Poor Teachers Make Poetry a Bore for Pupils, Claims Motion

Garner, Richard, The Independent (London, England)

Subject has same cachet as clog dancing, former poet laureate tells Richard Garner

Poetry is written off by too many pupils as "a bore" and is often put on a par with clog dancing by the public, according to a former poet laureate.

Sir Andrew Motion warned that many teachers saw the subject as a "problem" to teach. "It is almost inevitable that they should pass on to the people they are teaching their anxieties and insecurities and confusions," he said. "The people who suffer are the children."

Sir Andrew said the fact that half of the country's English teachers did not have a degree in the subject was a key reason why they lacked the ability to enthuse …

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Publication information: Article title: Poor Teachers Make Poetry a Bore for Pupils, Claims Motion. Contributors: Garner, Richard - Author. Newspaper title: The Independent (London, England). Publication date: December 6, 2010. Page number: 6. © 2009 The Independent - London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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