnership with
Funded by
Delivered in partnership with
Contents Introduction.............................................................................................................................. 5 Preparing for your poet visit........................................................................................................ 6 Ideas for poetry exercises in the classroom .................................................................................. 8 Resources to use in the classroom............................................................................................... 9 Making the case for poetry in schools........................................................................................ 10 Appendix: Poets in Schools Terms of Agreement for Schools........................................................ 12
Introduction This toolkit has been created by The Poetry Society’s Cloud Chamber, an online network where poets and teachers meet to share ideas, resources, and best practice. Designed for teachers who would like to invite a poet into their school or use more poetry in the classroom, the toolkit offers advice about booking a poet visit and signposts resources. A Cloud Chamber is a piece of scientific equipment that detects ionising particles by showing the condensation trails, or ‘cloud tracks’, they form when they collide with gaseous mixture in a sealed chamber. It’s a way of bringing to light tiny invisible particles, and tracing what happens when they connect and react. We’re fond of it as a metaphor. Any practising poet, teacher or youth worker is welcome to join Cloud Chamber. We meet quarterly on Zoom and focus on a different theme each session. In a typical session, an experienced facilitator shares ideas for poetry activities, before opening up to the floor for discussion. Supporting resources created around each theme are freely available to Cloud Chamber members. In its pilot year, Cloud Chamber is funded by UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK, as part of the About Us project, which explores the intersection between the arts and STEM subjects.
The Poetry Society and Poets in Schools The Poetry Society runs a programme called Poets in Schools, a paid service where schools looking for a poet visit approach us and we match them up with an experienced poet-facilitator to suit their needs. In addition, we have many other education projects in which poets deliver poetry workshops in schools. These cover a wide range of ages, topics, and areas of the UK. More information about what a poet visit could entail is included on the next page. To enquire about booking, see here.
Teacher Toolkit
Embedding poetry in your own practice We know not all schools can afford a visit from a professional poet. At The Poetry Society we’re committed to helping you champion poetry within your own teaching practice. If you work in a primary school, check out Poetry Train, a collection of activities and advice for teaching poetry. We’re currently creating a similar resource for secondary schools, so please stay in touch to get your hands on a copy. The ‘Resources’ page of this toolkit contains links to more poetry lesson plans and activity worksheets that are freely available to download. A big part of celebrating poetry in schools is normalising it outside the English classroom. You might incorporate it into assemblies, encourage colleagues teaching other subjects to include a poem in their lessons, or display poems on posters or the school website. You could even have a poem of the week! School members of The Poetry Society receive packs of poem posters. Later in this toolkit we outline some arguments around the value of poetry to help you make the case for it in your school.
5
Preparing for your poet visit If you’re thinking about booking a poet to visit your school, you might want to take some time to consider the following factors and discuss them with your colleagues first. When would you like the visit to take place? Will it be a one-off full day in the summer term, a half-day on a Monday morning, a regular after school club? A lot will depend on your budget but you might also have specific goals you’d like a poet to work towards with the pupils. Bear in mind that poets often get booked up around events such as National Poetry Day and World Book Day, so it’s useful to be flexible too.
Which year group(s) would you want the poet to work with? It is unlikely the poet will be able to cover every class in one day! Most poets are happy to do an introductory reading/assembly and then work in small workshop groups. The benefit to pupils is greatest when the poet is able to work with a group over a longer period; we strongly recommend that, where possible, the poet is able to spend a full morning/afternoon with each group.
How many pupils do you envisage being in a workshop with the poet at one time? We recommend not more than 25-30 pupils in one workshop. If it is possible to lower the numbers to 15-20, this ensures each pupil is able to feel the full benefits of a poet visit.
6
Is there a particular theme that you would like to cover, or specific areas of learning you’d like the poet to address? What do you hope to get out of the visit? Is the poet’s visit leading up to the pupils’ exams; if so, can it be a different way to approach topics or texts on the syllabus? Do you want a mixture of reading and writing? Perhaps you want a performance element (by the poet or the pupils!). Do you want the poet to focus on wellbeing, teamwork, or the pure enjoyment of poetry? Poets can be flexible if you tell them what you need.
Could a digital Poets in Schools visit be an option, either as a first-choice or as a back-up (e.g. in case a poet contracts Covid-19 but is well enough to deliver a workshop online, etc.)? Consider that digital visits will need to be structured differently from in-person visits, to allow for different attention spans and the tech set up in the classroom. You might need to take a more active role as the poet will not be in the same room, and you’ll need to communicate to the poet in advance about which platforms you use to connect, and any safeguarding implications. Once you’ve thought about all the above, get in touch with us and we’ll help find you a poet!
