Poetry Out Loud: Tips for Wyoming teachers

Poetry Out Loud was designed so that teachers may easily implement this "poetry bee" contest in the classroom. Poetry Out Loud awards more than $100,000 in prizes to students and schools at the state and national levels.

Teachers love the program because it fits well into their literature curriculum, creates an entry point for students to appreciate poetry, strengthens community in the classroom, and reaches students whom they’ve never thought would take to poetry and take to the stage.

Poetry Out Loud satisfies most of the National Council for Teachers of English (NCTE) English Language Arts Standards. In addition to memorizing and performing great poems, students will have the opportunity to discuss poetry and—if the teacher wishes to use the supplemental lesson plans—to write poetry of their own.

Steps to Join Poetry Out Loud—the only national poetry contest for high school students:

Get Started. For an overview of the program, classroom tools, and model recitations visit http://www.poetryoutloud.org.

Get Connected. Contact the Wyoming Arts Council to officially sign up your school to become part of the National Poetry Out Loud competition. Contact Michael Shay, 307-777-5234, or Camellia El-Antably, 307-777-5305 at the WAC.

Get Out Your Calendar. Poetry Out Loud classroom contests and district/regional contests happen throughout the late fall and winter, and the state competition takes place during March in Cheyenne, culminating in the National Finals in the nation’s capitol April 27-29.

Get Motivated. See what teachers are saying with their work with Poetry Out Loud at http://www.poetryoutloud.org/teachers/quotes.html.