Hallmark, Schmaltzmark. Who needs mass produced greeting cards with canned poems when we have all this creativity packed in our heads? March 21 is World Poetry Day and April is National Poetry Month in the U.S. But you can make every day poetry day. Teachers and homeschoolers, why not helps kids access their inner bard with a poem party and creative writers' workshop? This can be done in any grade from preschool to college. Or do this with a group of adults.
* DO NOT call it a contest. I taught Montessori, adult and special education for years. Though I steeped my students in creative writing, I saw that in late elementary to middle school some kids begin to feel shy about writing poetry, even if they loved it when they were little. They fear sounding silly (particularly boys). They're daunted by what they perceive as superiority of others peoples' writing. Nix the competitive poetry writing. They usually wind up being popularity contests. Writing is too intimate to do for a prize. Contests inhibit creativity. Poem Party, Writer Workshops for April National Poetry Month
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