Leading Teacher Update

Teaching Poetry at FPS

If you ask our teachers what their favourite writing genre is, it would be poetry. It is an essential skill in life because it helps students to express themselves freely and creatively. Reading and writing poetry also helps develop important language and literacy skills. It enables students to see the endless possibilities of language in shaping expression and creating meaning. And because poetry often breaks grammar and punctuation rules, it is accessible to all students.

Poetry is introduced to all students as early as Foundation level, through exploring and recreating rhythms and sound patterns, and up to year 6, with using sound and imagery to create meaning and effect in their poems. There are so many different types of poems such as free verse, Haiku, acrostic, limerick, found, and many more. Here are some poetry definitions.

• Free verse: The free verse poem has no rules, and its often mostly used in contemporary writing.
• Haiku: This style of poem originated in Japan. It is a three-line poem that has a five-syllable pattern.
• Acrostic: These styles of poems are perfect for education and learning things. The acrostic is a poem where the first letter of each line spells out a word or name when read vertically.
• Limericks: These are funny poems made from five lines.
• Found: Found poems take existing texts and refashion them, reorder them, and present them as poems. The literary equivalent of a collage, found poetry is often made from newspaper articles, street signs, graffiti, speeches, letters, or even other poems.
• Odes: Odes are elaborately structured poems praising or glorifying an event or individual.

Acrostic poems are the young ones’ favourite because they can write about their names, their favourite sports or anything that they love. Here is an acrostic poem about FPS that I wrote with the help of some of our teacher poets at school.

Fairfield PS

Fostering wonderful young minds

A nurturing environment with learning of all kinds

Instilling respect, creativity, excellence and community with each day

Respectful relationships guiding the way

Fun with great mates who show kindness and care

Inspiring curiosity, a hint of wonder, wisdom and flair

Encouraging growth and creativity in every child

Laughter and the rhythm of learning present everywhere

Dedicated teachers with lots of love to share 

Proudly, Fairfield Primary School stands

Shaping futures with caring hands

Our Student Poets

Here are some fun and creative poems written by our young poets.

Have fun creating poems at home!

~ Binh Hoang, FPS Literacy Learning Specialist