As far back as I can remember, I have adored poetry. I’m especially drawn to the works of poets who courageously dive deeply into their stories… their journeys through life. These are m…
Source: Langston Hughes
Similar to Gina, I enjoy poetry. I wrote poetry in junior high school. When I began teaching Language Arts, I taught poetry. During difficult times in my teaching career, I returned to writing poetry.
I loved Langston Hughes‘ poems and used them each year. His poems were short and students discerned their themes, such as holding fast to one’s dreams, social justice, and life’s challenges, and relate to them fairly easily.
Langston Hughes wrote poetry that reflected both his experiences and the culture of the African-American community. This reflected both the celebrations and suffering that people experienced, which are often intertwined with each other.
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About ivonprefontaine
In keeping with bell hooks and Noam Chomsky, I consider myself a public and dissident intellectual. Part of my work is to move beyond (transcend) institutional dogmas that bind me to defend freedom, raising my voice to be heard on behalf of those who seek equity and justice in all their forms.
I completed my PhD in Philosophy of Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA. My dissertation and research was how teachers experience becoming teachers and their role as leaders.
I focus on leading, communicating, and innovating in organizations. This includes mindfuful servant-leadership, World Cafe events, Appreciative Inquiry, and expressing one's self through creativity. I offer retreats, workshops, and presentations that can be tailored to your organzations specific needs.
I published peer reviewed articles about schools as learning organizations, currere as an ethical pursuit, and hope as an essential element of adult eductaion. I published three poems and am currently preparing my poetry to publish as an anthology of poetry.
I present on mindful leadership, servant leadership, schools as learning organizations, how teachers experience becoming teachers, assessement, and critical thinking. I facilitate mindfulness, hospitality retreats. and World Cafe Events using Appreciative Inquiry.
I am writing and researching about various forms of leadership, how teachers inform and form their identity as a particular teacher, schools as learning organizations, hope and its anticipatory relationship with the future, and hope as an essential element in learning.
Teacher as Transformer 
He’s one of my favorites.
He grew to become one of mine. Part of that, I think was the students enjoyed reading him.
Ivon, I always enjoy visiting here, and today brought an extra special surprise. Bless your heart. With warmest gratitude, always.
I am glad you enjoy visiting and find surprises Gina. Take care and enjoy.
Langston Hughes was my favorite
I think Langston Hughes was my first exposure to “black” poets. I loved him immediately and also used him in the classroom.
When I came across his poetry, I was drawn to it. I attended blues concerts in the early 1970’s without realizing what attracted me to them and the music. The same thing happened with his poetry.
A great African-American poet. Voice for the oppressed yet the messages within his poetic works have a universal ring. 🙂 His experiences and observations as an oppressed black person back then did shape and inform his writings. It’s great that he could act as a voice for the voiceless and relate their experiences via his poetry.
I fancied one poem in particular which I felt was quite inspirational yet acted as a reminder – a reminder for us to “(hold) fast to one’s dreams”, as you said. You may have been referencing the poem in this piece as well. Talking about none other than ‘Harlem’ (‘Dream Deferred’).
I thought it had a wonderful message to give to everyone – that of not giving up on your dreams and the negative consequences of giving up. So I wrote a little piece analysing it to throw light on the valuable insights it gives. Do check it out here: https://revitellect.wordpress.com/2017/02/21/dont-delay-your-dreams/
Dream Deferred was one of his poems I used with my students. You are right. Langston Hughes wrote during a time, and I think his word are still a propos to today, when oppression was rampant. I went to your post and read your terrific analysis. Thank you.
I love the poet Langston Hughes. We read him from the Harlem Renaissance in American literature civil war to the present, sophomore year in college! Memorable.
I used his poetry to teach junior high poetry. This poem and Mother to Son were staples.
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford.