Malika Booker makes her debut at Little London

Richard Wilcocks writes:

Rachel Davey and Malika Booker

Little London Academy has joined our Poetry in Schools project! Poet Malika Booker made sure that the first sessions with teacher Rachel Davey's Year 5 class were exciting and productive. Every one of the nine and ten year-old pupils was enthusiastic about what they were about to create from the moment she first walked in, partly due to the groundwork put in by their teacher. She began by asking questions. Do you enjoy shopping with your mother on a Saturday morning? Pushing a supermarket trolley? Most responses were positive, a little surprising because the opposite tends to be the case at the other school where she has become a kind of veteran session-leader, Brudenell Primary, and where she has pursued domestic themes on several occasions before. After the back and forth, she read two of her poems, the first based on her childhood memories of shopping trips with her mother in Brixton Market, London, trips during which every item for sale was examined in minute detail. The second poem was about the cat that had to be given away at her birth. Thinking about close loved ones was being flagged, to be extended later.

The class had covered metaphors before, which became useful when Malika moved on to them. "I'm going to tell you a trick to find a good one, using the five senses," she said. "What are they, who can remind us?" Most hands went up. She stood by sheets of paper on a frame, produced a felt tip to write down as many of the answers and suggestions as possible. Similes flew about, along with emotions. "What is love like? Before I hear your ideas, I am wondering if you know what a cliché is." Some knew, others did not. So love did not necessarily have to be represented by red roses. The felt tip moved fast as original comparisons were aired. Every table was soon busy with group work. Anger hurts like boiling water. It smells like burning plastic. Love tastes of cherries and looks like a floating butterfly. Hate is like bubbling acid.

Writing around the drawing

The second session came soon afterwards - the timescale had been shortened to just a couple of weeks - and intensive work had been done in the intervals by Rachel Davey, which was very apparent when Malika found that the groups had produced poems based on previous work. "You are amazing," she said when the poems were performed. "Now let me tell you more about what are known as list poems." And not just list poems. Anaphora might be a useful form. She supplied the definition: "It's about repeating words or phrases at the beginning of lines of poetry. It goes with list poems. We'll now take a body part to focus on, to express love for a special person in your life like your mother or your baby brother, or anybody you love. Look at the poem I have printed out for you."

The poem was 'I remember my father's hands' by the Palestinian - American poet Lisa Suhair Majaj. After reading it, the class drew round their hands. "Each finger is for something different to write about what that person's hands do, what they look and feel like, how they represent that person's love." Suggestions included fingers clicking on mobiles, washing dishes, scrolling on iPads, playing with baby toys, rubbing eyes, pinching cheeks, preparing favourite foods and stroking pets.

The third session - only a few days further on - began with Malika's advice on presenting the poems to an audience. The class had completed their poems on a loved one's hands and had already practised how they would perform them, in groups and as individuals. They 'rooted' themselves ("That's how you stand") and marked in the places in their poems when they should look at the audience. Malika laughed about stage fright: "I am often nervous. Look, my hand shakes like this when I am holding my poem on the stage." Everyone went down to the main hall. Chairs were arranged. There was a final morale-booster when Malika urged them to chant well-known tongue-twisters as loudly as they could, and yes, they could. She sells sea shells on the sea shore.

Loudly and clearly

Just before eleven o'clock, the audience of parents poured in. It included a couple of remarkably peaceful babies. The groups and the individuals stepped forward in order to deliver what they had written, loudly and clearly. The applause should last for years in those young minds.

 

Some comments

"I'm so proud of all of you!" Rachel Davey, class teacher.

"This was a great opportunity to express feelings." Dawn Parchment, cover supervisor.

"Excellent! It's the first time I've seen poetry like this." Srikanth Usha, parent.

Some pupil poetry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once again we are very grateful for the support shown Headingley LitFest by the Inner North West Area Management Committee of Leeds City Council

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wild Weather at Spring Bank primary school

 

 Sally Bavage writes:

As Headingley LitFest's commissioned poet for this project noted in his introduction to the work of Ms Baruah's Year 3 class, “We've had quite a lot of it recently!”  Indeed, following ten named storms this winter – it's not even the end of January yet on an unseasonably mild day – the whole school assembled to hear the original poems that the seven- to eight-year-olds had created.  A good number of parents were there too, as well as special guest the Lord Mayor of Leeds.  Quite an occasion if you are only small. And shy. And nervous.

