Poet In Class

Poetry In Voice provides Canadian teachers across the country with the opportunity to bring poetry to life. Thanks to the Canada Council of the Arts, teachers can invite a poet to their class at no cost to the school. What better way to spark a love of poetry to last a lifetime than a visit from a poet?

How does the Poet In Class program work?

1. A teacher logs in to our website (or creates an account and then logs in), searches our network of poets, and submits a visit request.
2. Poetry In Voice manages all requests and schedules visits based on proximity and poet availability.
3. Prior to a visit, the poet and teacher(s) unpack their expectations and establish logistics.
4. After each visit, the teacher(s) and poet complete a brief questionnaire.
5. If your school would like a visit from a francophone poet, please visit the Poètes à l'école page.

What you need to know before submitting a request 

• Visit requests are considered on a first come, first served basis. We recommend that you submit your request in the Fall. 
• Poet visits take place between September and March of a given school year.
• Each school is eligible for only one free poet visit during that period. Only one request per school will be considered.
  • If your colleagues would like a poet to visit their classes as well, please coordinate with them before submitting your request.
  • All teachers who will host the poet in their classroom must create an account with us (if they have not already done so). 
• A poet's school visit can last up to 3 consecutive hours. If both the teacher and the poet agree to extend the poet's visit or book a follow-up visit on another day, any extra time must be paid for by the school.
• Be sure you're clear on your school's and/or school board's policies and procedures for authorizing a visit by a guest speaker (e.g. screening procedures, paperwork, etc.). It's your responsibility to communicate any requirements to the poet during the negotiation of a booking, and the poet must agree to the terms before your booking can be confirmed.

Meet the Poets In Class