Kids, I have always loved the name of Mr. Walker’s blog, Sadly Waiting for Recess, the more so as Richard is a teacher and it conjures up such cute images. He has also been sadly waiting for an interview, for a very long time, so today we are finally sitting down with him, to see how things are in the land of poetry, and public education. Richard has some very astute things to say about what’s happening in our schools. Sharpen your pencils, kids, and go to your seats. Mr. Walker is about to give a class!
Poets United: Richard, nice to be talking to you at last! I so love the name of your blog. What is the story behind how you named your site?
Mr. Walker, Sadly Waiting for Recess!
Richard: I’m glad you asked that question. A number of years ago, I had a student teacher, and he wanted to try teaching our fifth-graders to write sestinas. So, I said, “Okay.” We taught the lesson and the students wrote sestinas. Then, Susan Sibbet, from California Poets in the Schools (CPITS), came in to our class to teach poetry writing, which she has done with my class for many years now. We showed her what the students had already written. One of the poems in particular impressed her, one titled “Sadly Waiting for Recess” by a boy named Matthew. At the end of our time with her, after eight sessions or so, she always puts together an anthology, with one or two poems from each student, and they all get to keep a copy. Everyone liked Matthew’s poem, so it was a natural choice for the anthology.
