Q: Why did CT-COLT adopt slates of poetry?
A: BECAUSE YOU, THE JUDGES, SUGGESTED IT!
You see, our 2011 competition (as with those in other years) had these irregularities:
It was this discrepancy in difficulty that most concerned the CT-COLT Board of Directors. In addition to those students who disqualified themselves, those numerous absences may also have indicated poetry beyond the students’ capability. Moreover, we also found that the same poems are often recited for different levels. La Fontaine’s Le Corbeau et le renard, for example, has been recited in every single contest -- from MS1 through HS Native! Such a poem is too difficult for young beginners to perform well, yet is not challenging enough for graduating native speakers competing against more appropriate selections.
Now, based on feedback from judges in 2010, our 2011 survey put out feelers about level-appropriate slates of poems to “level the field.” (See graph above). A rousing 78.3% of the judges felt that COLT should adopt such a system, and 59.3% volunteered to chose the slates. Based on this information, the CT-COLT Board approved the following resolution:
For our 2012 contest, CT COLT will pilot slates of level-appropriate poems.
Our Volunteers
Work began in May, 2011 to select the slates of poems for our 2012 contest. Members of the CT-COLT Board of Directors volunteered to chair language subcommittees, and assembled their members. These conscientious educators have devoted countless hours poring over centuries of poetry to improve our contest and challenge our students. Accordingly, COLT expresses its warmest and most sincere appreciation to those who selected poetry for the following languages:
- MaryLouise Ennis
Co-Chair, COLT Poetry Contest
10.27.2015
You see, our 2011 competition (as with those in other years) had these irregularities:
- Poems that were read.
- Poems used in a previous year by the same student.
- Poems that were mis-scanned (Latin) or mis-typed.
- Poems of inappropriate length (too short or too long) for the language level.
- Poems of inappropriate difficulty (too easy or too difficult) for the language level. "Student disqualified himself/herself" was noted for those who appeared but were unable to recite. Automatic disqualifications went to the more than 70 absent students.
It was this discrepancy in difficulty that most concerned the CT-COLT Board of Directors. In addition to those students who disqualified themselves, those numerous absences may also have indicated poetry beyond the students’ capability. Moreover, we also found that the same poems are often recited for different levels. La Fontaine’s Le Corbeau et le renard, for example, has been recited in every single contest -- from MS1 through HS Native! Such a poem is too difficult for young beginners to perform well, yet is not challenging enough for graduating native speakers competing against more appropriate selections.
Now, based on feedback from judges in 2010, our 2011 survey put out feelers about level-appropriate slates of poems to “level the field.” (See graph above). A rousing 78.3% of the judges felt that COLT should adopt such a system, and 59.3% volunteered to chose the slates. Based on this information, the CT-COLT Board approved the following resolution:
For our 2012 contest, CT COLT will pilot slates of level-appropriate poems.
Our Volunteers
Work began in May, 2011 to select the slates of poems for our 2012 contest. Members of the CT-COLT Board of Directors volunteered to chair language subcommittees, and assembled their members. These conscientious educators have devoted countless hours poring over centuries of poetry to improve our contest and challenge our students. Accordingly, COLT expresses its warmest and most sincere appreciation to those who selected poetry for the following languages:
- Ancient Greek: Sheila Houlihan (chair), Max Gabrielson, Andrew Schacht
- Chinese: Carol Chen-Lin (chair); Yajing Dou, Daisy Laone, Lipin Latta, Qi Li, Qi Yang, Dan Zhao
- French: Jaya Vijayasekar (chair); Toussaint Olivetti, Nancy Silander, Alisa Trachtenberg
- German: Christine Dombrowski (chair); Krishna Winston
- Italian: Maria & Giancarlo DeStefanis (chairs); Carla DeStefanis
- Latin: Sheila Houlihan (chair); Matt Bavone
- Polish: Christine Dombrowski (chair), Irena Dzierzbinski (sub-chair); Ewa Mielicka, Ewa Walewkowicz
- Portuguese: Laurie Barry (chair)
- Spanish: Laurie Barry (chair); Fred Willson
- MaryLouise Ennis
Co-Chair, COLT Poetry Contest
10.27.2015