AUTHOR IN THE CLASSROOM

To encourage personal growth, enable success, support aspiration and celebrate accomplishment through the practice and process of creative writing

The Write Answer

If the question is; how do we help close the attainment gap and better prepare children for success in school and life, then The Author in the Classroom has a tried and tested solution.

When I work with children in primary schools, my intention is to transform writing from a chore to a joy, especially for those children who are reluctant writers. I do this by making writing projects fun; we play word and story games which children can enjoy at all levels of writing ability with no right or wrong answers. The outcome I aim for is fluency and stamina for writing by developing a daily writing habit where children can re-kindle their creativity and love of stories and poems learning new ways to express themselves in words.

Here’s what teachers have said:

‘The children have gained confidence in expressing ideas, particularly those who were hard to engage; especially boys.’

‘We have noticed an increase in the children’s confidence and self-belief in writing.’

“The whole class engaged; all abilities. The children found the sessions fun. They loved the characters and found the illustrations particularly engaging”
Year 6 teacher

The things the children love about programmes from
The Author in the Classroom are:

That their work isn’t marked because the rules of ‘literacy’ are temporarily disengaged; and they are free to express their ideas using words and pictures. They can ‘play’ with ideas and express them in their own unique voice.

ADDITIONAL OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN

Creativity can provide an anchor for children’s wellbeing in a world which is sometimes chaotic and often baffling.
Children from the poorest backgrounds make two years less progress in school than their peers from wealthier backgrounds; by developing writing fluency and stamina, this programme will help close the attainment gap
By transforming writing from a chore to a joy, children will cope better with a literacy-based curriculum throughout their school career
This programme promotes writing fluency and stamina through a set of key creative tools: using imagination, asking questions, making connections, problem solving, reflection and resilience. Embedding this set of creative tools will promote a growth mindset and improve life chances for all children

Programmes from the Author in the Classroom

A Month of Writing Adventure

Creating fluency in children’s writing
Confidence to express ideas
Sparking curiosity in disengaged children
Freeing up the imagination
increasing resilience and self belief

After School Club

This club will work at all levels of ability and focus on developing the children’s creative skills through story games

Bespoke Programmes

Let’s have a conversation about creating a tailor made project for your children

About The Author in the Classroom

I enjoy working with children and communities because I was encourage to write as a child and subsequently, a career in The Arts lifted me out of childhood deprivation. I understand the insidious nature of social barriers and have spent my career working with others to help overcome them. Creativity is crucial to this process; the arts are a great leveller and can provide an anchor for children’s wellbeing in a world which is sometimes chaotic and often baffling.

Until I became a full-time author and writing tutor in 2011, my professional life focussed on supporting and developing the creative practice of artists, local communities and children, by providing access to media, literature and performing arts. Some of you may know me as the Creative Director for Creative Partnerships, the government’s flagship creative learning programme, from 2005-2011.

I continue to support writing communities through my online creative writing school: writer.support.

I have published 5 novels and 4 non-fiction books about writing which accompany my community workshops with adults and children, including: ‘How to be An Author in the Classroom’ based on ten years experience of working in schools across Essex. Being an author is a solitary occupation and I find that working with others to share my own love of writing inspires me. It is a symbiotic process.