So, what
else does poetry do for our children? It
can serve the teacher in so many ways!
One thing I want you to always keep in mind – the material we use to
teach our children will become part of our children – so only choose what is
excellent! Don’t waste your children’s
time or brain power with dumbed down silly poems that only appeal to their base
desires.
“Poetry
is, perhaps, the most searching and intimate of our teachers.” Miss Mason obviously loved poetry. Do you think this is why Psalms and Proverbs
are such appealing books? How often did
the Lord inspire the writer to pack so much meaning and instruction into just
two short lines, that you could spend all day meditating on those two
lines?
Select
wonderful poets and poetry that inspire your children to great thoughts. So that as they encounter the poet in many
poems and with many exercises, they take in only what is excellent. For younger children, Robert Louis Stevenson
is an excellent choice. He speaks of childhood experiences as if he just lived
them yesterday. They connect with our
children, and help them to say ordinary things in noble ways. And who could deny that A.A. Milne knew how
children thought? All those poems about
that silly bear, that expressed childish thoughts so tenderly, have captured
the imaginations of thousands of children in several generations for a
reason! As our daughters grow, they may
learn to love the poetry of Emily Dickinson (our sons may like her, too!). For a good list of suggestions for poet and
poetry, you can visit AmblesideOnline and see their lists.
My
husband and I like to hunt for old books at used book stores, estate sales, and
even garage sales will have some. We
have recently been looking through all the old books we’ve gathered over the
years, and have been pleasantly surprised to find some excellent poetry among
our old books! Your grandmother may have
even owned a book or two of excellent poetry.
There are
countless sites on the internet, and the local library is full of books that
contain wonderful poems! I encourage you
to take some time and go a-hunting for excellent poetry in your area. Please share with me what you find, and how
you found it!
Well, I
really got into the “who, what and where” of poetry, didn’t I? Next time, I’ll get a little more into the
how and when of poetry for our homeschool.
Meanwhile – keep learning, and bring your children along for the ride!
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