Elementary School Students’ Creative Process in Poetry Writing through Free Association and Inner Reflection Techniques

Abstract

Poetry writing instruction in elementary schools is often hindered by students’ difficulty in finding and developing ideas from their personal experiences. This study aims to describe the creative process of students of SDN 1 Limbangan Barat in writing poetry through the Free Association and Inner Reflection techniques. The study employed a descriptive qualitative method involving students and the classroom teacher engaged in poetry writing instruction. Data were collected through observation, semi-structured interviews, and documentation in the form of association sheets, reflection notes, initial drafts, and revised poems, and were analyzed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña. The results show that Free Association provides students with space to generate ideas spontaneously, while Inner Reflection helps them connect these ideas with their personal experiences and feelings. A comparison of initial drafts and revisions reveals a tendency to shift from general diction toward more concrete diction and more specific imagery, although some students still need assistance in arranging lines and selecting words. Both techniques have the potential to support students’ creative process and can be used by teachers as an alternative prewriting stage in elementary school poetry writing instruction.