Introduction to Poetry #4: Poetry Circle - Make Friends, Laugh, Write & Share
Hang out with creative friends and write a poem in a new style/form each week, like haiku, tricubes, acrostic, lyric, sonnet, and bop in our relaxed sessions that go beyond syllables and rhyming to celebrate international poetic forms.
Alaina Bell Gao
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(427)
Star Educator
What's included
1 live meeting
50 mins in-class hours per weekAssessment
I check comprehension orally and the learners also apply their understanding of the form as they write a poem in class.Class Experience
US Grade 7 - 10
⭐New learners are welcome to join at any time! ⭐Subscriptions renew every Sunday (like all ongoing classes.) ⭐Ask about sibling, friend, and loyalty discounts! ⭐Coupon codes below! ⭐Continue for as long as you want (and drop out when you need to.) ⭐Each week is independent! ⭐No prior knowledge is needed! Each class begins with an introduction to the poetic form of the week, culminating with my example poem written specifically for this class. From there, I will help the learners brainstorm topics that make them excited since the rest of the class time will be spent writing poems in the style of the week. Each learner will be encouraged to embrace making their own choices as a poet, including whether they bend the rules of the form. I will provide guidance and support as needed. Finally, we will share our creations or works in progress at the end of each class and/or in the classroom. My classes are relaxed and creative. While learners must already be able to write independently for this class, I am a very encouraging teacher and I will applaud any attempt at creating these different poetic forms as I celebrate each learner's achievements! I will also guide learners if or when needed. SCHEDULE: The Week of September 22 - Rictameter The Week of September 29 - Tilus The Week of October 6 - Compound Word Verse The Week of October 13 - Hir a Thoddaid The Week of October 20 - Vispo The Week of October 27 - Lannet The Week of November 3 - Advertising The Week of November 10 - Asemic writing The Week of November 17 - Synchronicity The Week of November 24 - Moving The Week of December 1 - Paradelle The Week of December 8 - Octain Refrain The Week of December 15 - Constanza The Week of December 29 - The Pictorial The Week of January 5 - Loop Poetry The Week of January 12 - The Brevette The Week of January 19 - Swap Quatrain The Week of January 26 - Twin Cinema The Week of February 2 - Inverted Refrain The Week of February 9 - Florette The Week of February 16 - Vers Beaucoup The Week of February 23 - Song Lyrics The Week of March 2 - Mirror Sestet The Week of March 9 - Line Messaging The Week of March 16 - Burning Haibun The Week of March 23 - Sestina ▶️Free trial class code! BELLGPOETICFORM25 ▶️$10 class in September 2024 - BELLGSEPTFORMS15 ▶️$10 class in October 2024 - BELLGOCTFORMS15 ▶️$10 class in November 2024 - BELLGNOVFORMS15 ▶️$10 class in December 2024 - BELLGDECFORMS15 ▶️Due to rising costs and lower enrollment, I have had to increase my prices. This is consistent with Outschool's current recommendations. However, I am dedicated to finding a solution for all families! Do contact me if your learner would like to take my class and you need a discount. I can set up pay-what-you-can plans. ▶️If you are able to pay the current fee, I thank you for your support since I work hard to provide creative, inspiring content while balancing the challenges of living with disability and chronic illness. Thank you! PAST (Tuesday): The Week of September 24th - Haiku The Week of October 1st - List The Week of October 8th - Alphabet The Week of October 15th - Tricubes The Week of October 22nd - Acrostic The Week of October 29th - Found The Week of November 5th - Bop The Week of November 12th - Nonet The Week of November 19th - Concrete The Week of November 26th - Tanka The Week of December 3rd - Narrative The Week of December 10th - Cinquain The Week of December 17th - Kwansaba The Week of December 31st - Senryu The Week of January 7th - Two-Voice/Multi-Voice The Week of January 14th - Clerihew The Week of January 21st - Triolet The Week of January 28th - Bio The Week of February 4th - Ekphrasis The Week of February 11th - Ode The Week of February 18th - Than-bauk The Week of February 25th - Sound/Abstract The Week of March 3rd - Echo Verse The Week of March 10th - Sijo The Week of March 17th - Golden Shovel The Week of March 24th - Tautogram The Week of March 31st - Duplex The Week of April 7th - Pastoral/Bucolic The Week of April 14th - Didactic The Week of April 21st - Anagrammatic The Week of April 28th - Elfchen The Week of May 5th - Lyric The Week of May 12th - Stornello The Week of May 19th - Interlocking Rubaiyat/Rubai The Week of May 26th - Zejel The Week of June 2nd - Gnomic The Week of June 9th - Flamenca The Week of June 16th - Villanelle The Week of June 23rd - Limerick The Week of June 30th - Eintou The Week of July 7th - Alphabet Haiku The Week of July 14th - Alliterisen The Week of July 21st - Brazilian Haiku The Week of July 28th - Rimas Dissolutas The Week of August 4th - Ballad The Week of August 11th - Cyclone The Week of August 18th - Behrquain The Week of August 25th - Daisy Chain Sonnet PAST (Sunday): The Week of November 26 - Magic 9 The Week of December 3 - Waltmarie The Week of June 11 - Ch’i Yen Shih The Week of June 18 - Tanaga The Week of June 25 - Teacup Dictionary The Week of July 2 - Caccia The Week of July 9 - Blues The Week of August 13 - Diamante The Week of August 20 - Dinggedicht The Week of August 27 - Dribble The Week of September 3 - Emmett The Week of September 10 - Epulaeryu The Week of September 17 - Fable The Week of September 24 - Forward/Backward The Week of October 1 - Haibun The Week of October 8 - Haikuette The Week of October 15 - Lanturne The Week of October 22 - Blitz The Week of October 29 - Octelle The Week of November 5 - Sedoka The Week of November 12 - Mondo The Week of November 19 - Reverse Word The Week of December 10 - Minute The Week of December 17 - Kwansaba The Week of January 7 - Minuette The Week of January 14 - Nashers The Week of January 21 - Monotetra The Week of January 28 - Cro Cumaisc Etir Casbairdni Lethrannaigecht The Week of February 4 - Waka The Week of February 11 - Luc Bat The Week of February 18 - Fibonacci The Week of February 25 - Gu Ti The Week of March 3 - Diminishing Verse The Week of March 10 - Shadorma The Week of March 17 - Triversen The Week of April 7 - Pantoum The Week of April 14 - Rhupunt The Week of April 21 - Quintilla The Week of April 28 - Contrapuntal Poem The Week of May 12 - Masnavi The Week of May 19 - Viator The Week of May 26 - Somonka The Week of June 2 - Node The Week of June 9 - Photo poetry The Week of June 16 - Boketto The Week of June 23 - The Skinny The Week of June 30 - Exquisite Corpse The Week of July 7 - Antonymic Translation The Week of July 14 - Trinet The Week of July 21 - Essence The Week of July 28 - Mini-Monoverse The Week of August 4 - Memento The Week of August 11 - Experimental The Week of August 18 - Oddquain The Week of August 25 - Trolaan The Week of September 1 - Tawddgyrch Cadwynog The Week of September 8 - Conversation The Week of September 15 - Chueh-chu
Learning Goals
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.5
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.5
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.5
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.5
Refer to parts of . . . poems when writing or speaking about a text, using terms such as . . . stanza; describe how each successive part builds on earlier sections. Explain how a series of . . . stanzas fit together to provide the overall structure of a particular . . . poem. Analyze how a particular . . . stanza . . . contributes to the development of the theme, setting, or plot. Explain major differences between poems . . . and prose, and refer to the structural elements of poems (e.g., verse, rhythm, meter)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.5
Analyze how a drama's or poem's form or structure (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet) contributes to its meaning
WRITING
2.2 establish a distinctive voice in their writing appropriate to the subject and audience (e.g., use punctuation, dialogue, and vivid language to create a particular mood or tone)
2.3 use some vivid and/or figurative language and innovative expressions to enhance interest (e.g., strong verbs; concrete, specific nouns; unusual adjectives; unexpected word order)
3.7 use a range of appropriate elements of effective presentation in the finished product, including print, script, different fonts, graphics, and layout
Other Details
Parental Guidance
The topics in the class will vary depending on the learners in the class and what they bring up, and sensitive subjects may arise.
Supply List
Learners should have paper, pencils/pens, etc. on hand for each class or be able to open a word processor, etc. on their computer/device during the class to work on their composition. Each week, I will write a unique poem in the style of the week to guide our discussions.
Language of Instruction
English (Level: B1)
Joined January, 2020
4.9
427reviews
Star Educator
Teacher expertise and credentials
2 Degrees
Bachelor's Degree in English from University of Windsor
Associate's Degree in English from Canadian College of Educators
Hi! My name is Alaina Bell Gao, and I am an experienced Canadian English teacher with 15+ years of professional teaching experience. As a dedicated, creative, gentle, and patient neurodivergent teacher, many neurodiverse learners thrive in my classes, including those with ADHD, OCD, Autism, anxiety, and dyslexia. Additionally, I have experience working with gifted and 2E learners, many of whom have thrived in my classes. Finally, I am trained and experienced in teaching English as a second and foreign language and welcome international learners!
