More empathy among your students with a concrete, fun project
How do we ensure more empathy? Do we also create a nice, positive farewell gift for school leavers. And we provide a boost in language and poetry.
More empathy is needed in times of polarization. But how do you make that concrete as a school? A collection of poems written for and by students is a way to gain a glimpse into the soul of the students. What do they think about? What did they experience and how do they view the past years.
Power Poetry; the high school years.
A unique project where secondary schools publish their own collection of poems every year for all students. For and by the students.
How does it work?
Hans Breuker will give a Power Poetry workshop for 1 to 2 hours to all final exam classes, or only to the students who want to participate. The poems written during the workshop are collected in a booklet and distributed to students throughout the school.
The workshops can be given during school hours or afterward.
It barely takes the school any time, apart from the distribution. We create and print the bundle in consultation.
Benefits of 'high school years'
Empatie, reading a poem with other people's thoughts ensures a better understanding of each other
Loneliness; when you read what someone else is experiencing, and you recognize yourself in it. Do you feel less lonely
An increase in inclusivity, joy around creativity and because fellow students write the poems, there will be an increased interest in poetry.
The origins
The collection of poems: Amstelveense Youth (2023) with an edition of 5.000 was received enthusiastically. The Dutch section of the Amstelveen College, the ROC and KKC was pleasantly surprised by the level and the collection was experienced as fun and interesting by many students. Students felt less alone.
Of course, not all students were looking for poems. But they are more likely to want to read something written by a fellow student than to pick up Lucebert.
Cost of standard bundle (up to 40 pages)
€325 per workshop
€1.750 formatting collection and editing poems
€4.95 per bundle
Examples of poems
Download the entire bundle here Amstelveense Youth.
Li
My head is special
truly a miracle
it's not normal
there is so much noise
It screams
'now this, no that,
occasionally
I'm just tired of it
Nice 'being different'
people around me say
I wish that
stimulus disappeared
Yes folks, I have ADHD,
I don't move all the time no
I have
with meall in
And my thoughts
love it to
to spin
It's fun
but also
not again
I wish that
it sometimes
my skin
left
Then I want
like everyone else
are
With a quiet
and
boring
brain.