Adam, our guest blogger, attended Michael Klein's
reading on Oct. 8. He reminds us that great literature might be right
next door. Should we take Adam's advice and invite it in?
reading on Oct. 8. He reminds us that great literature might be right
next door. Should we take Adam's advice and invite it in?
by Adam |
Klein believes all poetry stems, “not from life and death,
but love and fear.” He read works regarding abuse, homosexuality, and even the
death of his twin brother. “It’s hard to
write about my brother, because he’s always a ghost […] I can’t bring him back
to life.”
Local authors can help students relate to literature by
putting a face onto the black and white tundra of a written work. Klein stresses the importance of taking the
time to just, “read, read, read” in order to find one’s voice and appreciate
poetry. The opportunity for educators to
expose students to local color is an ideal way to encourage an appreciation for
the arts. True art can come from
anywhere, even from their neighbors and colleagues. Exposing students to local authors makes
poetry and other written works come alive.
In closing, local authors can be a
valuable resource to educators, enhancing the way we teach literature by providing written
works which reflect the flavor and local color of their community.
Bringing
these local artists into the classroom puts literature into a new perspective:
literature is a living, breathing art which belongs to everyone.
Local authors
allow us to put literary works, which can be so distant to our students, within
their grasp. More than anything else, we as educators can allow our students to
connect to and reflect upon how literature reflects their own life experiences.
How can we incorporate more local works into our lesson plans?
Do you agree/disagree with bringing more local color into our classrooms? Is literature limited to just "the classics"?
How can we promote local works/writers to our students?
How can we incorporate more local works into our lesson plans?
Do you agree/disagree with bringing more local color into our classrooms? Is literature limited to just "the classics"?
How can we promote local works/writers to our students?