TEACHING POETRY IN A NURSING HOME: A TWELVE-WEEK CURRICULUM.
Contributors: Carnegie-Mellon University.
Published: 1984
Number of pages: 117
Subjects: Education, Curriculum and Instruction.
Description: This dissertation provides a twelve-week curriculum applied specifically to nursing home teaching. The twelve-week curriculum is derived from a course that I taught at Laurel Crest Manor nursing home, Cambria County, Pennsylvania between October 1981 and January 1982. In the first part of the dissertation I examine differences between nursing home and traditional classroom teaching and assess current teaching practices in courses with the elderly. This part of the dissertation discusses circumventing physical handicaps and choosing themes and subjects related to older people.

In my review of the Laurel Crest Manor poetry course, I discuss the necessity of staff support and participation in the class sessions. I also clarify the three-fold purpose of the Laurel Crest Manor course: to make available the reading and appreciation of poetry to people who might otherwise be denied such an opportunity; to provide a stimulating social event for people who have little chance for such an activity; and to allow nursing home residents to explore their experiences and emotions through poems. Before beginning a class-by-class review of the Laurel Crest Manor course, I discuss poetry selection and critical method.

My review of the Laurel Crest Manor course examines the ten classes, describing my intentions, evaluating student response, and discussing student poems. After my appraisal of the tenth class, I briefly assess the strengths and weaknesses of the Laurel Crest Manor course and explain the changes I made in developing the twelve-week curriculum.

The next section is the twelve-week curriculum with objectives, methods and procedures, and rationale provided for each lesson.

My concluding chapter discusses additional poems for teaching, elaborates upon the social effects of nursing home poetry courses, assesses the value of poetry readings for the elderly, emphasizes the importance of presenting poetry orally, and reiterates the need for nursing home courses. In a selective bibliography I also include references on poetry therapy for readers interested in a therapeutic approach to poetry.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-01, Section: A, page: 0067.

Thesis (D.A.)--CARNEGIE-MELLON UNIVERSITY, 1984.

School code: 0041.