In order to celebrate National Poetry Day on 6th October 2005, we at Dubai English Speaking School decided to donate a whole week to poetry awareness. The theme set by the Poetry Society was "The Future" and what poems we would like to send into the future to reflect our lives today. We also decided to extend this theme to SPACE and ALIENS in order to grip our children's imaginations!

As part of the week children read poetry to themselves, to their friends, to their parents and to their teachers. In return, the teachers read poetry to the children - in other words we all went "Poetry Potty!!" We also enjoyed buddy reading where the children paired up with older or younger children and read poetry to each other:

Two girls quietly reading on carpet area
Four boys quietly reading on carpet area
Two boys reading poems to each other
Older pupil reading to younger ones
  
This is always a huge success and this year was no exception.

We also made some great links across the curriculum, poetry in French, poetry in PE, poetry in ICT…….!!!!

Poetry Day in the ICT lesson

Using ICT to illustrate the meaning of a poem

Links were made with Dubai English Speaking College. Year 7 children paired up with the children in Year One:  

3 Year 7 students recite poems to some Reception children
2 Year 7 girls eagerly watched by 2 Reception girls
Whilst the Year 8 children read their favourite poems from their
younger days to the Reception children:
Year 7 student reading to the Reception class
Year 7 students waiting their turn to read
 
DESS's Favourite Poem

Each class has been busy finding their favourite poem that they would like to send into the future. The voting booth in the library is now open and we are awaiting the results of DESS's Top 10 poems. The top 3 will be posted on the website….. so watch this SPACE!!