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…
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.
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…
I had a brilliant day in Chester at Oldfield Primary School who invited me to work with them on a special poetry day for World Book Day. After a very early start and long drive the warm welcome I received was, itself, welcome.
I saw lots of Wallys and discovered that Snow White teaches there. The staff (as you’ll see from the photo) were a colourful crowd and the kids were equally impressive.
They were great to perform to and the workshops produced some wonderful work which was shared at the end of the day.
James Read (y4 I think) wrote a poem in my honour. Although modesty forbids me from publishing the whole thing it ends like this…
Read his poems on Friday and you’ll be glad.
Read his poems on Saturday, then repeat them to your dad.
Thanks for making me welcome. I enjoyed my two day visit very much.
Day one started off in the hall with a performance to the whole school. Great joining in on Brilliant and Ref Rap kids. Loads of poems were written. Individual and group ones. And a few class ones (with added guitar) when I worked with Reception and Yr 1 & 2.
Great to start with Reception on the morning of day 2 and finish the day with a yr 6 session. There were poems about pirates, swimming, dancing, teachers, football (of course) and a lump in the throat one about a soldier going to war.
Days like these remind me why I love being a poet who visits schools.
Bernard is a guitar playing poet and has been writing poems and ‘songs’ since his early teens i.e. for ages! These days it’s still what he loves to do, but now he does it for a living. So he considers himself to be a very lucky man indeed.
Performances have been given in a variety of settings (from prisons to pubs, leisure centres to libraries, as well as colleges, schools, playgroups and supermarkets!). He has performed at many literary festivals including Hull, Ilkley, Lancaster and the Young Readers Birmingham Festival.
His poems feature in numerous anthologies of poetry for young readers (including The Works, The Poetry Store, Wizard Poems, Pet Poems, Family Poems, Space Poems, Spectacular Schools, How To Survive School, The Secret Life of Pants!) and have been broadcast on local and national radio and on BBC’s The One Show.
Bernard Young Poet 