These colourful characters are the staff at Aldbrough Primary School (East Yorkshire). I was there to help them celebrate World Book Day. It was a lot of fun. The children were all dressed up too and I enjoyed performing for them and helping them write their own poems. A selection of their superb work was shared at the end of the day. It was well worth the early start and the long drive.
“We were very happy to have secured a booking with Bernard for World Book Day 2015. The children (and staff) enjoyed Bernard’s poems, especially the ones they could join in with. They were all clearly inspired by Bernard’s poetry and produced some excellent poems of their own which they shared with the whole school in lots of different ways at the end of the day.”K. Jessop, Assistant Headteacher, Aldbrough Primary School.
I was in schools the whole week. I spent two days in Acacias Community Primary (Burnage, Manchester) performing and leading workshops. I also led two after school sessions there, where children and their parents wrote poems together. I spent a day in Whitegate End Primary (Chadderton) and finished off the week with a visit to St Brigid’s RC Primary (Manchester).
So I’d like to say a big thank you to all the schools who booked me and made me so welcome and a big sorry that I had no other dates available that week for the many schools who wanted to book me. But, as I’ve said before, a poet is not just for World Book Day Week. I’d be more than happy to visit your school any time. If you’d like to know more please do get in touch.
A poet in your school? Why not? The right poet (I mean me! but there are lots of us) can offer an exciting start to your school day (I include guitar and just enough joining in during my morning assembly performances). The children head off to classes with loads of writing ideas already in their heads and I then work with all ages throughout the day.
Teachers tell me that having an enthusiastic practitioner of the art in the classroom has a tremendous effect on them and the children. Together (teachers, children, poet) we produce fantastic new poems and usually share them before home time. After that we all go home (apart from the teachers who have yet another after-school meeting to attend).
For some ideas for bringing poetry in to the class room see my collection of blog posts on the subject – classroom ideas. Another way is to have a look at some of my videos on YouTube. They can be used for a sing along break during the day, or as a springboard for other poems using the same patterns. If you want to discuss what I could do in your school and what it will cost, please contact me.
I’ve used this song for many years and find it works very well as a template for children to work on their own ideas, putting in the things that they like and looking for rhymes. As a special Christmas gift we’ve turned it into a video.
All the fireworks popping in the sky where I live makes me think what a stimulating time to be creating poems. So I’ve written a new poem for children for bonfire night that doesn’t appear in any of my books (since I wrote it today).
Choosing Fireworks
I bet
you’d like
a Confetti Canon
and a Crackling Comet.
I’m sure
you’d go for
a Jumping Jack
and a Flying Saucer.
I guess
you could handle a Sparkler
and get a thrill
from a Roman Candle.
And you’d feel
fine watching a Catherine Wheel
go round and round and round
wouldn’t you?
But what you don’t want,
you really don’t want,
because it’s definitely no good,
is a…
I was very happy to be invited to talk to a captive audience of teachers attending a NATE conference at Savile Park Primary School today. The teachers from both primary and secondary schools were gathered together for a series of workshops about different aspects of teaching literacy. I gave part performance, part talking through the kind of things that I do when I go into schools. It seemed to go down well and I hope that I’ll see some of the people I met there in their own schools very soon. I think it was the first time that the school had hosted such an event and they were very positive and welcoming, so hopefully it will be the first of many.
Bringing a writer, poet, illustrator or storyteller into your school is a great way to inspire children and bring reading to life. The Book Trust, who organise Children’s Book Week, which is this week, have some tips on their website with simple steps for planning your event http://www.booktrust.org.uk/programmes/arranging-an-author-visit/
Children’s book week 7-11 October
But reading is for every day not just special weeks so the same principles apply for any time of year. Bringing in a guest writer/performer, who can give the kids and teachers a boost of energy and enthusiasm for reading and writing, is well worth the price.
Here’s the sort of day I have when I do a day workshop in a school. Before a workshop I usually perform some of my poems (some with guitar and participation) and then give writing ideas based on what they’ve heard me do. This can result in poems for the page and/or performance.
Some are very simple – I read one, for example, (When To Cut Your Hair) which uses each day of the week and show how that can be used for any subject. For example, using football:
When To Play Football
Play football on Monday Score a goal
Play football on Tuesday Fall down a hole
and so on.
Another I read (they join in with this) is Brilliant, which begins
Today Mum called me brilliant and that’s just how I feel
I’ll run a race I’m bound to win I’ll take up golf Get a hole in one
Because today Mum called me brilliant so that’s what I must be
I give ideas and examples of how they can use this structure, like this:
Today I’m feeling noisy So that’s what I will be
I’ll run up the stairs And stamp on the floor I’ll run back down And slam the door
Because today I’m feeling noisy So that’s what I will be
I use simple choruses and repetition during the performance and show how these can easily be incorporated in their own poems, if they want to write something that is for performance.
I do find, that having heard me, they pick up the ideas very quickly, and those who need less help can use my ideas if they want to, but also have the opportunity to go their own way. And there’s scope for writing funny and serious poems.
If there are any classes where the teacher would prefer to have a go at a class poem, we can do that too. I often use guitar on the class ones and we can usually come up with a finished poem in about 30 minutes.
Usually teachers jot down my examples based on 3 or 4 of my poems and then discuss them back in the classroom.
I hope the advice on the Book Trust website and the ideas I have given here will encourage some schools to book a writer. If you are interested in booking me, please do get in touch.
Now that I have a base in Manchester, it was great to be able to spend 2 days in Vale View Primary School in Stockport, just up the road, for National Poetry Day. This is a large school and on the first day I worked with the older children (KS2) and on National Poetry day the younger children (KS1).
Both days started with a performance and then I visited every class in turn doing class poems set to music with the youngest, and assisting the older children to work on individual poems. The entire school was writing poetry, and at the end of each day we got together again and children performed their poems for each other. It was also a thrill to go into one class that was already watching my ‘Puddles in the Playground‘ video on YouTube that they had found themselves.
Thanks to Louise Pearson, who co-ordinated my visit, and was very kind to email after to say that she’d had loads of great feedback from staff and children, and her class loved having me in.
A big thank you to Northlands Primary School, Rugby for delaying World Book Day by 24 hours. Car trouble prevented me from getting there for the official event and, just like that, the school happily moved my visit to the following day.
As the photograph illustrates, on a snowy day the welcome couldn’t have been warmer.
I worked with all age groups and we had a brilliant get together before school ended to listen to new poems written and performed by the children. It was fantastic that we were joined by many parents for that.
Thanks again to the school for looking after me so well and producing some great poems.
An enthusiastic poet in the classroom has a tremendous effect, inspiring children and teachers to write and read poetry long after the poet has left. Have you planned what you are doing for National Poetry Day this year?
Bernard Young Poet 