A collaboration on a blackout poetry project exposed high school students to a new way to express themselves and a better understanding of each other.
Students in English Teacher Patricia Burghardt joined up with Special Education Teacher Sam Loeffler’s students to create their own blackout poetry.
What is blackout poetry?
“You start with a page that already has words and on that page. You connect page words that have a common meaning or speak to you in some way,” Burghardt said. “Oftentimes the students are left with a sentence or two. We guided the students to narrow it down to a thought - something that was meaningful or expressed a point of view. They put boxes around the words they are keeping and they block out all the other words on the page.”
After getting used to the process, it wasn’t much different than writing regular poetry, according to Burghardt.
The students connected over themes of teen angst, love, patriotism and personal obstacles.
“We wanted us all to work together. Everyone sat on the floor with each other, and it was a nice kind of poetic vibe,” she said. “It was nice that they got to work with students they don’t otherwise get to collaborate with.”
Their finished poems are presented in a display case in a hallway outside their classrooms.
“I thought it was pretty fun. We had a good time, we don’t do stuff like this with gen ed kids that often,” said Ryan Doliver, who is in Loeffler’s class.
Tucker Cattanach, a student in Burghardt’s class, said he enjoyed the experience, especially the way students of both teachers shared their thoughts.
“It was different. I had never done it before and thought it was cool to do something now.” he said. “It was cool to see their perspectives on some things.
Student Lily Joubert said she enjoyed being involved with a collaborative project that brought different students together.
“I actually really liked it. It was fun, It was something new. I actually like poetry,” she said. “I love seeing the display out in the hallway.”
