Packaging poetry? Pupils’ perspectives of their learning experience within the post‐primary poetry classroom

Abstract

This paper explores the issue of educational commodification within the poetry class. Drawing from research conducted with 200 Leaving Certificate pupils, from eight post‐primary schools in Ireland, this paper investigates these pupils’ perspectives on their learning experiences against a backdrop of educational consumerism. The research identifies a number of areas of concern including limited potential for creative and aesthetic engagement in the classroom, a utilitarian approach to the teaching and learning of poetry, the marginalisation of pupil voice and subjective response and the prioritisation of exam performance. Drawing on the findings of this study, it is argued that the teaching and learning of poetry is vulnerable to becoming a packaged commodity. Recommendations for renewed teacher agency in countering pedagogical pragmatism beginning at pre‐service level are made.

Komenského spisy jako četba žáků základní školy?

“…Specifi cký odborný zájem věnují vý-zkumníci práci s poezií, která činí učitelům i žákům velké potíže svou nejednoznačnos-tí, a ukazují, jak s ní pracovat: metoda hlasitého myšlení (Ewa-Wood, 2008), rozvíjení kreativity žáků (Hennessy & McNamara, 2011), poetické kroužky (Young, 2007. Peskin, Allen a Wells-Jopling (2010) se systematicky věnují schopnosti žáků interpretovat symboliku v poezii.…”

“…Mezi ně řadí různé mytologie, hororové povídky, knihy o autech a elektronice, poezii a říkanky s hlavolamy, biografi e známých osobností. Watkinsonová a Aimonette Liangová (2014) řeší součas-nou podobu učebnic anglického jazyka a literatury v USA na základě proporce žánrů fi kce a literatury faktu a konstatují, že tyto učebnice obsahují až nadmíru uměleckých textů vzhledem k ostatním druhům literatury.Specifi cký odborný zájem věnují vý-zkumníci práci s poezií, která činí učitelům i žákům velké potíže svou nejednoznačnos-tí, a ukazují, jak s ní pracovat: metoda hlasitého myšlení (Ewa-Wood, 2008), rozvíjení kreativity žáků (Hennessy & McNamara, 2011), poetické kroužky (Young, 2007. Peskin, Allen a Wells-Jopling (2010) se systematicky věnují schopnosti žáků interpretovat symboliku v poezii.…”

Acknowledging teacher professionalism in Ireland: the case for a Chartered Teacher initiative

“…In response to the pervasive influence of 'conformist' practices noted within the Irish postprimary classroom (Hennessy and Mannix McNamara 2011) and as a result of a growing awareness of the benefits of 'leveraging creativity' (Scase 2007) within education, current education policy discourse in Ireland has become replete with reference to innovation, creativity and enterprise (Granville 2004). Within this framework, current curriculum policy would replace course 'coverage' with 'learner engagement', curriculum 'content' with 'skills' and 'knowledge acquisition' with 'learning' (Looney and Klenowski 2008, 177).…”

Negotiating Subject Hierarchies

“…This ideological shift is directly linked to a drive for a global knowledge economy and the corresponding 'rediscovery of the economic importance of education' (Peters, 2001: 1). Neo-liberal market values have resulted in a 'commodification of knowledge' (Hennessy & McNamara, 2011: 10 207) that is reflected in the Irish education system through increased standardisation and a technicist approach to teaching and learning (Hyland, 2011;Lynch, 2006;OECD, 2009). …”

“…While there continues to be support for a comprehensive curriculum in Ireland (Bonel-Elliott, 1994), the 'backwash effect' of the current 'points system' (NCCA, 2007) employed by the Irish matriculation structure has placed significant performativity pressures on both students and teachers (Hennessy & McNamara, 2011). Hyland (2011 notes that senior cycle 'students (advised by their parents and teachers) will do everything possible to optimise their potential points'.…”