some lights seem eternal
in this springtime of hope

*Names have been changed to protect the culpable

April 03, 2005
April is poetry month, and thanks to the The Great State of New Jersey, I have amazing lesson plans or at least poetry templates . Dr. Rebecca Fisher taught us when we were embryonic teachers to beg, borrow, and steal ideas, to share and trade them because in working together we would build up the profession into something more vital than it tends to be.

The first poem we did was the �Me Poem� or �All about me� poem. These poems are fantastic and they tell you a lot about the children when they get the chance to describe themselves on paper. Before they can ever do anything, someone needs to show them how to do it. We wrote a poem about my favorite subject, me. They wrote the poem follows this format:

Line 1: First Name
Line 2: Four descriptive traits
Line 3: Sibling of...
Line 4: Lover of
Line 5: Who fears...
Line 6: Who needs...
Line 7: Who gives...
Line 8: Who would like to see.�
Line 9: Resident of...
Line 10: Last Name

The poem about me, goes as follows (and yes, I let them write this)�

Christopias*
Short, ugly, smart, chunky monkey
Brother of Chaos Bean*
Who loves his class, salad, Winkler, health food
Who fears talking, giggling pandas, apples, tomatoes,
and diabetes
Who needs a house, money, and a new windshield
Who gives candy, homework, and help
Who would like to see the fourth grade stop talking, the
Yankees win more often and Busta Rimes
Resident of the School (that�s disgusting)
Spritopher*

*Names have been changed to protect the culpable

Pointers to understanding this poem:
(1) I am stalked by a panda that only I can see and the koala, Winkler, who appears to be stuffed protects me from being eaten by the giggling panda
(2) I did not discuss my health with my students, but if you are the only adult that they see eating vegetables often they will also start to notice it. Also, the people I work with are not so polite when it comes to retaining personal information about others
(3) Yes, they called me fat and when Betty Already had Ben, their advice was that I should give birth to whatever I was carrying around my midsection and maybe I would be less of a grouch.
(4) When they asked what I would like for my birthday � another example of my coworkers not minding their own business � I told them I would like them to stop chattering so much.
(5) They are obsessed with Busta Rimes, I am not. I would rather see the Bare Naked Ladies but you do not announce to a room full of pubescent boys �I want to see naked women� because they are that dense to not have heard of BNK, they have not heard of Springsteen or Madonna, much less Nirvana
(6) I do love to give the homework
(7) I cannot eat candy, but I give them candy and sweets at the end of the day and sometimes ask for them to describe in writing for me the joys of eating malted milk balls, yodels, or donuts - because like sex � sweets are something I am not going be having for a long time, if ever
(8) I do love the little monsters treasures and they know it, damn it


Your assignment is:
Line 1: First Name
Line 2: Four descriptive traits
Line 3: Sibling of...
Line 4: Lover of
Line 5: Who fears...
Line 6: Who needs...
Line 7: Who gives...
Line 8: Who would like to see.�
Line 9: Resident of...
Line 10: Last Name

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