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Emilie Zoey Baker

Entertainer, Online - Virtual Visits, Poet, Storyteller/Performer

Emilie’s Career: A Passion for Young Writers

For Emilie Zoey Baker, poetry and education are not just a career—they’re a passion. In addition to her work as a poet and slam champion, Emilie is the Creative Director of OutLoud, an exciting youth poetry slam competition that challenges young people to explore their creative potential and perform their ideas on stage. OutLoud has become one of the most important platforms for young voices in Victoria, inspiring students to be part of something bigger than themselves.

As the host of Better Off Said, an internationally acclaimed spoken word event, Emilie has seen firsthand how spoken word has the power to change lives—and she’s determined to bring that magic into classrooms across the world. She is also a celebrant for Marry Your Friends, a unique initiative that celebrates love, friendship, and creativity, blending the personal and the poetic in fun and memorable ways.

Her work spans across schools, festivals, and literary programs, and she’s been a lead educator with Australian Poetry Ltd, the National Gallery of Victoria, and the Melbourne Writers Festival.

 

 

How Poetry Slam Can Revolutionise Your Classroom: A Conversation with Emilie Zoey Baker

In the world of poetry, there’s one form that stands out for its energyengagement, and student-centered learningslam poetry. A captivating blend of performance, creativity, and social commentary, slam poetry can bring literacy, expression, and critical thinking into your classroom in ways that traditional poetry often cannot.

Emilie Zoey Baker, a world-renowned poetry slam champion, educator, and Creative Director of OutLoud—Victoria’s premier youth slam competition—is one of the leading voices in making poetry accessible, exciting, and deeply impactful for young learners. With years of experience working with students across primary and secondary schools, Emilie’s approach isn’t just about reading poems—it’s about giving students the tools to find their voice, think critically, and perform with confidence.

Why Slam Poetry? Why Should Teachers Embrace It?

Poetry has the power to unlock creativity and self-expression, but slam poetry takes it a step further by combining both writing and performance into a dynamic, immersive experience for students.

Here’s why slam poetry works so well in the classroom:

  1. Develops Confidence: Slam poetry asks students to perform their work in front of others, which is an excellent way to build public speaking skills and help them overcome fears of speaking in front of peers. The immediate feedback from the audience, whether it’s applause or constructive criticism, builds confidence and resilience.
  2. Improves Literacy: Writing slam poetry encourages students to think about language creatively, expanding their vocabulary and understanding of rhythm, structure, and rhyme. It’s an active learning experience that goes beyond reading and into writing, performing, and revising their work.
  3. Encourages Emotional Expression: Slam poetry is personal and often deals with heavy, real-world topics such as identitybullying, and social justice. This allows students to connect to the content in a meaningful way, giving them a safe space to express their emotions, thoughts, and experiences.
  4. Fosters Creative Thinking: Slam poetry isn’t about right or wrong answers. It’s about self-expression and embracing the unconventional. Students get to see that creativity has no boundaries, helping them explore their imagination and ideas more freely.
  5. Creates a Fun Learning Environment: Students love competition, and when slam poetry is framed as a friendly contest, it brings out the best in them. The lively atmosphere and sense of camaraderie inspire enthusiasm, making learning poetry feel more like a game than a chore.

What other jobs have you had?

I’ve been a waitress, a waitress dressed as a wench, a bar hand and a record shop girl. I’ve been a bunny, a tiger, an aeroplane (a soft one) and a clown. (No really, I can ride a unicycle and everything.) I’m an award winning face-painter and body artist and once I stood in the middle of the MCG dressed as a lion balancing on a giant inflatable ball.

What are you passionate about?

My motto is ‘Children should be seen and heard, OUTLOUD!’ I’m passionate about bringing poetry into the classroom in a fun, exciting and unexpected way and introducing slam to teenagers.

What themes are recurring in your work?

I talk about feminism, cyber bullying, advertising, Australian culture and those blow-up dancing men you see out the front of car-washes

What have been the highlights of your career?

