Making mistakes and learning from them is an important part of life. Last week, I shared the beautiful new picture book anthology The Mistakes That Made Us: Confessions from Twenty Poets. This week I want to share another anthology on the topic of mistakes. Imperfect Poems About Mistakes: An Anthology for Middle Schoolers edited by Tabatha Yeatts. I think they make excellent companion books and should be in every classroom library.
Today's poem, which appeared in the IMPERFECT, was inspired by something I observed all too often when I was teaching middle school. Students liked working with their friends and sometimes were not happy when I chose a partner for them. Some students, like the speaker in the poem, made their feelings known. I'm hopeful some of them later regretted how they made the other person feel and learned from their mistake.
©Linda Kulp Trout
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Thank you to Denise for hosting today on her blog Dare to Care.
I hope you have a great week!
This is so, so, SO important. I work with school age kids, and so many of them are absolutely paralyzed by the fear of making a mistake. We do after school art programs, and it takes so much relationship building before they finally feel comfortable taking a risk and trying something they're not 100% confident about - it's really quite sad, honestly, because if you are always afraid of failure, how can you grow? Building that resiliency, that confidence and spirit of exploration is incredibly powerful.
ReplyDeleteYour students are so lucky to have you helping them to take risks and gain confidence. xo
DeleteWell, Linda, let me join the Do-Over team! How many times have I been too self-involved, feeling pushed on time, or groovin' on my little group, to the exclusion of another? I'm glad for your poem published & for Irene & Charles' collection of confessions of many poets.
ReplyDeleteLinda, thank you for sharing both of these book gems! I can't wait to read both.
ReplyDeleteDo-Over broke my heart with, "I'll just work alone." : (
Tracey, they are wonderful anthologies. I know you'll enjoy them.
DeleteOh goodness, I do have a lot of "do-over" dreams! But. That's how we learn. Thank you for sharing, Linda. I, too, think these books are lovely companions. And Tabatha who edited the one has a poem in the other! xo
ReplyDeleteWe've all been there. I agree that's how we learn. xo
DeleteLinda, this poem hurts my heart from living it as a kid and from seeing it as a teacher. It so perfectly captures that moment. Kindness is indeed a choice, and the best one.
ReplyDeleteOh, Tricia, I'm sorry for your experience of living it as a kid. I've also been there too so seeing it as a teacher really touched me. xo
Delete"I'll just work alone" is a powerful line. Children do learn when they are less than kind and it is pointed out to them and not rewarded. These are important books to have in a classroom.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Janice. Yes, these books are so needed.
DeleteGreat poem, Linda --and I hope it is read to lots of middle schoolers still!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Patricia.
DeleteLinda, thank you for sharing. I like that you noticed the great pairing that these two make. It is heartbreaking to read the "Do-Over" poem. That is such a good thing to remember. It is hard for adults to not mess up and want a do-over too. Did I miss who wrote this poem? Was it one of Tabatha's or someone else's? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Denise. I forgot to add my name to the poem and fixed it. Yes, we adults need do-overs too. I needed plenty of them. : )
DeleteOh, this is perfect! I want to use it for this year's poetry pandemonium at my school. Is it OK with you?
ReplyDeleteThat would be wonderful, Linda. Thank you!
DeleteOhhhhhh. This is why I dislike team tasks, even though I know that teamwork is an important skill. Memories of my awkward group projects in junior high haunt me. I'd always be happier just working alone, not worried about being forced to work with someone who didn't want to work with me...Great poem, Linda!
ReplyDeleteSame here, Laura. I'm still like that. xo
DeleteYour poem would be a special one to share in classrooms everywhere! You wrote it so precisely, Linda! I hope many think twice when those things happen!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Linda. I hope teachers find it useful and want to share it with their students.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your poem -- "I'll just work alone" -- so sad. "Do-Over" offers such an important observation about kindness -- much needed in today's world.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jama.
ReplyDeleteThis poem is beautiful--and a heart-breaker.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Buffy.
ReplyDeleteOh this poem is so needed!
ReplyDeleteI think everyone has been on one side of this or the other, or we've witnessed. Yes to choosing kindness. :)
ReplyDelete