SAINT JOSEPH COLLEGE

COMPUTER SOFTWARE REVIEW

IN MY OWN VOICE

Publisher: Sunburst Communication

Reviewer’s name: Pansy Y. Burchell (English Teacher, Hartford, CT)

Target Population: Grades 6 - 12

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

In My Own Voice is an anthology of contemporary, multicultural American poetry based on the theme of identity and is intended to inspire creative works by students. It covers 27 poems written by nine contemporary American poets. All nine poets are currently living in America. They are

1. Miguel Algar`in
2. Lucille Clifton
3. Joy Harjo
4. Stanley Kunitz
5. Li-Young Lee
6. Pat Mora
7. Naomi Shihab Nye
8. Linda Pastan and
9. Quincy Troupe

They write from different social and cultural perspectives. Miguel Algar`in was born in Puerto Rico. Lucille Clifton was born in Depew, NY. Joy Harjo is a member of the Creek tribe. Stanley Kunitz resides in Massachusetts and is 93 years old. Stanley Kunitz in his poem entitled "The Portrait" tells of living all his life without a father. One can hear the regret in his voice as he reads the gripping line that runs thus: "My mother never forgave my father for killing himself…". Li-Young Lee was born in 1957 in Indonesia of Chinese parents. In "Mnemonic" he tells of the relationship that he had with his parents. The sweater his father gave him to cover himself one cold night, ‘was the sweater he wore to America.’ Ms. Clifton has a poem called " In the Inner City", while Pat Mora has one entitled "Immigrants".

As the program begins, the Sunburst logo is displayed against the background of a mural painted on a brick wall. The setting of In My Own Voice is Ninth Street in Greenwich Village. A brief tour of the neighborhood stops at three sites. At Eastside Books, the writers read their own works. The Sun Gallery has 80 fine art selections that are linked to the poems. Finally, The Writer’s Space has a word generator and other resources that act as an inspiration for budding poets and poetesses to create their own poetry.

CONTENT CLARITY:

The content of this program is accurate and complete. The teacher’s guide expands on the program, offering suggestions as well as the written biographies of the poets. Instructions on how to use this program are clearly given in the distinct voice of the poet, Quincy Troupe. Each poet gives a brief introduction as to how he or she came to be a poet. Everything is just a "click" away. The poets further tell how the particular poem came to be written. For example, Quincy Troupe in his poem entitled, "Passing on the Legacy," which he dedicates to his son Brandon, says, "For you are the memory carrying the future." The content is clearly adaptable to a poetry activity being undertaken in a high school. I was so inspired by the program that I spent hours listening to the voices of these poets over and over again. This program is free of gender or cultural biases.

TECHNICAL QUALITY:

This program was relatively easy to use. However, it is only available for the Macintosh, and many schools use PC computers. The Sun Gallery simulates the environment of a Greenwich Village Art Gallery. "Poetic Notes" appears as balloons to show examples of poetic devices, all contributing to create a better understanding of the poems. The program relies on words and voices for effect.

USE OF TECHNOLOGY:

This application makes good use of the computer. The program goes beyond words on the screen to create a scene very close to reality. Students can hear the voices of these poets without leaving their classroom. In addition, it is highly motivational. It allows for the creation of individual poems. This program was designed to let students listen and then create. The Note Pad and Writer’s Space have all the resources to assist the student in composing.

ROLE OF STUDENTS:

This program lends itself to the empowerment of students. Students can choose where they wish to start in the program, whom they would like to hear, and if they have a flair for writing poetry, they are at liberty to express themselves. The "Word Generator" is designed to help students overcome writer’s block and to give them assistance to begin writing poetry. There is also a note pad where students can take notes on whatever poem is of interest to them. With the aid of teacher handouts, students can study and research the life and work of the poets.

ROLE OF THE TEACHER:

Many teachers believe that poetry gives voice to feelings and thoughts that would otherwise be unexpressed, and "In My Own Voice" provides an excellent medium for that expression. All across America, classrooms are more and more reflecting a microcosm of the world; this CD-ROM provides the avenue for every student to hear someone read from his or her own cultural background. The teacher can use any or all of the nine poets to awaken the poetic desire in students. The versatile teacher could approach the study along thematic lines. For example he or she could enable the class to explore the theme of parent/child relationships or immigration. The teacher’s guide provides the teacher with comprehensive material, divided into nine units built around each poet. There are questions to be answered as students explore the poems. Despite the fact that the students can work on their own, the teacher’s role is still vital in enabling the students to make the best use of the information.

CLASSROOM USAGE:

This program could be useful in a large classroom setting as well as a small group. It can also be used effectively by one student. The video presentation on the display screen could be used in a large setting to teach poetry appreciation. This would also greatly enhance the listening skills of the students. It would be an added advantage to hear the poets read their own works, lending their unique interpretation to the pieces. In My Own Voice would be ideal for a resource center or an activity corner.

CRITICAL SUMMARY:

I am convinced that this program could be a valuable piece of software to be utilized if the teacher is turned on to poetry and is able to use the program to motivate the students. The program is user friendly and transcends gender, age, racial and cultural barriers. It is the next best thing to attending a poetry reading in New York City.

OVERALL RATING: 8 out of 10

EXPLANATION OF RATING:

I gave this program a rating of 8 due to its limitation in the content area. It is confined to just the reading of poetry and I fear that this could be a turn off for some students. I would very much like to have seen a well-known poet at the beginning of the program. I would have welcomed a more varied subject matter. However, this is an excellent program for the creative aspect of a literature program.

Last revised: January 15, 2003