Alex PoeticSoul Johnson

The Rhythm of Self-Love (5-12)

by Mandy McGee | Alex PoeticSoul Johnson, Elementary School, High School, Iberia Parish, Lafayette Parish, Literary Arts, Middle School, Single Session, Social Emotional Learning, St. Landry Parish, St. Martin Parish, Vermilion Parish

We have all heard the term “self-love.” But have we ever explored what it really means? Or used a poetic structure to commit it to paper? This session offers an opportunity for both! Students will engage in a guided discussion on what self-love means and why it is important. Then, they will complete a writing exercise focused on using couplets to create self-motivation poems. It’s self-care meets rhyme meets SEL fusion! This artist is only available on Fridays, so chat with them about availability after booking.

Class Poetry Album (4-12)

by Mandy McGee | Alex PoeticSoul Johnson, Elementary School, High School, Iberia Parish, Lafayette Parish, Literary Arts, Middle School, Short-Term Residency, St. Landry Parish, St. Martin Parish, Vermilion Parish

The theme: tolerance. The artistic medium: a class poetry album. In this workshop designed to encourage students to be creative and work together on a common goal, classes will engage in creative writing, discussions on tolerance, and have a brief audio recording workshop. The class will write and record a final Poetry Album. This artist is only available on Fridays, so chat with them about availability after booking.

Day 1: Students will separate into groups and select “beats” from a given list to write and record to. Students will begin the writing process.

Day 2: Students will finish writing their poems/songs. We will begin recording students’ creations.

Day 3: Students will finish recording. We will finish class by listening to what the class has collectively created.

Introduction to Spoken Word Poetry (6-12)

by Mandy McGee | Alex PoeticSoul Johnson, High School, Iberia Parish, Lafayette Parish, Literary Arts, Middle School, Short-Term Residency, Vermilion Parish

Aren’t all words “spoken”? So what is “spoken word poetry” and how does it differ? Students in this session will internalize that! They will be introduced to spoken word poetry through discussion, spoken word videos, and live performance. Question & answer time will be given after the performance, so students can free their minds and let the questions follow. This artist is only available on Fridays, so chat with them about availability after booking.

Introduction to Slam Poetry (5-12)

by Mandy McGee | Alex PoeticSoul Johnson, High School, Iberia Parish, Lafayette Parish, Literary Arts, Middle School, Short-Term Residency, St. Landry Parish, St. Martin Parish, Vermilion Parish

This workshop introduces students to the art of competitive slam poetry, where the point is not the points… It’s the words.

Days 1 & 2: Students will be presented with examples of slam-appropriate performance poems, given prompts, and will work on their own creations. Chances to rehearse or get feedback will be included.

Day 3: It’s slam time! Students will be scored by their teachers or peers based on their performance and poem. Win or lose, the students take the poems, the memories, and the skill with them!

Exploring Erasure Poetry (5-12)

by Mandy McGee | Alex PoeticSoul Johnson, Elementary School, High School, Iberia Parish, Lafayette Parish, Literary Arts, Middle School, Single Session, St. Landry Parish, St. Martin Parish

There is a reason erasure poetry is also called “blackout poetry.” Erasure poetry is not about starting from a blank page, but about taking a page or poem that is already created and blacking things out. What does not get erased becomes the new poem. It’s conceptual, it’s creative, and it leaves a visual statement. Students in this workshop will learn about erasure poetry through analyzing examples. Then, they will create their own erasure poem…and visual art in the process.

Free Your Mind (4-12)

by Mandy McGee | Alex PoeticSoul Johnson, Elementary School, High School, Iberia Parish, Lafayette Parish, Literary Arts, Middle School, Single Session, Social Emotional Learning, St. Landry Parish, St. Martin Parish, Vermilion Parish

Spontaneous, unscripted, and supportive – those 3 words describe a freestyle poetry circle. In this session, students participate in such a circle and have a both literary and an SEL experience. Workshop goals: encourage students to control their thoughts, think strategically and accept themselves. Poetic inspiration included? Absolutely!

ADDITIONAL ARTS IN EDUCATION RESOURCES