9th Graders Tackle Poetry Translations

9th graders in Robert Schuster's World Literature I class are working on Poetry Translation Projects. Each has to find a poem written in a language other than English (one they hadn't read in class) and then attempt to translate it into English without looking at, listening to, or reading any already existing English translations. (Students were encouraged to choose a poem written in whatever world language they are studying). Their goal is to created a translated poem that is faithful to the original work's content and style, understandable to readers, and lovely to hear out loud—what a task! They are allowed to seek help from friends, teachers, parents, or anyone else who can help them with understanding and translation.