July 18, 2024
Over the years I’ve noticed that my students are getting further and further away from knowing what happened on September 11, 2001, and feeling the weight of its magnitude on our nation’s history. I was in college when the towers were struck, and I remember sitting on the bed in my dorm room feeling crushed and scared and praying for every family affected by that senseless act of terrorism. I will never forget how I felt. Now, over a decade later, we are still impacted by choices and decisions made that day. Each September, I try to pause for a quick lesson in honor and remembrance of our freedom in America. Teaching September 11 can be tricky, but with poetry, it is much more manageable and meaningful. Here are 5 reasons why I love using poetry to teach the events of September 11.