Adding Poetry to Your Homeschool- Why? and How?

 

Poetry… Honestly? Not something I ever imagined would be quite this big into our homeschool. I grew up on simple nursery rhymes, and other rhyming poetry such as Dr. Seuss. I love rhymes, and I love books that rhyme! But that was where my fascination stopped.

 

It wasn’t until I read “The Brave Learner” by Julie Bogart, where she talks about igniting passion in your homeschool with poetry, that I even considered adding it in. Now, the way she talks about it is along with Poetry Tea Time. So back in 2019- my kids and I dove DEEP into poetry tea time. For years we had it, without fail, every Friday as part of our routine. We would bake, read poetry, and do crafts together. Often, there would be classical music involved, and it was all we had planned for our “school” on Friday.

 

“Poetry is the candy of language for young children.” -Julie Bogart

Since then, poetry has evolved in a lot of ways in our home and homeschool. I have created guides and curricula to help your family start out. But first, let’s talk a little bit about Poetry:

 

1. Why read poetry? What is it good for?
2. How to gently begin adding poetry to your homeschool.
3. Poetry Tea Time, and Poetry lessons and curricula.

 

 

Why Ready Poetry? What is it Good For?

“But through carefully chosen poetry, mothers can teach their children to recognize sin, be inspired, and be filled with admiration of God’s gifts to man.” – Charlotte Mason Companion, Page 220

Poetry can be used as a teaching tool for many many things within a home, and homeschool. Poetry can be used to teach spelling and vocabulary; reading, rhyming, and phonics; the history of how our language has changed; as well as good vs evil, heroes and heroines and how they became such, and to invoke such emotion as plain words often fail to do.

Poetry has been used to teach history, as well as sharing deep meaningful words and discoveries. Poetry is also just a beautiful way to read, and when put to music- poetry can become a beautiful song.

 

How to Gently Begin Adding Poetry to Your Homeschool

Now, if you haven’t added poetry to your homeschool yet- but you wish to do so, let me give you a few gently ways to start incorporating it.

1. Add a “poetry tea time” to your schooling one day a week. We chose Friday so that it was a wonderful ending to a full week, but I have known many families that have adopted “Tea Time Tuesday” as a fantastic way of adding it in on a fun little schedule.
2. Add one poetry piece per day to your morning time, as a little 2-5 minute addition. Choose simple poems, with beautiful imagery. Some favorites are Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Jack Prelutsky.
3. Simply check out a few poetry books from the library, and leave them where your kids can thumb through them themselves. You may have to encourage the behavior at first- but it should start to come naturally.

 

How to start loving poetry yourself:

1. Read “The Brave Writer” by Julie Bogart
2. Check out a few poetry books for yourself to read
3. Read “The Charlotte Mason Companion” by Karen Andreola. Specifically the chapter on poetry, but it is all amazing.

 

 

Poetry Tea Time, and Poetry Lessons and Curricula.

Now, as I said before- we LOVE poetry and poetry tea time here. We have changed how we do it now… but we are gently getting back to poetry tea time on Fridays. Some days, it is Saturday mornings along with a pancake breakfast. Here are the lessons and guides that we have made, that we hope can help you and your family LOVE poetry.

See them all here: https://loveathomeeducation.com/product-category/shop-by-category/extras-enrichments-electives/poetry-tea-time/ Or scroll down!

 

Our newest release is the first installment of a new series on Discovering Poets.

The Discovering Poets Copywork Series: Emily Dickinson

 

But our very very first Poetry Tea Time release, is the Love at Home’s Guide to Poems. There are Student Notebooks as well!

Love at Home’s Guide to Poems: Annual Poetry Guide

Poetry Tea Time: Myths and Magic was actually created to go with our Into the Wardrove: Narnia Student notebook set.

Poetry Tea Times: Myths and Magic

Free Tea Time Outlines- these will help you plan your very first Tea Time!

https://loveathomeeducation.com/product/free-quick-tea-time-outlines/

This one is free as well.

https://loveathomeeducation.com/product/free-tea-time-planner/

Another favorite is our Tea Times Around the World. These help celebrate a lot of holidays through out the year, as well as holidays in other countries!

Holiday Tea Times Around the World Tea Time Guide | Homeschool Book Guide | Homeschool Literature | Charlotte Mason | Homeschool Holiday

And the last one we wanted to share is: Tea Times Colors of the Rainbow. This was inspired to teach young kids their colors through tea time!!

https://loveathomeeducation.com/product/tea-times-by-color-rainbow-tea-time-guide/