During the sessions, I adopted a multifaceted approach to effectively lead the class, ensuring engagement and meaningful learning experiences. To initiate each session, I carefully curated poetry materials that were both informative and stimulating, to encourage active participation and to foster a deeper appreciation for poetry among the participants. My selections consisted of five poetry videos, with a range of two to three discussion questions following each video.

To start off the workshop, I began with asking the students what their experiences were with poetry, and to offer an alternative viewpoint. The general sentiment expressed neutral, not necessarily negative but not enthusiastically positive. I expected this outlook because it allowed me to reflect upon my own time as a highschooler during the poetry units. While poems such as The road not taken by Robert Frost are classics, it created no desire nor interest within me to pursue poetry further and I saw that the same disinterest was continuing in the generations after me. For them poetry was stagnant and perhaps served as a further reminder of the differences between them and their peers. If I as a Black American felt unrepresented, then I can only imagine how detached the students in the peer leader program felt from the themes they were used to seeing in class.

With that in mind, I began with presenting my own interpretation of Poetry. “Poetry is simply a means of expression, it is not confined to one theme or style it is what you make of it”. After our introductory discussion we began with the first video which was a performance by Yaw

Kyeremateng titled The Immigrant Experience. This video explored themes of code-switching, and countering the expectation that one must always speak english. Most of the students speak anywhere from 2-4 other languages, and I wanted to begin the session off with a video that would invoke pride. American society tends to hold a negative perception of individuals who do not speak English flawlessly. I aimed to convey to them that this phenomenon is attributable to systemic shortcomings rather than indicative of their intellectual capabilities. The next video, Jaylene Clark Owens’ Code Switching had identical themes of code-switching and finding comfort and pride in all languages spoken.

The next pair of poems were performed by the same individual, Muna Abdulahi, and we began with Daughter of Intersectionality. In a previous discussion with students, we acknowledged the pressures to conform to the behaviors or habits of our friends. However, it was also emphasized and understood that it's important to remain true to ourselves and our moral principles. This video served a continuation of the previous discussion and to validate the difficult feelings that come with living “detached” from the culture that you were raised within. Though this theme of being detached will arise again in subsequent workshops, because creating community wherever you go is an important aspect of life finding comfort in all places. The last video that was shown was about cultural relatives, which was chosen to end the discussion off on a high note, and tie into the theme of finding community and comfort in the people around you even if they are strangers.

In terms of structuring the sessions, I meticulously planned the breakdown of time slots to optimize productivity and ensure comprehensive coverage of the curriculum and discussion. Nonetheless despite this schedule we ran into a few snags along the way. The videos played were accessible through YouTube, however because the workshop was conducted at the highschool via the schools wifi which blocks certain websites from being accessible. Of the 60 minutes that I had about 25 of them were spent working with tech support to make the videos accessible. This severely impeded upon how I had to continue forward and pace each video and discussion.

With the new time constraint, I remained mindful of maintaining a balanced pace and allowing ample time for reflection and discussion. By strategically allocating time slots for different activities and eliminating my writing activity at the end, I ensured that participants had sufficient opportunities to engage in meaningful dialogue with their peers. Additionally, I

frequently revisited key concepts and encouraged participants to apply their newfound knowledge through practical exercises and writing prompts.

Attached to this report is a detailed lesson plan outlining the structure and objectives of each session, along with the materials used and the breakdown of time slots. This comprehensive document provides a thorough overview of the curriculum implemented during the sessions, serving as a valuable reference for future endeavors.

The workshop aims to introduce poetry and facilitate conversation with students within the Peer Leader Program. Harrisonburg serves as a resettlement community, resulting in a large population of youth who are navigating living within a new country, culture, and academic setting, as well as having to learn a new language. Introducing the youth to poetry outside of an academic setting, allows them to explore their creative expression without the pressure or judgment of grading. Additionally, the themes of the workshop, Language and Acculturation, make it so that the works being explored are something that students can connect with.

Activity One