Writing in Rhythm: Spoken Word Poetry in Urban Classrooms

This dynamic book examines how literacy learning can be expanded and redefined using the medium of spoken word poetry. The author tells the story of a passionate Language Arts teacher and his work with The Power Writers, an after-school writing community of Latino and African-American students. Featuring rich portraits of literacy in action, this book introduces teaching practices for fostering peer support, generating new vocabulary, discussing issues of Standard American English, and using personal experiences as literary inspiration.

Drawing from literature in both literacy research and cultural studies, this book

• Provides a model for incorporating "open mic" formats and the public sharing of reading and writing in literacy classes with urban youth.
• Shows how teachers can approach teaching with profound respect for student cultures, languages, and life experiences.
• Offers a new way of talking about literacy with urban high school students, including new terminology generated by the teachers and students.
• Explores what it means for Language Arts teachers to be "practitioners of the craft."