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Youth Poet Laureates Elizabeth Shvarts & Jessica Kim
April 11, 2022
Resource: Science of Reading⏱ 35:49
Unlock Student Voice and Fluency Through the Art of Spoken-Word Poetry
In this live Poetry Pop-Up session, students meet youth poet leaders and experience poetry as a living, spoken art form. The session helps teachers bring authentic texts and performances into instruction, building excitement for reading and writing through real student-centered examples. The event also demystifies poet laureate roles and highlights how students can grow as writers by reading widely, observing craft, and sharing work with an audience.
What You'll Learn
How spoken-word poetry can strengthen engagement and literacy routines.
Ways to foster student writing confidence through authentic mentor texts.
How to encourage purposeful audience awareness in student writing.
Simple approaches for building a poetry-rich classroom culture.
Key Themes Discussed
Poetry as a bridge between identity, place, and expression.
Craft and structure (form, imagery, vocabulary) as teachable moves.
Joy and resilience through writing and performance.
Reading and observing poetry as a pathway to stronger writing.
Who Should Watch? This webinar is designed for classroom teachers, ELA educators, and any instructor facilitating poetry units, spoken word, or student performance who seeks authentic models for student voice.
Speakers: Jennifer Coogan: Chief Content Officer, Newsela Elizabeth Shvarts: National Youth Poet Laureate Jessica Kim: National Youth Poet Laureate