by Cheryl, Gulf Coast Poet

Abracadabra!

Photo by Ameen Fahmy from Unsplash

Abracadabra!

Questions work magic!

Great discoveries appear

when we seek answers.

Copyright© 2020 by Cheryl Batavia

This poem was written in response to Ingrid’s EIF Poetry Challenge #8, and was awarded third place. My sincere thanks to Ingrid for posting the challenge on Experiments in Fiction and to Jaya Avendel of Nin Chronicles, who judged the challenge.

43 Comments

  2. Congrats Cheryl, so well deserved 👏! The beauty of the message lies in the simplicity with which your poem delivers the message. I understand the message thus – The answers are out there to be seeked, we just need to ask the right questions. A simple and curious mind is all it takes to create the magic.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much, Deb! ❤ Yes, a curious mind is key, I believe. Sometimes the way students are taught stresses memorization. Overemphasizing getting the right answers can kill curiosity and creativity. Hands-on experiences like watching a caterpillar become a butterfly, traveling to historic places, and creating art promote curiosity and creativity. Those are a few of the reasons I feel that your daughter is lucky. ❤ I hope you are feeling better. ❤

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    2. Then you are one of the “good guys,” Michel. At the university in DC, we were taught Progressive Education and inquiry learning methods. My masters is in Curriculum and Instruction. I taught for the first four years in Washington DC. public schools. The curriculum was very progressive and humanistic when I was there.

      When we moved to Florida, I taught in public schools. Florida had adopted extensive testing, and we were required to “teach to the test.” The emphasis was on reading and math. In one school, science and social studies were allowed almost no time in the schedule. In the months prior to the tests, we had daily practice tests, bubbling in multiple-choice answers. This limited curriculum and overemphasis on testing were frustrating to both teachers and students. I think the current political situation is partly the result of students not learning enough in the content areas. Many people know little about science or geography or history. This makes them vulnerable to lies and manipulation.

      In Florida, for six years, I taught in a charter school, and for four years, I taught in a private school. In these schools, and in DC public schools, I had a great deal of freedom to plan instruction tailored to student needs and interests. Science and social studies were given the emphasis they deserved. Wonderful for both students and teachers!

      I hope things are going well for you! Love ❤ Cheryl

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      1. “freedom to plan instruction tailored to student needs and interests. Science and social studies were given the emphasis they deserve” That is good . It was the sense I taught and impulsed .
        I was also ver active about ” evaluation ” in different matters . ❤

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you for sharing your perspective on education. I imagine that as a teacher, you provided opportunities for inquiry-based learning as often as possible within the confines of the curriculum. I know I did. 🙂 Glad you liked the poem. I appreciate your kind words. ❤

      Like

      Reply

      1. Yes, Cheryl I did do my best to make the lessons more interesting involving a lot of fun activities with the students. It was much appreciated by the school as well. Glad that you too made a difference to your students. Have a lovely weekend Cheryl. For us it is Diwali weekend. So quite a busy one!!

        Liked by 1 person

  10. The word abracadabra always brings that Steve Miller Band song to mind 🙂 Luckily I love that song. Did you know that abracadabra was the inspiration for the Harry Potter killing curse Avada Kedavra?

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Thank you, Maranda, for sharing your interesting perspective. Now you have done it..piqued my curiosity! I tried reading the Harry Potter books when they first came out but never could get into them. A lot was happening in my life at that time. Maybe I should try again. 🙂 The word “abracadabra” was in wide use during my childhood. Many of my peers were into doing magic tricks, and magic kits were very popular.

      Have a great day!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Thanks, Kritika! That is such a lovely thing to say! ❤ Hope you are doing well. I am glad you are able to get the vaccine. That allows you to start working on plans for the future. I did my grocery shopping unmasked today, a little stressful, but also liberating. 🙂 All the best!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. My pleasure 🙂 I am resting a lot. We are not eating anything from out and things have become monotonous. First dose done. Would feel relaxed once the parents get their second shot.
        I wish to soon indulge in the hustle bustle and keep moving.
        I understand. Unmasked is stressful. The fear would exist for some time.
        Take good care Cheryl 🙂 All the best to you too! (hearts) xoxo

        Liked by 1 person

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

Gravatar
WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Cancel

Connecting to %s