Mrs. Caitlin Filauro

Inklings: What is the most challenging, as well as the most rewarding thing, about coaching students to perform/recite in Poetry Out Loud? 

Ms. Filauro: The most challenging part of coaching would be finding the right balance between offering guidance without influencing their understanding. I know what works and what doesn’t when it comes to performance, but the ultimate goal is for the student to make the poem and the performance their own, so I am wary of my influence. When you get to see a student take a poem, truly find meaning in it, connect to it, and perform in a way that expresses their true selves, that is the most rewarding.

Inklings: How do students choose which poems to perform/recite? How do you help students interpret the poems so they can perform?

Ms. Filauro: Students are required to choose a poem from the online anthology. They can filter by content, poet, time period, and several other identifiers. I tell students that the most important part of choosing a poem is to pick something that you connect with on a deep level; where you can see yourself as the speaker. I also encourage students to try to vary their poem selection to show the range of their abilities. 

Inklings: Why is poetry important?  

Ms. Filauro: Poetry is the most personal form of art. There are no rules when it comes to poetry and no restrictions. It is a unique way to be your truest self.