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Dobbins first-graders celebrate poetry
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Katie Jacobson (right) snagged one of her favorite teachers, reading tutor Mindy Martinko, to read her poem to during the April 11 event.
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After explaining their “Poem in a Pocket” process, the students had to take the poems from their pocket and read them to guests. Jayme Zorinich (left) went to read to her mom, Dina (right), first.
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Samantha Burnbrier (standing) proudly read her poem to her mom, Nichole (sitting).
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .The first-graders of Dobbins Elementary welcomed family and friends to their “Poetry in a Pocket” program on April 11 with their own poem, explaining, “If you keep a poem in your pocket and a picture in your head, you’ll never feel lonely at night when you’re in bed…”
By SARAH FOOR
On April 11, the first-graders at Dobbins Elementary learned that one of the best ways to learn is to share with others.
The “Poetry in a Pocket” program, which has the students read poetry to others in celebration of April’s National Poetry Month, has been held at the school for five years.
Dobbins welcomed important parents, grandparents and friends to the April 11 program, which opened with a introductory performance by the classrooms of Kim Aikens and Suzanne James.
“Poems can help us learn about all sorts of things – seasons, feelings, or beauty, for example,” student Katie Jacobson said in a short introductory speech.
The first-graders then performed a song about the power of poetry, singing, “Keep a poem in your pocket and a picture in your head, and you’ll never feel lonely at night when you’re in bed.”
After the song, each student slipped a poem out of their own pockets and performed it in front of their family, and then to the many other guests of the event.
“We started our poetry unit last week, and we have already learned haiku, list and acrostic poems,” explained Aikens. “The kids definitely love the subject. Plus, I can already see that reading out loud to strangers has built up their confidence and the poetry has really helped their imagination and creativity.”
Some of the students wrote their own pieces of poetry, exploring subjects like sports, spring, and butterflies.
Others read selections they liked from poetry books and other literature.
“It’s no secret that I have a passion for literacy,” principal Cheryl Borovitcky said at the event. “I’m happy to see their excitement to perform their poetry. They recite their selections and took truly thrilled. I couldn’t ask for more.”