 

Acting headteacher Amy Houldsworth introduced James Nash, local poet and writer, and old friend of the school who is now greeted by the pupils with a single name of Jamesnash, as if it was his celebrity name. She explained that the topic was chosen long ago.  Nevertheless lots of the work focussed on the recent wild winds, the strength and power of them, the anxiety and damage they cause.  Apart from the tornadoes and hurricanes we had tsunamis and sand storms, ice blankets and tempests, creating disaster and destruction, demonstrating strength and the power to hurt.

 

Class 3 teacher Tracey Baruah, the Lord Mayor of Leeds Councillor Al Garthwaite, acting headteacher Amy Houldsworth

 

The project begins by gathering ideas during a sharing session before the drafting where the youngsters take the standpoint of being the wild weather personified.  James also writes a bespoke poem after that session to read out and model the collaborative nature of the work. Redrafting and further writing goes on before the pupils rehearse their work in preparation for the school assembly.

 

Yes, a few sheets of paper were shaking like leaves in the winds of which they wrote, but others declaimed with brio and panache.  The creativity, sensitivity and wide range of ideas generated  by this work was just wonderful.  As Tracey Baruah, class 3 teacher, commented “Even children that find writing difficult have their ideas accepted and find the confidence to read out their work. They use vocabulary that surprises and amazes me. They find their voices.”

 

Teacher Jo Ward, now working with class 6, worked on this project four years ago when they were class 2 – positively tiny and barely at the beginning of their creative writing.  She recalled one young boy who had only recently walked right across Europe as a refugee, spoke barely any English but had been so proud to read out his work.  He still remembered the occasion with great pride, and Jo commented that her class four years later still talked of their work and spoke to her of being poets now. 

 

And what did Ms Baruah's class 3 speak of this time?  “Working with a 'real' poet was such fun”, they had learned “How to write a better poem” by reworking it from first ideas shared together, they had “Really enjoyed sharing their work in class,” and of course, “We feel much more confident!” Oh, and from this creative approach that they “Had really learnt a lot about the weather.”  Knowledge which is certainly going to stand them in good stead in their futures!

 

The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Al Garthwaite, listened attentively to their work, praised them for their imagination and courage and was so pleased, as a former school governor, to be back.  She noted how well the whole school had listened, how hard the teachers worked and how Spring Bank was a real family school. Praise indeed. She spent time with each child afterwards and presented them with an individual Leeds City Owl pin to commemorate the occasion.

 

Summing up the morning, acting headteacher Amy Houldsworth was absolutely clear that the project was often the start of real self-belief, had value that was priceless for some strugglers and was a milestone in making writing come alive.

 

 

Once again we are very grateful for the support shown Headingley LitFest by the Inner North West Area Management Committee of Leeds City Council

 

 

 

 

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe at Quarry Mount primary school

 

Sally Bavage writes:

“It is winter in Narnia,” said Mr Tumnus, “and has been for ever so long…. always winter, but never Christmas.”  Well, it certainly felt like winter, after the coldest night of the year so far, as the Lord Mayor Al Garthwaite, her Consort Denise Trickett and her Sergeant-at-Arms arrived on a very icy morning indeed.  Indeed, I had briefly thought longingly of the fur coats hanging in the magic wardrobe ...

 

However, the welcome was anything but cool, a real wave of warmth and anticipation as year 5 waited to read out their poetry to a whole-school assembly. Once again Headingley LitFest had commissioned local poet and writer James Nash to work with Mrs Emilie Davis and her class 5, this time  during their study of the C S Lewis Narnia classic.  Headteacher Rebecca Pettman was delighted to welcome the Lord Mayor of Leeds as well as the parents who could attend.  The class had speakers of 15 different languages but from the brilliant performances we were treated to in faultless English it was clear how hard they had worked.

