New friends may be poems but old friends are alphabets.
Don’t forget the alphabets because you will need them to read the poems.
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As a teacher who for the last six years has had the privilege to introduce learners to our old friends this is a quote that is dear to my heart. My primary aim as an alphabetisation teacher is to introduce our alphabet to people as a step to integration into our society. But it goes beyond the functional reading. In time at least some of them might use the letters as bridges to start reading for enjoyment rather than pure function.

It is only fitting then the school building where this takes palce is named after a a local author:

Adam Karillon wrote about the Odenwald and the people around him. He was well known in the early 20th century, being the first recipient of the Büchnerpreis in 1923. He was also a physican and travelled to Africa at a time when this was not an everyday occurence.

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His final resting place is not far from the school, and his and his wife’s tomb is decorated with a poem with words honouring their life and love.

For more posts inspired by the quote go to Travel with Intent.