Poetry and Multiculturalism

Writing poetry in the classroom is an ideal way to teach multiculturalism. While studying history, students write poems from the perspective of the many peoples involved. Students will have to put themselves into the shoes of different types of people, including those whose religious, cultural, and political views may be different from the majority culture. Writing, and sharing poetry by students taking various historical perspectives can lead to discussions about the many issues facing many people of today. Poetry can be the door to healthy discussions about tolerance, and understanding.

Poetry and Current Events

History classes today must also discuss the many problems facing the world today. The point of learning history is to learn about how our world has changed, evolved, and developed. Making connections between the past and the present can help us to understand, and hopefully improve, our world today. The use of poetry can help us to not only understand and examine the issues of the past, but to understand contemporary issues as well. Teaching methods using poetry to study history can also be adapted and used to study the issues of today.