Karen Classroom ideas, Poem, School visit

Remember UK National Poetry Day is Thurs 2 October 2014

NPD_logo_colour_landscapeUK National Poetry Day is a nationwide celebration of poetry that has been held on the first Thursday in October since 1994. The next National Poetry Day is Thursday 2nd October 2014. Every year the organisers suggest a theme to inspire events and contributions, and this year’s is Remember. Share your poems for the event via Twitter and Facebook with the hashtag #nationalpoetryday or post them on the National Poetry Day Facebook page and follow the Twitter account to see what other people are doing. For more information about the day see the National Poetry Day Website.

Naturally this is a busy day for performance poets who work in schools, so it is worth booking early to avoid disappointment, and also having some flexibility around the day, perhaps having a poetry inspired week. If you would like me to visit your school, please contact me. This post will give you an idea of what a day in your school could be like.

Here’s one of mine on the Remember theme:

School Report

We never could remember
how to spell diarrhoea.
It was easier to invoke
a chill or an upset stomach
than to search for a dictionary.
But it didn’t matter
what my mother wrote
as long as her note
excused me from football
or rugby or cross-country.

Finally I openly rebelled
and raised a two-finger V
in time to be recorded for posterity
on the annual school photograph:
a brief yet permanent moment
of glory and defiance;
it went unnoticed for months
and prints were sold.
When parents eventually complained
I was caned and, unceremoniously, expelled.

This poem has previously appeared on blipfoto.

DSCN0807

Karen Classroom ideas, Poem

Valentine’s Day is coming: quotes, thoughts and poetry about LOVE

Heart shape by shadow of ring binder
CC-BY Alex https://flic.kr/p/FLPq

It’s that time of year when a poet is called to write about Love.

“Now no discourse, except it be of Love”
– Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona

“Love’s language starts, stops starts;
the right words flowing or clotting in the heart.”
– from Syntax by Carol Ann Duffy

“All You Need Is Love”
– The Beatles

“My room, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last for ever:
I was wrong”
– from Funeral Blues by W.H. Auden

Ooh! I Think You’re Wonderful by Bernard Young

You’re the wings on my aeroplane
You’re the strings on my guitar
You’re the star in my night-sky
You’re the garage for my car

You’re the answer to my question
You’re the pen that writes my line
You’re the spring in my onion
You’re the tingle down my spine

You’re the zipper on my jacket
You’re the ketchup on my chips
You’re the method in my madness
You’re the promise on my lips

You’re the headline in my paper
You’re all my favourite smells
You’re the last piece in my jigsaw
Oops! Sorry, I thought you were someone else

Karen Classroom ideas

World Poetry Day – Friday 21 March 2014

Image of map with scrabble letters spelling World Poetry Day
CC-BY Karen Cropper http://www.flickr.com/photos/dentonpotter/11590533916

World Poetry Day (21 March each year) celebrates and promotes the reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry worldwide. The day was declared an official observance day by UNESCO in 1999. But as many countries already had established traditional National Poetry Day’s around October time (in UK 2 October 2014), this worldwide celebration receives very little publicity in those countries, including the UK. But I say, the more poetry days, the merrier.

You could celebrate World Poetry Day in your school by learning about poems from different cultures, including from pupils’ own cultures. Or investigate different forms of poem, such as the Japanese Haiku or the Arabic Ruba’i.

Here are some teaching resources online that you may find useful:

To book me to visit your school for the day, see Contact page.

 

Poet Bernard Young Classroom ideas, Music, Video

New video for KS1 Poetry classes – I like what I like I do

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.

Poet Bernard Young Classroom ideas, Poem

Bonfire night: fireworks, sparklers, toffee and poems

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…

DUD!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Some other bonfire night poetry resources

And a Video about the origins

Karen Classroom ideas

How to make a Poetry Friendly Classroom

Here’s a playlist on YouTube of short video clips from the Book Trust of Michael Rosen’s tips to create a poetry friendly class room.

Poet Bernard Young Classroom ideas, Performance, School visit

Invite a poet to your school for Children’s Book Week 7-11 October 2013

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/

Illustration by Quentin Blake
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.

Karen Classroom ideas, School visit

Great visit on 25th Feb to Ribbon (Merton Community Primary School) doing Road Safety Poetry

It would seem from the write up here that the visit was a success.

“On Monday 25th February 2013 poet Bernard Young came into our school. Bernard Young is a poet who helps pupils learn about road safety in a fun and innovative way through the medium of poetry.

He began the day performing a selection of his own poems and talking to us about the different styles of poetry. For the rest of the day each class were working on class poems with help from Bernard Young, ready for a presentation in the hall at the end of the day where each class would present their poems to the rest of the school.

We also had a visit from the Area Road Safety Officer to give us a road safety talk, accompanied by the Junior Road Safety Officers.” Read more…

Karen Classroom ideas, Poem

Teaching Road Safety Through Poetry

This February and March, I am happy to be visiting schools in North Yorkshire and Durham again with the Road Safety staff, getting the message across to young people through the medium of poetry.

School crossing patrol safety equipment

Lady Lollipop

Lollipop Lady
Lady Lollipop
She’s got the power
To make the traffic stop

When she steps out
With her lollipop sign
The people on the pavement
Sure feel fine

They know they can go
They’ll be OK
‘Thank you very much’
Is what they all should say

To the lollipop lady
Lady Lollipop
She’s got the power
To make the traffic stop

She’s there for me
She’s there for you
Standing in the rain
Doing what she’s got to do

She makes it safe
For us to cross
Halts all the traffic
Shows who’s boss

It’s the lollipop lady
Lady Lollipop
She’s got the power
To make the traffic stop

She’s the lollipop lady
Lady Lollipop
And she’s got the power
She’s got the power
She’s got the power
To make the traffic…STOP!

From Wanted Alive by Bernard Young, Hands up Books 2004

Poet Bernard Young Classroom ideas, School visit

National Poetry Day 4th October 2012

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 performing at Filey Primary School