Description

Monson Arts hosts "The Conference on Poetry & Learning" which invites educators, teaching artists, and other poetry advocates to work intensely with their colleagues and a faculty of distinguished poets who are experts in both teaching poetry and creating community. The 2024 faculty features conference director Dawn Potter, associate director Teresa Carson, and visiting poet Maudelle Driskell. Conference participants come from a variety of backgrounds. Many are K–12 teachers or university instructors. Others work in community-based settings, such as social services, the prison system, or lifelong learning programs. Still others follow a nontraditional path as they strive to integrate poetry into daily life. Over the course of 4½ days, faculty and participants will share inspiring, effective techniques for teaching poetry and bringing its power into the classroom and other educational and community settings. We’ll consider writing, revision, and analysis as actual working poets do—an approach that also aligns with curriculum standards for reading and writing. Sessions will include faculty and participant presentations, writing exercises, discussions and group work, as well as evening readings by faculty and participants. In-service teachers will earn 33 hours of professional development credit. The greatest compliment that was ever paid me was when one asked me what I thought, and attended to my answer. —Henry David Thoreau Conference Writing Retreat (Optional) The Conference Writing Retreat is an optional 1½-day generative-writing experience immediately following the Conference on Poetry & Learning. Led by Dawn Potter and Teresa Carson, it offers participants the rare opportunity to focus solely on themselves as poets and creators. Sessions include discussions and prompts, ample writing time, and an evening faculty reading. In-service teachers will earn 11 hours of professional development credit.