“That's my worst nightmare”: poetry and trauma in the middle school classroom

Abstract

This article explores how two middle school girls told stories of family conflict and trauma through poetry. Situated within literature on critical literacies and trauma studies, the article uses a case study approach to consider what happens when stories of trauma emerge within the literacy classroom. The authors explore (1) how the girls used poetry to understand and represent their trauma; (2) how the classroom contexts supported the development and sharing of trauma narratives; and (3) how classroom relationships were affected by the sharing of trauma narratives. The authors argue that the genre of poetry and the classroom contexts supported the girls in asserting “narrative control” and opened up spaces for deeper and more collaborative relationships among members of the classroom community. They also contend that the girls' writing and experiences can prompt reconsideration of what topics are “appropriate” for school.