we’re here to stand up for writing to release it from its tested straitjacket
release it from its tested straitjacket
release it from its tested straitjacket – probably properly recognize its place
– probably properly recognize its place
– probably properly recognize its place alongside listening speaking and reading
alongside listening speaking and reading
alongside listening speaking and reading its language it comes from the head the
its language it comes from the head the
its language it comes from the head the heart and the body I believe it comes
heart and the body I believe it comes
heart and the body I believe it comes first from the heart and the body we
first from the heart and the body we
first from the heart and the body we asked children what writing has been
asked children what writing has been
asked children what writing has been most important for them
most important for them
most important for them a six-year-old told us that it was the
a six-year-old told us that it was the
a six-year-old told us that it was the first full sentence she had written I
first full sentence she had written I
first full sentence she had written I love my mum and an eight-year-old told
love my mum and an eight-year-old told
love my mum and an eight-year-old told us that it’s personal writing because
us that it’s personal writing because
us that it’s personal writing because it’s her life writing contains all the
it’s her life writing contains all the
it’s her life writing contains all the possibilities of language intellectual
possibilities of language intellectual
possibilities of language intellectual and emotional individual and social it
and emotional individual and social it
and emotional individual and social it it’s as much about writing that list
it’s as much about writing that list
it’s as much about writing that list that organizes your day
that organizes your day
that organizes your day as it is about writing the great British
as it is about writing the great British
as it is about writing the great British novel or composing that killer
novel or composing that killer
novel or composing that killer application form that gets you the
application form that gets you the
application form that gets you the interview what matters to us it’s the
interview what matters to us it’s the
interview what matters to us it’s the letter written to our future spouse on
letter written to our future spouse on
letter written to our future spouse on the eve of our wedding day
the eve of our wedding day
the eve of our wedding day it’s the funeral oration it’s the note
it’s the funeral oration it’s the note
it’s the funeral oration it’s the note scribbled on the back of an envelope
scribbled on the back of an envelope
scribbled on the back of an envelope that captures the birth of your child
that captures the birth of your child
that captures the birth of your child it’s those blue is written to a father
it’s those blue is written to a father
it’s those blue is written to a father at war it’s the word count that signals
at war it’s the word count that signals
at war it’s the word count that signals my goodness you’ve nearly finished the
my goodness you’ve nearly finished the
my goodness you’ve nearly finished the dissertation it’s the note on the
dissertation it’s the note on the
dissertation it’s the note on the kitchen counter it’s the blog you wrote
kitchen counter it’s the blog you wrote
kitchen counter it’s the blog you wrote on your gap here we want all those
on your gap here we want all those
on your gap here we want all those possibilities to obey be available to
possibilities to obey be available to
possibilities to obey be available to everyone we teach no matter who they are
everyone we teach no matter who they are
everyone we teach no matter who they are no matter what their experiences we want
no matter what their experiences we want
no matter what their experiences we want them we want everyone to be comfortable
them we want everyone to be comfortable
them we want everyone to be comfortable with writing and to be able to use it
with writing and to be able to use it
with writing and to be able to use it when they want to and and write who
when they want to and and write who
when they want to and and write who describing her experience of the MA and
describing her experience of the MA and
describing her experience of the MA and creative writing at UEA
creative writing at UEA
creative writing at UEA said that writing can’t be taught
said that writing can’t be taught
said that writing can’t be taught writing is learned from the inside out
writing is learned from the inside out
writing is learned from the inside out yes in order to grow as writers we need
yes in order to grow as writers we need
yes in order to grow as writers we need to experience what writing is like we
to experience what writing is like we
to experience what writing is like we need to make writing our own children
need to make writing our own children
need to make writing our own children are born artists thinkers makers of
are born artists thinkers makers of
are born artists thinkers makers of works their early lives as writers would
works their early lives as writers would
works their early lives as writers would begin well before they can shape the
begin well before they can shape the
begin well before they can shape the letters on the page and then they go on
letters on the page and then they go on
letters on the page and then they go on their creative impulses their
their creative impulses their
their creative impulses their difficulties the challenges are very
difficulties the challenges are very
difficulties the challenges are very very similar to adult writers
very similar to adult writers
very similar to adult writers they’ve just been on this earth rather
they’ve just been on this earth rather
they’ve just been on this earth rather less time than we have and so our job as