Cloud Chamber
Before the visit
During the visit
•
Agree the schedule for the day with the poet. It can be tempting to try and squeeze in as many workshops as possible but it is important to make sure pupils have enough time to work meaningfully with the poet. One reading (perhaps in assembly) and two or three workshops with small groups is a realistic maximum.
Ensure there is a member of staff in the room at all times who is aware of this guidance and the terms of agreement. Where possible, we recommend that teachers and teaching assistants take part in the writing activities themselves.
•
To get the most from the visit, be clear about what you want well in advance. The poet will also have experience of what has worked for them in the past so feel free to ask them.
After the visit
•
Make sure you are aware of the poet’s published work. Make the poet’s collections available to pupils, possibly on display, and/or share performances of the poet’s work before the visit.
•
Let pupils prepare some questions they would like to ask.
Ask the poet •
How they would like to be introduced and how they would like the children to address them.
•
If they have any dietary, access or other needs.
•
Make sure the pupils have time to finish off writing tasks they began with the writer.
•
Display the pupils’ finished work, make a school anthology, or prepare a reading for parents.
•
Writers of all ages are motivated by the possibility of publication. Perhaps your local paper would feature a story?
•
Stay in touch with The Poetry Society to find out about future opportunities and competitions where your pupils can share their work. You might consider becoming a Poetry Society school member: your school will benefit from free access to our Poets in Schools placement service, books, posters and more.
Send the poet •
Details on how to find you and what lunch arrangements have been made.
•
A timetable for the day, showing break times, assemblies, workshops and readings. Include information about group sizes and ages.
•
Information on what kind of texts pupils have been reading and writing recently.
•
The name of the key teacher who is organising the day, and who they can turn to if they need any further information or support.
Teacher Toolkit
7
Ideas for poetry exercises in the classroom When a poet visits your school, they’ll work with you to plan the day around your needs. Talk to the poet beforehand, but you might want to help your pupils get into the poetry mindset in advance by doing some poetry exercises with them. Here are a couple of ideas. Playing with metaphor
List poems
Metaphor is one of the most powerful poetic tools out there but it can be tricky for pupils to get their head around until they see it in action. The more comfortable they feel playing with metaphor, the more confident they’ll be, not just in their writing but also in their critical analysis.
List poems can be a great way to ease your pupils into writing poetry. The simple structure of a list makes the writing activity less daunting for pupils who may lack confidence, but it also allows scope for more able pupils to experiment with repetition and diverging from a prescribed form.
An easy way to get them used to metaphors is to encourage them to create their own. Start by asking them to think of items they might find in their kitchen or classroom, or in a fictional universe. Get them to write these separately on slips of paper and put them in a box at the front. Now, as a class, brainstorm a list of objects, ideas or people unconnected to the items they thought of before, e.g. celebrities, or abstract concepts like hope and love, or moments in the calendar. Write these on the board.
Begin by choosing a sentence starter that will form the basis of the list. This should be a phrase that every pupil can respond to, such as ‘I like…’, ‘I come from…’, or ‘I need…’. Ask the pupils to brainstorm ways to complete the phrase. You can help them out by suggesting categories. For instance, if you choose ‘I like…’, you might ask them to list a colour, a type of food, a hobby, a song, a family member or friend.
Ask the pupils to choose one of the things written on the board and pick a slip of paper from the box at random. They should then put those things together to form a metaphor and try to come up with a way of elaborating. For instance, they might come up with: Hope is a frying pan – you can hear it sizzle. Birthdays are a lunchbox – they open to reveal delicious treats. Sometimes the metaphor won’t make sense, but that’s the fun of it – the more unexpected the metaphor, the more the pupils have to use their imagination!
8
Once they have assembled a generous list, ask them to select their favourite items and expand on them, e.g. by adding some description or a simile. They’ll quickly build up a poem that might look something like this: I like orange, the colour of autumn leaves, I like ice cream, so cold it freezes my brain, I like dancing, twirling like a sycamore seed, I like Aunty Jo, cuddly as a cushion. To stretch your pupils, you could encourage them to think about how diverging from the structure might add a clever twist to their poem. For example, could they end with a line about something they don’t like? Is there anything surprising they can add to the list?
