in case your child needs to select a poem from a book or anthology

The Harp and Laurel Wreath: Poetry and Dictation for the Classical Curriculum
by Laura M. Berquist
wonderful!

A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for Children
by Caroline Kennedy

The Best-Loved Poems of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
by Caroline Kennedy


All 3 seem to be good (not that I've spent a lot of time reading them).

Laura Berquist's book is wonderful. Ed deliberately had Christopher choose The Charge of the Light Brigade in order to make a point about the importance of classical education.

He's really had it.


silver lining

The good news is: I now know that the name Alfred, Lord Tennyson includes a comma.


help desk
in case your child needs to select a poem from a book or anthology

help desk

Ed just spent 3 hours helping Christopher with his ELA assignment.

We are on "vacation."

The assignment is huge.

Select a poem (any poem) from a book or anthology; identify three elements of good poetry; interpret the poem in a "well-developed response"; cite sources according to MLA; type the poem and the assignment (school doesn't teach typing, so I guess that's my job); OPTIONAL: research poet, find out about poet, etc.

This is starting at the top.

So....recent assignments have been way over C's head, but the few books he's been required to read are below grade level.

aargh


Anyway, here's the question.

I am not an English major.

I have no idea how to analyze a poem.

I have no idea, even, how to read a work of 19th century literature intelligently.

I know nothing!

So I need books. Books with shortcuts. Books that will give me a superficial but useable map-of-the-world where poetry analysis is concerned.

I thank you in advance.


being your child's frontal lobes

We've just today managed to figure out that C., although terrifically responsible when it comes to homework he can do, is avoidant when it comes to homework he can't do.

Avoidant means:

• didn't select a poem to analyze from the books at school & copy it down (good thing I spent hours researching and purchasing poetry anthologies last school year!)
  

• avoids the assignment altogether; and fails to mention assignment to parents

I guess we can say he's not proactive when it comes to seeking extra help.


Ed awaits his B-.

.