好色先生 collaborated with the Palos Park Public Library to help teach children how to write poems at the recent Poetry/Valentine Workshop held at the library.
鈥淧art of my job is to do a project each month with 6- to 9-year-olds,鈥� said Mary Lou Parsons, youth librarian at the Palos Park Public Library. 鈥淚 wanted to do a valentine workshop and thought it would be fun for the kids to learn to write a poem.鈥�
She contacted the college鈥檚 Speaking and Writing Center to see if a student would be willing to lead this workshop. Evie Roth, one of the center鈥檚 student writing consultants and an English major, agreed to lead it. Margaret Tenerelli, a departmental assistant for the center, also helped Roth and the librarians during the event.
Roth discussed poetry with the young participants and showed them how they could create a simple poem.
鈥淓vie explained that poetry can just be your feelings and that a poem doesn鈥檛 have to rhyme,鈥� Parsons said. 鈥淪he brainstormed with the kids to come up with something they loved and descriptive words about that thing.鈥�
After the children wrote their poems, they put it on a large paper heart. The library provided supplies, such as stickers and doilies, for the children to decorate their valentines.
鈥淭his was a new experience for me. I鈥檝e never worked with that age group,鈥� Roth said. 鈥淚t showed me how smart kids are at that age. They are really creative. One kid said, 鈥業鈥檓 going to write about a sandwich,鈥� and he drew one. It was a love letter to a sandwich.鈥�
鈥淚t was interesting to see what the children chose to write about and who they chose to write their valentines for,鈥� Tenerelli added.
Roth and Tenerelli, who wore T-shirts from Moraine Valley鈥檚 Speaking and Writing Center, were proud to spread awareness about the center, which provides free writing consultations for students and community members.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not tutoring,鈥� Roth said while describing the service the center offers. 鈥淚t鈥檚 more like a peer talking to a peer about the piece and suggesting ways to strengthen it.鈥�
She explained that, in addition to helping students with their projects, the consultants can assist the public.
鈥淲e can help write resumes. Or if you鈥檙e working on a personal project, like a novel, we鈥檒l look at that, too,鈥� Roth said.
Parsons said the library appreciated the effort Roth and Tenerelli put into the workshop and how helpful they were.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great when one part of the community helps out another part of the community,鈥� she said.
To learn more about Moraine Valley鈥檚 Speaking and Writing Center, visit morainevalley.edu/writingcenter.
For media inquiries, contact Karen Town, communications specialist, at (708) 974-5652 or town@morainevalley.edu.
