Everyone has a story and you can catch up on more slices for the SOLSC at
Two Writing Teachers.
This week I have been editing poems and preparing them for the poetry postcards along with submitting to the Young Poets Digest. It’s a good time to reflect on my teaching.
I’ve been thinking how I might restructure my poetry lessons to the fall. It would be a great time to demonstrate how to prepare a poem for publication. I noticed that the students love to write their poems in a variety of fonts, sizes, and colors. They also love to play with the justification tabs, etc. Plus this year, some have been clicking on the HEADING tabs instead of the NORMAL TEXT. Gads.
So in the fall, I think that we’ll do a poetry unit so I can instruct how students on the protocol of sending material for publication: 12 point size font (which they always tell me that it’s too small), left justified, and the basic fonts; Ariel, Times New Roman, and always in black font color.
It makes sense to teach this in the fall, at the beginning of school. It’s a matter of making it a priority.
In the meantime, if you want one of the postcards (they are turning out great), sign up HERE.
Jone Rush MacCulloch 
Good for you that yo are making plans already for the Fall, Jone – and the post card idea is always lovely.
Nice to be thinking about the needs and what’s next, Jone. Looking forward to that postcard!
Wow.. I got so many ideas for authentic audiences for my classroom poetry. Thanks so much for sharing!
I noticed that my students would spend more on the font and color than the meat. What a great idea to set the expectations in the fall.
I know. I forgot to remind them that the font and color are the icing and we need to spent time making the cake. Plus, I think it is helpful for them to know that the real world expects a certain standard.