Thurs/ Friday, Mon: Dec 17/18/ 21 poetry break: Clint Smith's "Ode to the Only Black Kid in the Class

 

Directions: 

On Thursday, we are listening, reading, discussing and taking notes on Clint Smith's "Ode to the Only Black Kid in the Class"  See link and discussion questions in the graphic organizer below. Begin by copying the organizer onto a google doc. As we work our way through the poem as a class,  write your responses on the right side. 

On Friday, you will finish your graphic organizer and share.

On Monday,  you are to write a 200 word response, answering the following questions:

How does the boy within the poem feel he is perceived? Why does he feel this way? Weave in text to support your response.

Note that Ms. Cooley will be available for questions on Friday. 

Monday and Tuesday are in class bonus days!

"Ode to the Only Black Kid in the Class" by Clint Smith

The poem touches on historical, cultural, and social factors that demonstrate how it feels to be the only black student inside of a classroom or other educational setting. He was the 2014 National Slam Poetry champion,

Smith, Clint. “Ode to the Only Black Kid in the Class.” Watershed Review, www.csuchico.edu/watershed/2015-fall/poetry/smith-clint.shtml

the only black kid in the class  video

Clint Smith

Ode to the Only Black Kid in the Class

You, it seems,

are the manifestation

of several lifetimes

of toil. Brown v. Board

in flesh. Most days

the classroom feels

like an antechamber.

You are deemed expert

on all things Morrison,

King, Malcolm, Rosa.

Hell, weren’t you sitting

on that bus, too?

You are every-

body’s best friend

until you are not.

Hip-hop lyricologist.

Presumed athlete.

Free & Reduced sideshow.

Exception and caricature.

Too black and too white

all at once. If you are

successful it is because

of affirmative action.

If you fail it is because

you were destined to.

You are invisible until

they turn on the Friday

night lights. Here you are

star before they render

you asteroid. Before they

watch you turn to dust. 

Ode to the Only Black Kid in the Class by Clint Smith

In class, take notes as we move through the poem

SEE below for the material we completed as a class; you only need to finish the graphic organizer and send along

You, it seems, are the manifestation of several lifetimes of toil. Brown v. Board in flesh. Most days the classroom feels like an antechamber. You are deemed expert on all things Morrison, King, Malcolm, Rosa. Hell, weren’t you sitting on that bus, too? You are every- body’s best friend until you are not. Hip-hop lyricologist. Presumed athlete. Free & Reduced sideshow. Exception and caricature. Too black and too white all at once. If you are successful it is because of affirmative action. If you fail it is because you were destined to. You are invisible until they turn on the Friday night lights. Here you are star before they render you asteroid. Before they watch you turn to dust.

To whom does the “you” refer?  'The only black kid in the class''  told in the 3rd person ominiscient  Why use the word seems? appears to be  not necessarily the truth What does it mean to be “the manifestation of several life times of toil?  manifestation =product  toil is hard work and suffering What is Brown v Board?1954  The supreme court ruled that school segregation was illegal. Why is the speaker thought to be an expert on all….? There is the assumption that if you are black you know everything about black history, culture sports.. How can a classroom feel like an antechamber? a waiting room.  You are always waiting to be judged and labelled How can you be “everybody’s best friend until you are not”?  rumors that you don't fit the mold/ the expectations  How can you be “too black and too white” at the same time? What’s a “lyricologist”? What is meant by a “free and reduced side show”? Why would someone criticize “affirmative action”? How can one be “invisible until they turn on the Friday night lights’? What’s the difference between a star and an asteroid? Explain the last line: “Before they/ watch you turn to dust.”