Incorporating a new teaching style into his classes, University of Iowa assistant professor Mike Chasar has initiated public poetry blogging as part of his syllabus for the requirements for his two poetry classes. Chasar's students must attend at least two poetry readings and then post public reviews of those readings on their class blog Iowa City Poetry Readings. These innovative reviews represent the wide range of literary events occurring in Iowa City, from Prairie Lights readings and Talk Art at the Mill to the Mission Creek Festival performance by GZA and an evening of 19th century recitations & music hosted by Old Capitol Museum.

Although it is fairly typical for English teachers to have students attend readings and complete response papers for a grade, Chasar has found that by making the responses public, on a blog-style website, the writing "is fascinating and, in most cases, better than what [he] would have received on paper doing it the old-fashioned way." It is beneficial not just for the students, but also for their peers and others interested in the literary life of Iowa City.

Read the online poetry reviews here: http://iowacitypoetryreadings.blogspot.com/