Where I'm From Poem

If you're a public school educator and teach a subject area that is tested by the state, you quite possibly understand that post-testing season is the best part of the school year! We spend so much time on the roadmap to testing that we often tend to lose sight of the fun and creativity that ought to be involved in teaching and in learning. Once, TCAP was over I immediately went back to literature circles with my students and gave them the autonomy to pick their own books! One group chose the book The Skin I'm In by Sharon Flake and I could not be happier. Eventually, the entire class wanted to read this book and this is where the idea started. 

As we delved deeper into the text, I realized that so many of my students were able to relate to the main character of this book, Maleeka Madison. The book allowed for organic dialogue about who we are as people, our impact on others, and the trajectory of our lives. The dialogue eventually birthed what I call the "Where I'm From" project. One of the many components of this project involved creating a "Where I'm From" poem. Originally authored by George Ella Lyons, the poem was a response to another poem written by a friend. "The list form is simple and familiar, and the question of where you are from reaches deep," says Lyons. The poem template has since spread all over the world! I learned so much more about myself as well as my students as we worked on our individual poems. Writing really allowed for personal reflection and a deeper look into self. 


Spend some time writing one up with your child this summer! Share the product if you please by emailing them to: readrulereign@gmail.com. 

In the spirit of sharing, here's one that I enjoyed reading from one of my lovely students (names have been changed to respect student's privacy): 

Where I'm From...
I am from mom's sweet walnut brownies 
from colorful fruit salads that remind me of a rainbow, and 
bananas brighter than the sun. 
I am from the blue and purple accents in my home, and 
the scent of red velvet cake. 
I am from the beautiful red roses that smell like sweet honey 
and the oak trees whose long limbs I remember as if they were my own.

I am from praying every night and watching funny movies
from Kate and Tom.
I am from nail biting and thinking about tomorrow
from kind hearts. 

I'm from "Stay away from drama!" and "Kill negativity with kindness."
from Thank You Lord for All You've Done for Me by: Walter Hawkins.
I am from learning about how to treat others with love
from Tennessee and the Base, Harrison, and Harp families. 

I'm from shrimp and salads
from my uncle working in the prison system so long that they named a facility in his honor.
It's called the Charles B. Base Complex
from baby pictures and notes from my birth mother under my momma's bed.