From the Classroom of Courtney Kleffman (SDAWP 2020)
“Something You Should Know” by Clint Smith explores identity and personal experience, making it an impactful teaching tool for developing empathy and understanding. By crafting their own “Something You Should Know” poems and sharing them with others, students reflect on their personal histories, enhancing their self-awareness and fostering deeper connections with peers.
What mentor texts have you used to inspire students to create poems of self-reflection? How have you incorporated poetry to help students better understand themselves and one another?
Link to lesson reel HERE.
- Teaching slides by Courtney Kleffman
- Something You Should Know post in Ethical ELA by Emily Yamasaki
- Teaching a Poetry Collection with Clint Smith’s Counting Descent from Teach Living Poets
Books by Clint Smith:
SDAWP Voices 