Teaching Style:
● Share the joy of learning
● Learn with my learners
● Welcoming class culture
● Patient and cheerful nurturer/encourager
● Passionate, fun, creative, and imaginative
● Interactive and engaging (with flexible requirements and accommodations)
● Inquiry and experiential teaching
● Creative projects and enrichment activities
● Academic deep dives with critical thinking
● Multidisciplinary real-world and culture-centred lessons
● Social-emotional connections
● Literature and writing specialty
● Unique content (self-designed)
● Passionate discussion, storytelling, games, projects, and activities
In the words of Antoine de Saint-Exupery, I teach students “to long for the endless immensity of the sea" to stimulate a desire for learning in an encouraging and fun environment. To this end, I consciously model a lifestyle of endless learning.
Professional Highlights:
● Teaching English literature and history at a top-ranking national exemplary Sino-American high school in China
● Tutoring gifted students in critical thinking, close reading, literary analysis, and essay writing
● Teaching college English and launching their social and cultural anthropology course
● Teaching English language learners (English as a second/foreign language; TESL/TEFL certified)
● Guiding AP English Language and Literature, IELTS, and TOEFL learners to success
● Teaching Chinese history and culture for a Chinese cultural association and in schools
● Developing specialized programs for student needs so struggling learners could thrive
● Developing curriculum for private use and for organizations
● Writing children's historical and cultural books
● Authoring a textbook on project-based learning (Teacher's Discovery)
● Authoring a high school English textbook (Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press)
● Performing as a Department of Tourism Management voice actor and for the exam board
● Teaching beginner readers with games and activities
● Transforming reluctant readers and writers into confident ones
● Leading book clubs and literature circles
● Transforming learner perceptions of poetry and close reading
● Facilitating the yearbook and drama clubs
● Connecting with learners from around the world
As you can see, I work with learners of all ages and abilities. I have much experience supporting learners in achieving academic and personal success, whether that is entering an Ivy League university, a gifted education program, passing an IB or AP English course/exam, reading branches and early chapter books with excitement, reading a novel with comprehension, learning to love reading for the first time, gaining the confidence to express themselves, overcoming personal barriers to success, picking up a pencil to write and to write with passion, voicing their emotions and experiences powerfully, or completing a large project for the first time. I celebrate every success!
My classes are very creative and interactive, with an encouraging, caring, stimulating, and inspiring environment, which is full of thought-provoking questions, deep discussions, meaningful connections, social-emotional reflections, interdisciplinary learning, and an international worldview. For most of my classes, we take time to savour the literature and I host plenty of engaging literature circles and book clubs, with an increasing range of multicultural novel options, in addition to the classics and Newberry award winners.
My classes are an enthusiastic deep dive into literary appreciation, close reading, and literary analysis without overwhelming the learners with heavy terminology. (I still incorporate references to figurative language, as well as the reader's response, formalist, historical, socio-cultural, and archetypal lens into my lessons, but this is done in a way that the learners can grasp, even without prior training.) Annotation and research skills are a focus in many classes, too. Additionally, I often talk about the power of a learner's choices and the impact those choices will have on their audience. This is to encourage an awareness of the creative process and of themselves as writers, poets, artists, and creators.
As for social studies, I am fascinated by people and cultures, as I am by stories and histories. Although I am Canadian, I lived in China for ten years, integrated into the culture, studied the history extensively, learned Mandarin, and started an educational not-for-profit organization with my Chinese husband. I am an experienced educator and am trusted by Chinese parents, the Chinese Association of Mississauga, and local teachers to teach Chinese history and culture. I also have friends and connections within many other cultures, so building up global awareness, cultural competence, and empathy is important to me!
Additionally, I care about each learner's well-being, so learners are welcome to bring a snack, drink, or fidget spinner to class if that will help and won't be a distraction to others. Learners are also welcome to take stretching breaks. Please reach out to me for any concerns or accommodations. Also, I have recently raised my prices at Outschool's recommendation (smaller class sizes and inflation), but I want to make this work for you! Do reach out to me if you are interested in one of my classes and are in need of a coupon.
Finally, I am an experienced and passionate educator, but I also live with chronic illness and a disability, which means that I greatly appreciate your support. This is my main job and I can only do it thanks to fabulous parents like you! Thank you! So, what are you looking for? Let me know! I would be happy to accommodate you, if possible! I look forward to hearing from you soon!Reviews
Live Group Class
$25
weekly1x per week
50 min
Completed by 31 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 12-14
1-6 learners per class