 

 Consort Denise Trickett, James Nash, Lord Mayor Al Garthwaite, Class 5 teacher Emilie Davis

 

James had proposed a starting point for their original writing that they consider what happens when you suddenly enter a different world, through a portal like the back of a wardrobe. It could happen anywhere – behind a curtain, suddenly zooming off at traffic lights, through a strange door ...  A novel idea which set year 5 off on their own creative and imaginative journeys.

 

James shared his own version of  a poem with the class and they drafted their own ideas, shared and shaped their work, took risks in their writing.  They also practised how you deliver your lines to an audience, some like rather shy mice and some in a voice more often found in the playground.   But everyone took part, declaiming either their favourite lines or the entire piece of work.  We heard dinosaurs roar, invisible children laughing, smelt fish and chips, felt like it was a waking nightmare and saw power surging through the readers – who then came out like nothing happened.

 

Some totally surprised their class teaching assistant Angela Gough with the quality of their writing and the soaring confidence they showed.  Class teacher Emilie Davis was so pleased with the pride and joy they demonstrated despite the circumstances being “quite scary when you're only nine or ten years old.”  The performances had “exceeded her expectations 100%”.  They are going to make best copies of the poems and publish them in a book for the whole school to read.

 

Lord Mayor Al Garthwaite is the local councillor for Headingley and Hyde Park and revealed to the school that she had always enjoyed poetry, even writing some prize-winning verses herself in the past.  She praised the youngsters for their excellent demeanour and imaginative craft, confessing that she too has to 'gather herself' before speaking in public.  She sat with the youngsters afterwards and gave each of them a badge.  A visit they certainly won't forget!

 

And the children?  They had “so enjoyed working with a proper poet,” loved “learning how to write a poem” and finding inspiration gave them courage. They had learned “how to plan their writing” and “gained confidence in reading in front of everybody,” especially “when other people can see what you can do.” They had “really enjoyed working together and having fun writing poetry.” 

 

Now that's magic too.

 

Very grateful thanks to the Inner North West Area Management Committee of Leeds City Council for sponsoring this project again.

 

 

Volcanoes erupt at Shire Oak Primary School in January

 Sally Bavage writes:

Can't resist writing of the flow of creativity and the explosion of ideas as Mr Martin's class 3 pupils tackled the idea of writing about volcanoes – as if they actually were one.  An unusual starting point devised by Headingley LitFest's commissioned local poet and author James Nash - and one which gave full vent to the children's imagination. 

 

The use of imagination and the sheer delight in using new and sophisticated vocabulary was extraordinary in a class of youngsters still only seven or eight. Tiny!  Ideas were contributed to group discussions, first drafts written and shared and further thoughts given to edited and shaped versions.  One girl's mum confessed that her daughter had really enjoyed the rehearsals too, enjoying a chance to perform her own words and hone her public-speaking skills. Parents from a near full-turnout agreed that their children had really loved and enjoyed the experience, were immersed in their poetry and had practised at home. “Brilliant!  Just brilliant!” said one mum.  “She has so much more confidence and her use of language has just soared.”

 

In the photo - Teaching assistant Sue Strange, poet James Nash, Headteacher Jane Astrid Devane, Lord Mayor Al Garthwaite

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James has such a rapport with these children: they respond with warmth, humour and hard graft.  He wrote his own poem to share with them and confessed to a full school assembly that he thought some of the children's work better than his own. He also coaxed a cripplingly shy youngster to read out his words, a real triumph and part of the value of this project according to teaching assistant Sue Strange. Writing your own poetry is often a gateway to extended writing with confidence, and reading it aloud to a large audience a bonus. Life skills without doubt.

Headteacher Jane Astrid Devane explained that the school uses this work as a stepping stone to introducing more poetry into the curriculum and that she had so valued incorporating this work for the past decade. The school and staff always show a strong commitment to this project, building on the new skills and approaches. 

I've been dormant for a thousand years

 

Buildings break and fall

 

Lava runs down my background

 

This coat of lava trickles down my tummy

 

I'm angry like a buffalo

 

I can feel the earth shaking

 

I erupt.  Bang!  Bang!  Bang!

 

I have a tummy ache and I'm going to vomit!

