Fifth grade students at Bryant Elementary recently welcomed to their classroom poet Chris James, who introduced them to the concept of language – specifically, the language of poetry – to express sometimes intangible ideas and emotions.
James, a teaching artist with Arkansas Learning Through The Arts (ALTTA), introduced “Poems of Freedom” to the students to demonstrate the power of the written word – in this case, the poetry of Langston Hughes – to influence change in thinking and behavior. Hughes, who was born in the early 1900s, wrote poems that had a major influence in ending ethnic discrimination in the 21st century. James is a teaching artist with Arkansas Learning Through The Arts (ALTTA), which brings arts workshops and residencies to area classrooms and schools.
This residency, supporting the “America in Conflict” theme in the school’s curriculum, posed the essential question, “How are fictionalized characters and real people changed through conflict?” Students explored how different poets use words and phrases in creative ways. After learning about the power of Hughes’ words, James then asked the students to express their own thoughts, through personal poems about personal conflict.
Fifth grade teacher Heather Pittman, who specializes in science and literacy, said, “It’s so important to have the artist in at the beginning of the poetry section so the students can see and hear live poetry. It makes it so much easier to create their own poetry.” Bryant teachers noticed that students were more willing to share their thoughts when they have confidence in what they have written, and most were eager to share their personal poems with classmates.
Pittman also plans to have the students create poems the following week during a unit on famous scientists – the children will create posters that include their poems about the scientists. She expects that students will find it easier to create meaningful poems about scientists by applying what they learned from this artist’s residency.
Principal Mark Scarlett expressed his enthusiasm for the program and is hoping to schedule further residencies this spring and next school year.
Poet James is a professional spoken word artist, playwright, author and teaching artist, who has been involved in Arts in Education since 2009. He has orchestrated school-wide and district-wide poetry slams and stage plays with schools and organizations. James incorporates engaging poetry performance, theater, music and movement in his approach. The program goal is to give students license to be creative in their writing processes, while improving literary skills.
Arkansas Learning Through The Arts will be participating in ArkansasGives Day on April 6 to help raise funds to support these in-school programs. Any donations given that day by credit card between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on the website ArkansasGives.org will have bonus dollars added by the Arkansas Community Foundation. Donations originating from individuals or businesses in Saline County will be used to support residency programming in that county. For further information about ALTTA, go to altta.org or contact Craig Welle, executive director, 214-676-0222, or Martha Smither, board president, 501-922-2743.
