Promoting Emotional Health Through Haiku, a Form of Japanese Poetry

This teaching technique can be adapted to use with young children. The use of rhymes may be easier and more fun for younger students. Also, this teaching technique can be used to address numerous health issues, which makes it appropriate for all health content areas. In addition to using student selections that illustrate various emotions, other resources are available for this activity. Libraries and bookstores offer wide selections of books containing poetry and quotations. In addition to books about haiku, consider general poetry selections by Maya Angelou, e.e. cummings, Ogden Nash, and Shel Silverstein. Musical selections can represent different styles, such as the Beatles' "Yesterday"; Blind Melon's "Change"; Garth Brooks' "The Dance"; Eric Clapton's "Tears from Heaven"; Gloria Estefan's "Coming Out of the Dark"; Whitney Houston's "Emotional" and "I Will Always Love You"; and Elton John's "Circle of Life." Internet sites also can be accessed for poetry samples (see Internet Resources). An Internet resource for ordering discounted books, including selections about haiku and poetry, is Amazon.com--Earth's Largest Book store, at http:www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ subst/home/home.html/0184-8423170-571096.