Cloud Chamber
Resources to use in the classroom The Poetry Society has a wealth of free poetry resources you can use in the classroom. Poetryclass
Young Poets Network
Our website for free, downloadable poetry lesson plans and activities, searchable by Key Stage, theme or technique. You’ll find resources exploring important topics including identity, mental health and the climate, and resources to support exam preparation. Each resource has been created by our team of passionate poet-educators and teachers, all with extensive experience encouraging an enthusiasm for poetry in the classroom. Please note that key stages refer to England, but the activities will often be easily transferable to equivalent age groups in different nations.
The Poetry Society’s online platform for poets up to the age of 25. Regular poetry challenges guide young people to write using particular forms and techniques, and in response to specific prompts. Previous topics include conflict, history, nature, music and much more. We publish and celebrate the winning entries, and help young people across the world develop their skills and find a community.
Further activities Even more resources are available on The Poetry Society’s Learning from Home pages. Covering everything from abecedarius poems to poetry and mental health, there are video tutorials, themed activity sets, and reading recommendations for children and young people.
Page Fright
Further afield There are loads more great poetry teaching resources out there. We particularly recommend those created for National Poetry Day (on a different theme each year), NATE and Poetry by Heart. And for more interdisciplinary resources exploring the intersection between arts and STEM, check out the UNBOXED learning programme. If you’re a school taking part in Artsmark, The Poetry Society’s education offering can help you fulfil Artsmark criteria and quality principles. See how our activity maps onto Artsmark criteria here.
An online collection of videos that bring historical poetry to life with contemporary spoken word performances.
Poetry and Science Created for the About Us project, a collection of resources exploring the relationship between poetry and science, including topics like earth and space, the human body, the natural world and the climate crisis. Each resource contains at least one poem commissioned from an expert-poet or written by a young person, with accompanying activities.
Teacher Toolkit
9
Making the case for poetry in schools Sometimes poetry can get squeezed in schools or young people can find it daunting. If you’re struggling to convince pupils, parents, or colleagues of poetry’s value, here are some places to start… Wellbeing
Transferable skills
There’s a growing body of evidence linking arts and culture to wellbeing. A 2022 Arts Council England report found that engagement in creativity and culture can have a positive impact on mental health, life satisfaction, resilience, feeling connected, and motivation. Sadly, for some pupils access to arts and culture is limited by financial constraints, health needs, or geographic location. In this respect, poetry is an accessible art form: there’s lots of it freely available online in diverse formats; it can be accessed from home or school without needing to travel; and it’s bite-sized.
Poetry is incredible for developing transferable skills, which not only help pupils in the English classroom but in the other subjects they study too. Skills include: •
Attention to detail and critical analysis – When we read a poem closely, we learn to notice all the tiny details and ask questions about how they work.
•
Empathy – In thinking about what motivated the poet, pupils look outside themselves to imagine what someone else feels. At its heart, poetry is about the relationship between writer and reader. The poem is the vehicle for that relationship.
•
Logic – By analysing why the poet made certain poetic choices, and the effect those choices have on a reader, pupils investigate cause and effect through a process of logical reasoning.
•
Making an argument – Pupils will make the case for why they have interpreted the poem in a particular way. Reading is subjective – there are often no right or wrong answers, which is a valuable life lesson. It’s up to the pupil to explain their reading persuasively; in so doing, they’re learning how to construct an argument.
•
Self-expression – Reading and writing are two sides of the same coin. When they read a poem and respond to it, or write their own poem, pupils develop their ability to express themselves in a way that’s engaging and accessible to others.
The joy of creativity Both reading and writing poetry are an exercise of the imagination. Writing poetry builds confidence, helps young people learn to communicate and can be great fun! It opens up their worlds and teaches them to trust their instincts. During the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown, the National Literacy Trust found that 59% of children and young people reported that reading made them feel better, and 50% reported that reading encouraged them to dream about the future. 66% reported that writing poems made them feel better.
10
Cloud Chamber
All these skills are transferable: when pupils learn them, they’re effectively training their brain to think in a certain way, which they can then adapt to different contexts, subjects and scenarios. The cultures and perspectives they learn about by reading a poem will inform their understanding of humanities subjects like history and geography; the self-expression they learn will serve them well in arts subjects like drama and fine art, increasing their confidence and trust in their own voice. And beyond the arts and humanities, these are also skills that are important in STEM. Being able to think logically is crucial for any mathematician; an attention to detail is valuable to any scientist. As teachers, you know that these subjects don’t exist in a vacuum – skills they learn in one can be transferred to another.
