Organising a School Visit
I visit many schools and am happy to target a session to meet the individual needs of your students. Some schools prefer a large group 'Meet the Author' session. Other schools like individual class workshops, whilst other schools ask me to work with small extension groups of keen writers. If I am at your school for the whole day, beginning with a large group 'Meet the Author' then giving smaller writing workshops works well. That way I don't spend the day telling my life history and your school maximises our time together! I'm happy to talk about any aspect of the writing process, giving personal examples from my books, and anecdotes about how I develop ideas into stories. I've worked with kids as young as four, workshopped with senior citizens and all ages in between.
I find Dolphin Song and Border Line work with groups from Year Five (WA) through to senior high school/adults. Although Choices is read by Year Seven (and even some Year Six) students, the theme of teenage pregnancy makes it more relevant to high school readers. Unless asked, I don�t workshop Choices at primary schools. I like using drafts of Butterfly Notes, Ironkid and Being Billy to show different stages of the writing process. Kids can see the development of a story from scrap paper ideas, through stacks of drafts (editing notes), the rough proofs of text and illustration through to colour proofs and the final book. This workshop works with any age group. Photographs in the Mud (in production) is a picture book for middle primary and high school readers. The theme of war (based on the Kokoda Track) is a topical discussion starter for creative writing workshops.
Before the Visit
I work hard to make every school visit successful, but there are a few things you can do to make things run smoothly.
- Tell them I'm coming. Seems obvious, but there's nothing more demoralising than starting a session with kids asking if you�re the new relief teacher. It has happened!
- Show the students copies of my books. Read the blurbs and for feedback.
- If possible read one of my books to the class before the visit.
- Encourage students to visit my website and prepare questions (this maximises our time together). 'Interview' sessions can be a lot of fun and develop students interviewing and research skills.
- Allow 5-10 min between sessions. I'll have a bucket of gear and packing up/moving to a new class takes a few minutes. Also students are sometimes reluctant to let me go and it's not unusual for shy but keen writers to want to ask a question privately.
- If it�s a workshop have scrap paper and pencils ready.
- If kids want autographs please ask them to bring books and factor a few minutes in for that.
- Appointing a couple of students as minders (school councillors) to show me the toilets and staff room and to help lug gear is very much appreciated.