During the 4th quarter and throughout this term of remote instruction, members of Mrs. Susie Newburger’s senior English classes have been studying Shakespeare’s Macbeth. After the midway point of the play, classwork shifted in a different direction. Taking a break from the play, each student was challenged to tap into his creative side and write a haiku describing his individual experience during remote instruction. The students were given instructions as to the format for writing haiku including the format and use of nature within the poem but they were encouraged to focus on the experience of human nature within the piece rather than adhering to a strict haiku format. For some, the challenge was easy; for others, the challenge required stepping out of their comfort zone. The haiku submitted covered a wide array of subject matter from missing friends, school, and extracurricular activities to realizing the beauty of slowing down and seeing the world in a new way.
“As we approached the fourth week of remote learning, I felt my students needed a break from their study of Macbeth. Writing has always helped me put my feelings into perspective, so I thought maybe my students might benefit from writing about what’s happening around them. I loved that many of the haiku were such direct reflections of the student’s personality as well as reflections of the world around them.” - Mrs. Newburger