Students from five Chicago Catholic schools learned how to write poetry from nationally known poet and musician Bruce Lansky, dubbed the “King of Giggle Poetry,” at recent highly interactive and entertaining workshops organized by DePaul University’s School of Education.

Equipped with his guitar and a wacky sense of humor, Lansky used rhythm, rhyme and free verse to teach students how to write several different kinds of poems. His school program featured interactive activities such as poetry duets, poetry races, poetry mysteries and poetry magic.

“He made all of us laugh and we couldn’t wait to get back to our classrooms to write our own poems,” said Ruthie Owens, a fifth grader at Alphonsus Academy & Center for the Arts in Lincoln Park.

DePaul students were on hand to assist with the workshops, which were held at St. Alphonsus Church in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Participating were kindergarten through eighth grade students from Alphonsus; Queen of Angels Catholic Elementary School in Ravenswood; St. Clement School in Lincoln Park; Immaculate Conception in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood; and Old St. Mary’s School in the South Loop.

The event was co-sponsored by DePaul, the Illinois Reading Council, Alphonsus, Queen of Angels Catholic Elementary School, St. Clement School, Immaculate Conception School and Old St. Mary’s School.

DePaul has one of the largest schools of education in the Chicago area, offering degree programs in early childhood education; elementary, secondary and physical education; special education; world languages education; bilingual/bicultural education; curriculum studies; educational leadership; human services and counseling; and language, literacy and specialized instruction.