Winning the Berlin International Slam, having my poetry translated and published in the Moscow Times, meeting David Attenborough (he has a copy of my book), performing in Paris, Indonesia, New Zealand, England, At the Bowery Poetry club in NYC, The Green Mill in Chicago and winning the Nimbin Performance Poetry Cup.

Where have your works been published?

On the side of Melbourne’s trains, in journals such as Going Down Swinging, Cordite, Schriftstelle (Germany) and Short Fuse (US), Rudomino Book Centre, Moscow and poems inspired by the films of David Lynch in the collections We Don’t Stop Here and A Slice of Cherry Pie (The Private Press, UK & US).

Haven’t I seen you before?

Yeah, I’m pretty famous (blows on nails). But if you haven’t seen me yet, here are some places you can get an idea of what I’m all about:

  • In 2012 I took a residency (supported by Arts Victoria) with fellow poets Ezra Bix, Sean M Whelan, and Michelle Dabrowski. You can view a video about our work at Rutherglen here (YouTube, 12 minutes)
  • I’ve given talks about slam poetry far and wide, but close to home, The Wheeler Centre recorded one of them and you can view it here (Wheeler Centre site, 20 mins).
  • There is a nice profile of me from working with the 2011 Overload Poetry festival which you can view here.
  • If you’re really young, you have may have learnt a little about some of your feelings from one of the six children’s books I wrote for Book Group Australia.

Anything else you’d like to share with us?

I have a major life-long crush on David Bowie.

Testimonials

Emile Zoey Baker’s online presentation was thoroughly engaging. She was positive and brimming with energy and her ability to connect and inspire our students a masterclass in online engagement. Right from the moment she appeared on our screens, she was captivating. Emilie offered stories, videos clips and photos of student work and shared her expertise in slam poetry. She then offered our students an opportunity to write their own works of art along with an opportunity to share. She held space for each student who was brave enough to share and found something valuable in each of their work. I cannot wait to have her back at our school next year, and I know that it doesn’t matter if it is face to face, or online, all of our students will love the session.

—-Jayne Wise, Senior School Wellbeing Coordinator, King David School September 2020

Emilie did a series of online workshops for our Year  8 students. The purpose was to give create a space for creative exploration after a long period of classes online. It was an easy process to liaise with Emilie and discuss what we wanted for the students. Each hour long workshop was carefully structured, taking the students step-by-step to a completed poem. Emilie encouraged them to participate and to contribute their ideas and poems to the group to which she gave positive and thoughtful feedback. All the students participated, many produced interesting, insightful and thoughtful poems which they uploaded as videos. Feedback from students and participating teachers was enthusiastic. I was really impressed with the ways that she encouraged the students to feel confident and express themselves. The  workshops were excellent and recommend Emilie to anyone wanting to encourage students to expand their creative horizons.

—-Penny Roberts, Strathcona Baptist Girls School, August 2020

Emilie was great with the Year 5/6 students and very engaging.

The feedback was all positive, both from teachers and the students.

Thanks for recommending her. I wouldn’t have thought of a slam poet for Book Week otherwise.

—R. Wells, Canterbury Primary School, August 2017

Most loved the concept of slam poetry and would have followed up their interest by researching online or finding out about places to view this performance art. Thank you Zoey Emilie Baker for being so receptive, informative and entertaining.

—S. Brookes, Teacher, Sandringham College 2016

Emilie Zoey Baker, the poet, was absolutely spot on for our year 5 group. She really enthused them about poetry, which is exactly what we wanted. Her slideshow was really funny and at exactly the right level. So, AWESOME!!

—- J. Butler, Caulfield Grammar School, July 2015

Students are now really keen on the ‘spoken word’ through the efforts of Emilie and SLAM POETRY. Emilie is a genius at getting young people enthused.  Teachers, students and audiences were enthralled.    It has been a real privilege to have Emilie come to Mount Beauty & share her love of the Spoken Word.   Local secondary college teacher is now so enthusiastic she is planning to take students to Melbourne SLAM events etc.    I’m so pleased to hear that  there will be spin-offs from the workshops and student performances.

—- M.Brereton, Festival Director, Mount Beauty Music Festival, April 2015

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