 

And what of the children? They had “loved thinking of novel ideas,” writing and shaping their work and making such different approaches to the idea. They'd also found out “poems don't have to rhyme, you can write a poem about anything” and you can write it in the first person. They'd found “reading their work out had helped with developing their ideas” and “poems were short stories.” Did I mention they were proud of their increased confidence!

 

Finally, a surprise for the whole audience was that the Lord Mayor of Leeds had come along!  Headingley and Hyde Park Councillor Al Garthwaite listened most carefully to the youngsters, addressed the young audience afterwards and spoke to each class 3 poet individually as she read their work.  A real seal of approval from the local councillors who have always supported our work.

 

 

Thanks are gratefully given to the local Inner North West Area Management Committee who supported the project.

                              

Poetry with James Nash at Ireland Wood Primary School

Evacuees

Sally Bavage writes:

Two year six classes (ages 10 to 11) are studying War, and our commissioned poet James Nash – pictured with class teachers Ms Bilioni and Mr Crossley – took up the theme of Evacuees for this poetry project. As deputy head Mrs Green said when introducing the work to the thirty or so parents and visitors who were able to attend the mid-morning final presentations, “Every year we are astounded by the writing, the creativity and the trust that James produces from this transformational project.  You are in for a treat.”  We were.

 

Sixty youngsters read to us from their work, drafted, shared, edited and honed.  A dozen read their whole poem, other just their favourite selection. Think of the logistics of that! Fortunately, school teaching and support staff are hugely supportive of what this project does for these young people and help with achieving order and calm.  Yes, some rattling pieces of paper held in hands shaking with nerves but also some voices raised confidently and proudly even without the use of the microphone.   

 

As one parent confided before the start: “She has absolutely loved it.  She even read out some other poems to me at breakfast this morning.”  Another confessed that his “son was so proud of his poem and was looking forward to performing it.”

 

The deeply empathetic writing started off in a busy city station with young children being evacuated to safety but leaving families and friends.  The youngsters wrote heartfelt descriptions of what they sensed and felt as children from almost a century ago, with fresh and sophisticated vocabulary that made you forget their youth and focus on their engagement. Behaviour or learning difficulties entirely forgotten, they were immersed in the place their writing took them.

 

“I can taste the salty tears in my mouth.”

 

“I feel the embrace of my little sister.”

 

My dad is in a gloomy graveyard, Lying in his deathbed.”

 

My life story now turns another page.”

 

“Sometimes, I want to go to the past.”

 

Confusion, fury, worry and hope; Nothing was perfect anymore.”

 

I can hear my heart beating: thump, thump, thump.”

 

“I can still taste my last meal with mother.”

 

“My life is a new chapter, somewhere I've never been.”

 

I could go on for pages with extracts from the children's work that demonstrate just how closely they entered into the world of these Evacuees.  Ideas spilled out in sharing sessions and were refined into work of which the children were so proud.  As Ms Bilioni said, “We've now got Confidence with a capital C.  My class has been asking me every morning if we are doing poetry. This work makes creative writing accessible to all; James wrote his own exemplar poem at a range of levels to encourage them all that they too could join in.”  And Mr Crossley said, “I'm really looking forward to next year!”

 

And the children?  One girl had enjoyed the sharing of ideas and planning her poem carefully, another young chap had looked forward to performing his work and a third had absolutely exploded with ideas he could see in his mind's eye.  “I'll remember the fun we had” and “It was good to see a poem grown from our first ideas”, as well as finding that poems don't have to rhyme but they have rhythm.  Just where will these young people go with insights like that?

 

November 2023

 

Thanks are given to Leeds City Council's Inner North West area management committee for funding this work once again.

Linda Marshall's new collection

Sometimes described as Headingley's poet laureate, Linda Marshall is launching HEADINGLEY HULLABALOO on SATURDAY 4 NOVEMBER at HEART in Bennett Road, Leeds 6.

The book is a new collection of poems celebrating the delights and quirks of Headingley past and present. It will be in the Shire Oak Room, arranged café style. You are invited to arrive from 3pm, with the performance beginning at 3.30pm. It's free entry, but donations are welcome to pay for the room.

 

Performers are Maggie Mash and Jane Oakshott (from Trio Literati), with Peter Spafford providing music.