EI Implementation at AEGE — Poetry

Poetry Exploration with an Emotional Intelligence Focus: Historical Empathy Diary Writing and Jukebox Jury 

The 11th-grade vocational Tourism class from AE Gil Eanes – Lagos / Portugal took part in an innovative activity combining literature, creativity and emotional intelligence skills. Over the course of two sessions, students explored the poem “Noite Fechada” by Cesário Verde through approaches designed to stimulate empathy, personal expression and connections between different art forms.

In the first stage, students learned about the historical and urban context of late 19th-century Lisbon and were challenged to write a diary entry as if they were the poet himself, recreating his wandering through the city. This activity encouraged imagination, aesthetic sensitivity and the ability to understand different perspectives.

During the second session, each student selected a song which, in their opinion, connected with the poem, presenting and justifying their choice to classmates. The activity generated high levels of engagement, mutual respect and genuine interest, demonstrating that music can be an effective bridge for bringing young people closer to poetry.

The results were highly positive: students participated actively, showed creativity and strengthened essential emotional skills such as empathy, active listening and emotional expression.