How can I teach my students about poetry?
Tell your students about Poetry Out Loud! Each year, more than 200,000 students nationwide take part in this free program. They learn about great poetry and memorize and perform one of the poems. Students learn about their literary heritage, improve their public speaking skills, and gain self-confidence.
Contests
Poetry Out Loud contests start in the classroom. Winners from each classroom advance to the schoolwide competition. Each school then sends a finalist to the Connecticut state finals. Ultimately, one student advances to the National Finals in Washington, DC.
Classroom Time
Poetry Out Loud’s schedule and curriculum fit into a teacher's busy schedule without much disruption. The program takes place in the classroom over about two to three weeks and does not require full class periods. In fact, Poetry Out Loud satisfies more than half of the NCTE English Language Arts Standards.
Free Resources
- Hands-on training with professional artists
- Teachers’ guide with everything teachers need to implement the program — from tools to help students memorize and perform great poems to optional lesson plans that give students opportunities to discuss poems and write poetry
- A website that includes program materials, writing activities, and lesson plans
- An extensive online poetry anthology
- Hardcopy anthologies of approximately 130 poems
- Audio CD of distinguished actors and writers reciting and talking about poetry
- DVD of student performances
- Media guides and promotional materials
Prizes
The students who win at the state level receive $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip (with a chaperone) to Washington, DC, for the National Finals.
- The state winner’s school receives a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books.
- A runner-up in each state receives $100, with $200 for his or her school library.
- Winners receive $50,000 total in scholarships and school stipends at the National Finals, with a $20,000 college scholarship for the Poetry Out Loud National Champion.
Have questions? Please contact:
Tekowa Omara-Otunnu
Program Associate, Arts in Education
(860) 500-2379
Tekowa.Omara-Otunnu@ct.gov