“…may be the most useful poetry handbook you’ll ever own… Spellbound should be bought, shared, and vigorously used.” —Celia Bland, Jacket2
Spellbound: The Art of Teaching Poetry offers a range of exciting ideas to inspire students of all ages to explore their potential as writers and creators. It is a vital addition to Teachers & Writers Collaborative’s catalogue of resources to support innovation in the classroom and learning through the literary arts.
Contributors include: Erika Luckert, Tiphanie Yanique, Susan Karwoska, Aracelis Girmay, Emily Moore, Peter Markus, Chris Cander, Caron Levis, Joanna Fuhrman, Jasminne Mendez, Amina Henry, Sheila Maldonado, Sarah Dohrmann, Jason Koo, Cait Weiss Orcutt, Alex Cuff, Tina Cane, Bianca Stone, Todd Colby, Melissa Febos, Michael Morse, Stefania Heim, Brian Blanchfield, Jennifer Firestone, Rosamond S. King, and Dorothea Lasky.
Featuring poetry by: Jericho Brown, Chen Chen, t’ai freedom ford, Danez Smith, Diana Garcia, Ross Gay, Marie Howe, Yusef Komunyakaa, Terrance Hayes, Bhanu Kapil, Audre Lorde, Harryette Mullen, Isle Yi Park, Reina Maria Rodriguez, Raena Shirali, Donika Kelly, Ruth Stone, Gwendolyn Brooks, William Carlos Williams, Mary Oliver, Robert Duncan, Sylvia Plath, Frank Stanford, Frank O’Hara, Charles Simic, Eavan Boland, Keith Althaus, and Adam Zagajewski.
“Spellbound brings a wealth of experience by poets and teachers to the art and craft of teaching poetry, the various ways of giving common words the spell...I’m sure that it is going to be immensely useful to poets and teachers, children of all ages.” — Edward Hirsch, author of The Essential Poets Glossary and How to Read a Poem
“The wide range of creative activities offered in Spellbound will surely enable teachers to engage students with poetry by having them meet the blank page with their own imaginations. The poems that result will be a powerful reminder that when you make something with words, new worlds open. For any educator interested in poetry as entry point to classroom lessons, this book is a wonderful new resource.” — Jennifer Benka, president and executive director, Academy of American Poets
“Spellbound reverberates with the magic of student voices alongside the stories their teachers tell, illustrating why it is crucial that we make space for this kind of ‘serious play’ in any and all classrooms.” — erica kaufman, director, Bard College Institute for Writing & Thinking
“Using a narrative approach, the teaching artists in this collection share their experiences inviting educators not only to engage with the concepts they present but also to develop a sense of the dazzling diversity of language that poetry offers. The initiatives deliberately invite the reader to take an active role, “to adapt, change, or create new approaches inspired by something you find here,” noting that “every class of students is different” (xvii). Every lesson plan concludes with exemplary poems by students that can be used to motivate other young writers to express themselves poetically and strive to be heard in the world of words. As a continuing process, this volume represents a particularly impressive and varied potential for poetry and imaginative writing.” –Iris Derfler, Journal of Poetry Therapy
“Written in clear, approachable prose, Spellbound is an ideal resource for education students, new teachers, or experienced teachers looking to incorporate contemporary writers into their curriculum.” –Margaret Sarsfield, Journal of Creative Writing Studies