Beautiful words: Spoken word poetry and a pedagogy of beauty

This article posits that spoken word poetry is an ancient educational form that builds learning communities, enables students to access the ideal state of "flow," and is an integral part of a pedagogy of beauty. After reviewing the ubiquity of spoken poetry in human cultures, I explain how spoken word poetry builds effective learning communities by empowering students to fully "see" each other, leading to mutual respect. I then give two examples of how the flow inherent in spoken word poetry allows students of different backgrounds and interests to engage fully with English as an academic subject. I conclude with a discussion of how spoken word poetry is a cornerstone for a still-nascent pedagogy of beauty.