Online School of Poetry LLC was founded in 2005 by saxophonist, actor, and web developer Jeff Robinson. Jeff and his band, The Jeff Robinson Trio, featuring Blake Newman on acoustic bass, Phil Neighbors on drums and Jeff on tenor saxophone, celebrated ten years of collaborating with poets in greater Boston. Eight of those years were at the Lizard Lounge Poetry Jam in Cambridge, MA. The “Trio” accompanies poets and celebrated their 23rd anniversary at the Lizard Lounge shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
In 2005, when Jeff started OSP, he was trying out some new software he found called “Moodle.” A learning management system (LMS). Jeff downloaded the open-source software and registered the URL, and The Online School of Poetry was born. Jeff reached out to some of his friends that he thought would be interested in teaching at the school. He contacted award-winning poets Quincy Troupe, Patricia Smith, Regie Gibson, and Tom Daley. They all agreed to teach at the school and OSP had its first instructors.
As opening day approached, it became apparent that only a few of the poets had the time to prepare for the courses. The year was 2005, and though learning online was not new, there was not much demand for online schooling. Tom Daley was the lone instructor of the four, and he and Jeff worked together for 15 years, building a modest curriculum and small yet loyal student body.
Tom established a dedicated following as an online educator at OSP, and Jeff learned the early lessons while developing software for students to learn online.
In 2020 Jeff upgraded the software. He abandoned Moodle years earlier and moved to WordPress, which is the best Content Management System in the world. Jeff updated the LMS, added a social media news feed, and integrated Zoom. He added customizable software for the students and instructors, and the new and improved Online School of Poetry is before you.
OSP is branching out. We will soon have instructors who will teach, painting, photography, music, acting, storytelling, health & fitness, and cooking with the addition of live and prerecorded video events.
OSP is also available as a WaaS, or rather a Website as a Service. If you are a teacher in a public or private school or home-schooling and need services for your students to learn online, contact us. Let’s be honest. The new standard demands we learn online, and we have the tools for you to do that. We are continually looking for instructors to get you where you want to be.
We are in search of the “Poetry of Life & Art,” and we hope you join us.