Poetry is at the center of a wide variety of subjects that interest kids and contribute to their development as students and as people. Here are a few principles that guide all sessions:

--Mutual respect is the Number One Rule
--That means, for instance, that we ask the kids whether or not they want to read in front of the class, and if they say that they don't, we never force them to
--When it comes to poetry, self-expression is important, but we choose to focus more on creating actual literature
--We come prepared to sessions with lesson plans but we're never afraid to throw it away based on current events, the mood of the room, the weather-- whatever
--I like to teach the kids concepts, vocabulary words, and methods that they may not really understand until much later in life
--Always use age-appropriate material
In technology classes, we abide by safe Internet standards