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I am re-examining how I think about personal rereading. I typically do not because there are too many texts to read.
Several weeks ago I heard a podcast where an author chooses a poem and reads it every day for a month to see what happens. While I listening this seemed like a novel idea…and then I sat in my classroom yesterday introducing the book The Snowy Day that we are going to reread and work with all week.
I have used this practice for years! Now I know why I was drawn to read my poem for a week rather than a month. It is a pattern I have already established!
I had to laugh at myself how I sometimes do not make the connections between my personal reading life and my professional one.
There are joys in rereading. There are things you notice after several rereadings.
After each rereading I noticed new lines that sparkled to me that I wrote down. I use them as springboards for writing. When I chose Four Hours In Paris by Cynthia Zarin [Winter 2020 Paris Review] I noticed the concepts in the poem that I was teaching in my classroom! Maps were a topic last week and those lines popped out right away.
I noticed the objects that were listed in the poem that paced the story.
I connected memories that I had not thought about for years because of the lines I pulled out of the text.
The poem started with a map and ended with the color yellow.
If you would like to hear me talk about this on my podcast you can click here.
This week with my kindergartners we will reread The Snowy Day and we will notice different things about Peter’s adventure in the snow! If we were in person we would go outside and mimic his footprints in the snow and smack trees with sticks.
My new poem for rereading is Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Margaret Atwood.
Do you reread?
I do not reread anything because I would remember most of what I had read whenever I did try it for want of nothing else handy to read and that was many years ago. Would give it a try again, I too may find new lines or insights. Thanks for sharing!
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I do reread. I loved your reflections on rereading as a teacher. There are books I have read to many different classes over years, and still find new things each year. Then there are books that I read as a child that I still reread. Some feel as though I almost know them by heart. They are comforting during difficult times. Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
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I will now! No, seriously, I do reread. I’ve been working on self-editing my poetry and rereading for clarity, intent, emotion, and creative use of words or phrases. I love the idea of rereading for a month. I have found that when I reread I find different ideas pop out. Thank you for this idea of habitually rereading. I think your class will love this, too! The Snowy Day is a great story to work with for such a young audience. Now, you have me thinking of another Keats book, Peter’s Chair. Good luck!
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Yes, I reread my own work – that is unavoidable! It is interesting how many new things do sparkle after several days of the same piece.
I love Peter’s Chair and Apt 3 too!
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I am a re-reader, but your post has prompted me to undertake this with more deliberate intent. Rereading has much inherent value as does re-viewing a film. We begin to develop an eye for closer viewing, deeper appreciation and improved critical analysis. So thank you Tammy, for this timely reminder.
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I should do more rereading, but I have so many books in my pile! Maybe trying the idea of rereading a poem over a week would be a good start.
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I love rereading books and rewatching movies!
Even obvious connections sometimes take a while to come to consciousness (that’s my excuse, anyway!)
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