QUESTION: If 304 students from 12 sixth grade classes take the same 48 words, rearrange them, then share their creationswith their cross-country counterparts, what do you get? ANSWER: Poem Pals! In March, we’ll kick off a cross-country collaboration between sixth graders in New York State’s Capital Region and California’s San Francisco Bay Area. Students will use poem RENOVATION to […]
Anger For an Unbalanced Oven Rack is the first poem I ever wrote. I was 17 and my parents were divorcing. Laying my confusion and sorrow down on paper helped me heal. During the pandemic, I began searching for new meaning in my Oven Rack poem. Eager to see if I could create an updated […]
WMHT TV New York Now interview: Poem Renovation: A Game-Changing Approach to Teaching Poetry WAMC Northeast Public Radio interview (Interview begins at the 7:30 mark in the recording): #1690: Poetry and a Spelling Bee | The Best of Our Knowledge | WAMC Times Union article, Albany, NY: Writer’s Poem Renovation site aims to inspire love […]
poem RENOVATION’s creator, Kelly de la Rocha, would be happy to bring poem RENOVATION to your school with an interactive workshop for grades six and up, either in person or via Zoom. A journalist and published poet with decades of experience, Kelly will share her knowledge of and enthusiasm for the written word, and offer students […]
Educators say poem RENOVATION is a fun, approachable way to aid in social-emotional learning, prompt creativity and self expression, strengthen communication skills and confidence, and build community.
Venturing to the front of the room, laptop positioned to cover all but her eyes, a timid student shares her words, unable to hide the smile in her voice. A boy pigeonholed as a jock reads his poem aloud. His dramatic pauses and rollercoaster intonation captivate. Classmates ask for an encore. Time and again we’ve […]