Get Writing (Gr3-6)

*Harry is happy to present a 20min poetry performance in addition to any of his sessions*

The workshop focuses on poetry or creative writing (including poetry) and allows students’ imaginations free play, encouraging adventurous writing in any form. I read out a number of my own poems and create an atmosphere of possibility. Students are encouraged to write as much as they can in response and they (and teachers!) will often be surprised by how much can be achieved in the time available. I have a number of writing games and exercises which have proved highly successful over the years: writing verb poems, writing the dreams of an object in the room, writing in ‘dog-language’, rapping using a particular repeated sound etc. I encourage students to read out and share their work and the importance of hearing what they and their peers are capable of can’t be underestimated.

Topics covered:

*Hearing and responding to poems

*Not worrying about how to start a poem or piece of writing, just diving straight into it.

*How poems look different and sound different. Repetition, sound, clapping out rhythm, finding your own compelling images.

*How writing can be fun and hearing what your classmates come up with!