Peter Kahn Brings Spoken Word Power to Close Summer Institute 2025
- Partnerships for Authentic Learning and Leadership
- Apr 7
- 2 min read
One look at Peter Kahn’s website and you’re hooked! You can’t wait to teach with a spoken word poem (and April is National Poetry Month 😀)! We can’t wait to experience Peter’s inspirational teaching talents that will surely amplify our voices and our stories, with spoken word poetry at the last session of the Summer Institute.
Some past participants have told us the closing session at the Summer Institute is their favorite. For us, the very last session has always celebrated learning, teachers, and teaching with the arts - whole-group singing, a jazz show that teachers co-designed, and even a rock concert! The last session of the Summer Institute energizes, affirms, and shows us our power, and the collective experience unifies the profession, sustaining us for another year. We look forward to a spoken word experience, created by Peter Kahn, that will surely stay with us for years to come.
Solidarity through the arts
Voices of truth by teachers
Authentic, we aspire
United, our future!
April Spoken Word Activity
Authentic learning matters because it creates a purpose for learning other than an academic one, unlocking talents and interests, imagining a future self and world, and engaging in academics on the way to the goal! Getting outside to learn and observe is a way to do authentic learning - naturally! Here’s an authentic learning-inspired “found poem’ activity for April or anytime!
Imagine a found poem activity that takes place outside! Here’s a possible authentic learning sequence to celebrate the voices and creativity of your learners.
Plan time to observe outside - maybe a school garden, something in nature that is close by or a short walk? Or bring the natural world inside! Or partner with a plant/garden nursery and invite them to share some native plant species for a career awareness/sustainability vibe.
Do a close looking activity - you can find a lot of these activities online.
Do quiet and/or paired observations, sketching or taking photos of items in the natural world that inspire (e.g., small flowers, parts of flowers, the shape of new leaves, etc.)
Organize the images of items from ‘favorite to least favorite’ (you might need to cut these out of the sketch pad or organize the photos with a tech. tool)
Write or say and record short phrases for each item - lots of creativity here!
Reorganize the recorded lines in a nature-inspired found poem!
Recite the words aloud — in pairs, groups, or record them and share the joy of spoken word and nature with others!
Have clarifying questions about the activity? Reach out to Kristin Bourdage at kristin@partnershipsforall.org
