 Mr. Ivan, The Principal Poet
A New Way of Thinking
If our heads came with shiny hinges
That made our noggins lift-off lids,
I'll bet all us poor students
Would be really smarter kids.
If our ears were little funnels
That hooked up to our brains,
I'll bet all our school learning
Could be done with little pain.
Instead of notes and study,
In place of books and pens,
We'd just go up to teacher
And say, "Pour some more smart in!"
She'd lift our lids and fill 'em up
With all the stuff she knows,
And when we got our fill of smart,
We'd simply holler, "Whoa!"
And if we ever took a test
And our thinking could not flow,
We'd just explain to teacher
That our thinking tank was low.
So she'd get her pail of knowledge,
And she'd make us tilt our tops.
She'd pour good things inside us
And when we'd leak, she'd stop.
But so far I've got no hinges,
And my funnels still are ears,
And teacher makes me study hard
And expects my ears to hear.
Perhaps some day it'll happen,
And perhaps all pigs will soar,
But until that magic moment comes
I'll just have to study more!
Copyright © 2006 Ivan Kershner, reprinted with permission.
 Meet
Ivan Kershner
Ivan Kershner, known to students and colleagues alike as Mr. Ivan, has been writing poetry for more than 40 years. During that time he has also been an English teacher in Wyoming, a high school principal in Nebraska and Colorado, an assistant superintendent in Nebraska, and a middle school assistant principal in charge of curriculum and instruction in South Carolina. In 1995, Mr. Ivan received a National Educator Award from the Milken Family Foundation. He also received the Governor's Award for Excellence in Education from Colorado's governor, Roy Romer. Schools or teachers wishing to contact Mr. Ivan may reach him at kershneri@anderson1.k12.sc.us.
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Article by Ivan Kershner
Education World®
Copyright © 2006 Education World
08/18/2006 |
