My perspective in this unit is to teach it largely as a reader response unit — students often get turned off by the “interpretation” of poetry. My theory is that students who are allowed to come to their own conclusions about the “meanings” of the poems have a better understanding and a better experience with poetry.
However, this unit requires you to read all about how other people — including the poet herself– interpret the works.
Do you like this?
Is it helpful or not to have the author’s words (or another’s visual aid) as you read the works? Did you see the work the same way the author did?
Why or why not?
Using the videos and the two poems presented (Introduction to Poetry and Daddy), discuss how having the author’s voice influenced your understanding of the poems.
Introduction to Poetry
Daddy