Careers In 2019, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport estimated that the creative industries contributed £115.9 billion to the UK, accounting for 5.9% of the UK economy. And it’s a growing sector, increasing by 43.6% between 2010 and 2019 in real terms. Employment in the UK creative industries is growing at four times the rate of the UK workforce as whole, and 75% of jobs in the sector are outside London. So this is a great time to foster an appreciation of arts and culture. Whether it’s a career as an influencer, a graphic designer, a programmer, or a poet, your pupils will need to be able to express themselves. But even for pupils who have other careers in mind, those transferable skills will stand them in good stead. Do they want to be a lawyer? They’ll need to learn how to construct an argument. Do they want to be a doctor? They’ll need to be empathetic. Do they want to be an accountant? They’ll need an eye for detail. Reading and writing poetry can be tremendously valuable and rewarding in its own right, but it can also lay the foundations for so many other experiences your pupils will encounter throughout their lives. Help them discover that now.
Teacher Toolkit
11
Appendix: Poets in Schools Terms of Agreement for Schools If you book a poet visit through The Poetry Society, these are the Terms of Agreement to which you will need to agree. By confirming a Poets in Schools booking with The Poetry Society, I agree to the following terms:
If the Poets in Schools booking is digital, I will: •
Share the school’s online safeguarding policy with The Poetry Society and the poet as soon as possible.
I will •
Communicate with the poet in advance to clarify all matters pertaining to the visit, providing information and support where required.
•
Inform the poet which technology will be used as soon as possible, and ensure they are comfortable with it in advance of the booking.
•
Contact The Poetry Society and the poet as soon as possible if there is a change in circumstances affecting the prospective visit.
•
Be responsible for pupil behaviour management and mediating muting/un-muting, any ‘chat’ functions, etc. where necessary.
•
Inform The Poetry Society as soon as possible of any safeguarding/DBS requirements for the visit.
•
Help the poet to ensure no pupil is left out during the session, and provide relevant information about pupils before the session.
•
Inform The Poetry Society as soon as possible of any Covid-19 responses that might affect the poet visit.
•
•
Be the main point of contact for the poet leading up to and during the visit, answering any queries relating to the visit.
If there are pre-recorded video/audio/text-based activities, agree a date by when the poet must send these, and agree in advance whether they will be used by the school afterwards and in what way.
•
Ensure that the poet is never, under any circumstances, left unsupervised with pupils – whether this is an in-person visit or an online one.
•
Ensure in digital visits that the data shared with the poet about the pupils is kept to a minimum, and that pupils’ contact details are never shared.
•
Ensure, if at all possible, that a class teacher(s) participates in the poet’s session(s) alongside their pupils.
•
Ensure that all staff members present during the poet’s session(s) are fully briefed in advance on the activity taking place, and on their responsibilities during the session(s).
•
Ensure that staff-member(s) present in the classroom with the poet remain ultimately responsible for maintaining discipline. Whilst our poet educators are experienced at working with young people and managing behaviour, overall classroom control remains the responsibility of the staff member(s) present.
•
Comply with all reasonable requests from the poet to provide the resources necessary to lead the visit, or ensure that class teachers/ other members of staff are prepared and equipped to provide this.
•
Share the school’s policy regarding coronavirus and visitors, as well as any relevant information about bubbles and health and safety, as soon as possible.
12
Cancelling a visit Cancellation by the school of a booked visit, made up to two weeks or more in advance of the date of the visit, will incur no cancellation charges. Cancellations made up to one week in advance of the visit will incur a cancellation charge equivalent to 50% of the total fee for the booking. Cancellations made less than one week in advance of the visit will incur a cancellation charge equivalent to 100% of the total fee. If the poet is unable to visit the school physically but is able to lead digital workshops, these will be offered as an alternative in the first instance. If the poet is unable to lead the session in person or online, then The Poetry Society will endeavour to reschedule the session, or to provide an alternate poet to lead the session.
Cloud Chamber
A note on DBS certificates Most one-off poet visits will fall outside of the definition of regulated activity, for which DBS clearance is required; however, a check may be required for long-term residencies where an author is in regular contact with a pupil or same group of pupils. We advise poets undertaking work in schools that it is best practice to hold a DBS certificate issued within the last two years, and the majority of our poet facilitators will have this; however, we cannot guarantee this. Schools/venues should inform The Poetry Society as soon as possible about individual DBS requirements and any other relevant child protection policies affecting the prospective visit. The Poetry Society asks any poets we work with to be aware of the basic safeguarding principles outlined here, and we have a full Safeguarding Policy available to any facilitator.
Teacher Toolkit
13
poetrysociety.org.uk
