Come to the Edge

During the first few weeks of school, I make a focused effort to get to know my students and to build a sense of community.  This year I wanted to do something that would connect all of my classes to one another. So, I decided to adopt a poem as our yearlong theme. After all, I am an English teacher.

Each year I tell my students that I am training them like an athlete. I take them through reading, writing, and speaking training exercises. Each lesson I craft is designed to help their muscles remember what to do when the time comes to perform. And, like a coach, I will ask them to do things that are difficult and sometimes out of their comfort level.  The productive struggle, I tell them, is all a part of the training. In the end, I promise them that they will be better writers, readers, and speakers.

 Last week I introduced the poem "Come to the Edge" by Christopher Logue to my students. I asked them to read and annotate the poem. The only direction I gave them was to tell them that I have chosen this poem as our yearlong theme. Here is the text of the poem:

Come to The Edge

by Christopher Logue

Come to the edge.
We might fall.
Come to the edge.
It's too high!
COME TO THE EDGE!
And they came,
and we pushed,
And they flew.

I was amazed by their responses. Some students thought the "edge" was a cliff and others thought it meant the edge of their confidence. Yet others thought the "edge" was the end of their abilities. The poem has given us a sense of community. Students good-naturedly tease one another about "coming to the edge" when someone begins to sigh about a particular assignment. In the hallway, I have overheard students explaining the poem to their friends. A couple of students have suggested we make t-shirts with our theme poem on it.

I have thoroughly enjoyed our conversations and look forward to the many ways we can use the poem this year. I shared with students that I am coming to the edge of my comfort level by trying new things professionally--a new blog, being a club sponsor, and speaking up for my profession. The other day when I made a vague reference to my new blog and how I wasn't sure if anyone thought it was worth reading, one of my students said I should keep going to the edge until I was able to fly. Point taken. I love when my students become the teachers.

Come join us this year. Find a way to connect to your students, co-workers, and family.

Come to the edge.