A fascinating question. I am not a teacher, but my mother was an
English teacher, so I've had quite a bit of experience at judging what
would be suitable for a class and what would not be. I think there is
an regrettably sharp distinction to be drawn between poems "of
greatest interest" to children and poems suitable for schoolwork.
Perhaps we might consider making pages for children and teens on the
website in addition to the section for teachers.
Here are four lists: my candidates for the poems
a> most useful to secondary school teachers
b> of greatest interest to secondary-school students
c> most useful to primary-school teachers
d> of greatest interest to primary-school students
Most Useful to Secondary-School Teachers
===================================
There are two ways in which Kipling can be useful to secondary-school
teachers: in English class and in History class.
History Class (those marked with * might also be useful for English)
==========
Gethsemane*
The Truce of the Bear
The Roman Centurion's Song
Epitaphs of the War (only some of them, perhaps especially "The
Beginner" and "From little towns")*
The Flowers
Arithmetic on the Frontier
The Old Issue
English class
==========
Sestina of the Tramp-Royal
The Explanation ("Love and Death once ceased their strife....")
Cities and Thrones and Powers
Harp-Song of the Dane Women
The Lesson (I don't know that I'd have chosen this one, but my mother
actually used it in English classes for years.)
English teachers should also note "The Idiot Boy" to be taught in
conjunction with Wordsworth -- but perhaps that one is best for AP
English. (I believe the British equivalent would be A-Levels).
Of Greatest Interest to Secondary-School Students
=======================================
I liked some of the above as a teen, and I didn't actively dislike any
of them. But here are twelve more that I really liked that simply
would not do as coursework:
Too Long:
McAndrew's Hymn
The Gift of the Sea
The Song of Diego Valdez
The Dove of Dacca
The Sons of Martha
Too Pointed:
The Gods of the Copybook Headings
A Servant When He Reigneth
Too Cynical:
A General Summary ("We are very slightly changed....")
The Story of Ung
Too Uncategorizable:
The King ("Farewell, Romance!")
Helen All Alone
The Thousandth Man
Most Useful to Primary-School Teachers
===============================
Grades 5-6 (ages 10-12)
===========
The Flight ("When the Grey Geese heard the Fool's tread....")
Lukannon
The Land
A Smugglers' Song
Dane-Geld
The Way Through the Woods
Grades 3-4 (ages 8-10)
===========
Shiv and the Grasshopper
The King's Job
Big Steamers
Grades 1-2 (ages 6-8)
Commissariat Camels (from Parade-Song of the Camp-Animals)
"The Camel's Hump is an Ugly Lump" from Just-So.
"A Boy Scouts' Patrol Song" might still be of some use to the Scouts, too.
Of Greatest Interest to Primary-School Students
=====================================
Again, I liked most of the above as a child. "Big Steamers" was too
obviously educational. But here are some other poems I liked very
much that simply would not do in a classroom:
Too Long:
The Explorer
Sir Richard's Song
Ballad of Minepit Shaw
Not Politically Correct:
Eddi's Service
Song of the Men's Side
We and They (which of course *favors* diversity but hypersensitive
parents aren't likely to read through to the last verse before calling
your principal).
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