I have over 10 years experience of working in schools across London and beyond,
and a schools' residential at The Arvon Foundation. I have also worked with young
people in a variety of informal settings, participated in summer residentials' for
young people at-risk, and delivered workshops in Young Offenders Institutes. I
am featured in the Oxford University Press KS3 series, "Text Generation: Writing
11 to 14, Book 3" (ed. Gregory & Hills)
I regularly work in primary and secondary schools, with the Poetry Society, East-Side
Educational Trust, Poets In Education Scheme [PIES], PEN Writers & Readers project,
local education authorities, and independently as a visiting poet/poet-in-residence.
Working with Teachers & their Pupils
I will normally arrange a pre-meeting with appropriate staff, preferably with
Class teachers, to discuss the details of my visit and suitable activities for the pupils.
KS1 & KS2 (Y1 & 2 Infants & Y3-Y6 Juniors)
In all components of English in the National Curriculum poetry is specifically mentioned.
I can offer activities with breadth, balance, relevance, differentiation, progression and continuity.
Typical topics I can offer include: 'The Great Fire of London'; 'The Willow
Pattern Story'; Perseus & The Gorgon; Water; Building Bridges; Friendship; the
five senses; and Space.
Practicing for a performance
A Sample KS1 poetry project:
Topic: The Five Senses Duration: Six sessions, 45mins, over 1/2 a term Relevant subjects covered: English, science, art, music
Activities:
Performance, sharing examples of poems, rhymes, limericks that describe/utilize the senses.
[KS1 POS for English - speaking & listening; reading; writing]
Word-images, painting/drawing
[KS1 POS for Art - investigation & making, knowledge & understanding
Discussion of the Five Senses, simple games on what do you see/hear/taste/smell/touch
[KS1 POS for Science - physical processes, life processes & living things
A Sample KS2 poetry project:
Topic: Perseus & the Gorgon [Traditional stories, myths, legends, fables from a range of cultures] Duration: Five sessions, morning/afternoon, 1/2 a term Relevant subjects covered: English, Science, Art, Music
Activities:
Class visit with prepared worksheet to British Museum.
Speaking & listening through class/group discussions, talking about poems, mythical characters
and objects.
Writing and reading poems - exploring the way word meanings can be played with.
Opportunities to write (individually/in small groups/as a class) and experiement
with syllables, rhythm & rhyme, repetition, metaphor/similies, imaginative
use of English, expanding vocabulary.
I can offer poetry workshops to support Personal, social and health education, as well as English, History, Citizenship, History and R.E.
For example, working with Yr 10 I can read & discuss my own Poetry, with poets & poetry from the GCSE English AQA booklet, focusing on poetry from different cultures. Through a class discussion, and workshop exercises I can assist Yr10 with their understanding and appreciation of their required reading.
For Primary and Secondary schools, through the writing and appreciation of poetry, I can design and offer poetry workshops, highlighting Black History and Women’s issues. These workshops draw on my own poems and others, as well as contemporary song lyrics, story-telling, music, pictures and photographs. I can employ audio-visual aids, handouts and worksheets.
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London primary school
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Practicing for a performance
