May

Poetry lives in my classroom year-round, so I’m always searching for new poems and creative ways for students to express themselves through illustration. Each student keeps a sketchbook where they glue weekly poems and illustrate them. This routine not only exposes them to poetic techniques but also reinforces the importance of imagery and the idea of making ‘mental movies’ as they read.

This year, Poetry Comics caught my eye, and as I flipped through its pages, I was immediately inspired by the concept of blending poetry with comic-style illustration—especially knowing how many of my students love graphic novels. Without a teacher guide or a formal writing unit attached, I did something that reminded me of my early teaching days in Scarsdale: I let curiosity and creativity guide the instruction.

I began by having students reimagine poems they already knew in comic form, then encouraged them to create their own original poems using this structure. The results were stunning. The format naturally supported individual expression, allowing each student’s voice, style, and sense of humor to shine. In many ways, it aligned beautifully with the Reggio Emilia philosophy and the Pedagogy of Play—especially the belief that children learn best when they explore and express through multiple modalities. The comic-poetry form honored the idea of the 100 Languages of Children, giving students one more avenue to make meaning and communicate their ideas.

This work also supports my instructional focus on spelling and grammar. Through poetry, students are realizing that precise word choice and punctuation have real weight—every mark, every line break matters. Grammar and conventions aren’t just rules to memorize; they serve the rhythm, voice, and meaning of a piece.

Here are a few of their illustrations, which demonstrate their thinking and creativity.

Celeste!  Thank you so much for opening up your classroom to us.  As you can see from all of our May reflections, we were truly insprired by you!  I love how poetry is such an intergral part of your classroom.  You gave us so many great ideas to try.  You're amazing! -Amy 

You rock. Be sure to check out my post :) - Kate

Celeste! What an inspiration you are for all of us! Kristen and I had so much fun launching our poetry unit by using what you showed in your CRG class visit. You have left a mark and we plan to incorporate poetry in our classes all year long! -Jaime