less time than we have and so our job as
less time than we have and so our job as educators is to is to be fellow
educators is to is to be fellow
educators is to is to be fellow practitioners to be fellow writers to
practitioners to be fellow writers to
practitioners to be fellow writers to provide an environment where that
provide an environment where that
provide an environment where that depends on the inspiration that invites
depends on the inspiration that invites
depends on the inspiration that invites everyone into the written word that
everyone into the written word that
everyone into the written word that gives good solid feedback Emily Georgia
gives good solid feedback Emily Georgia
gives good solid feedback Emily Georgia and I write together Emily and I write
and I write together Emily and I write
and I write together Emily and I write together to teach his workshop
together to teach his workshop
together to teach his workshop Emily Georgia and I write together in
Emily Georgia and I write together in
Emily Georgia and I write together in lessons and Emily Georgia and I write
lessons and Emily Georgia and I write
lessons and Emily Georgia and I write together in writing Club they thought we
together in writing Club they thought we
together in writing Club they thought we were mad when we said a talk old school
were mad when we said a talk old school
were mad when we said a talk old school we want anyone to be able to come to
we want anyone to be able to come to
we want anyone to be able to come to writing club from reception through
writing club from reception through
writing club from reception through year six they thought we were completely
year six they thought we were completely
year six they thought we were completely bonkers
bonkers
bonkers you should come the atmosphere is
you should come the atmosphere is
you should come the atmosphere is fantastic and it’s really good fun as
fantastic and it’s really good fun as
fantastic and it’s really good fun as you can tell probably already we all
you can tell probably already we all
you can tell probably already we all love writing we know that not everyone
love writing we know that not everyone
love writing we know that not everyone does but we want writing to be there for
does but we want writing to be there for
does but we want writing to be there for people when they need it
I like to write because I can not enjoy
I like to write because I can not enjoy it gives me to do and my worries I think
it gives me to do and my worries I think
it gives me to do and my worries I think writing at school is very important it’s
writing at school is very important it’s
writing at school is very important it’s everyone a chance to learn a book skill
everyone a chance to learn a book skill
everyone a chance to learn a book skill when I am older I will always write my
when I am older I will always write my
when I am older I will always write my free time as a hobby I’m a primary
free time as a hobby I’m a primary
free time as a hobby I’m a primary school teacher with year five and six
school teacher with year five and six
school teacher with year five and six children and I’m also a writing teacher
children and I’m also a writing teacher
children and I’m also a writing teacher both in the sense that I teach writing
both in the sense that I teach writing
both in the sense that I teach writing and I’m a teacher who writes writing
and I’m a teacher who writes writing
and I’m a teacher who writes writing organizes my life through lists and
organizes my life through lists and
organizes my life through lists and post-it notes it also provides most
post-it notes it also provides most
post-it notes it also provides most students with feedback and it helps me
students with feedback and it helps me
students with feedback and it helps me to reflect on my practice they also
to reflect on my practice they also
to reflect on my practice they also write for myself and with others
write for myself and with others
write for myself and with others teachers and children to help me to make
teachers and children to help me to make
teachers and children to help me to make better sense of the world and education
better sense of the world and education
better sense of the world and education I love to write I write first in first
I love to write I write first in first
I love to write I write first in first in order to think to make sense of
in order to think to make sense of
in order to think to make sense of things to pin things down to let them
things to pin things down to let them
things to pin things down to let them loose
loose
loose I write to provoke and entertain others
I write to provoke and entertain others
I write to provoke and entertain others but above all I write for myself now I’m
but above all I write for myself now I’m
but above all I write for myself now I’m sure those of you working in education
sure those of you working in education
sure those of you working in education particularly primary education will
particularly primary education will
particularly primary education will understand the difficulties facing both
understand the difficulties facing both
understand the difficulties facing both teachers and children concerning writing
teachers and children concerning writing
teachers and children concerning writing within the current curriculum there is a
within the current curriculum there is a
within the current curriculum there is a huge focus on the technical grammatical
huge focus on the technical grammatical
huge focus on the technical grammatical elements of writing and we believe that
elements of writing and we believe that
elements of writing and we believe that instead of equipping children with
instead of equipping children with
instead of equipping children with necessary skills this crushes their
necessary skills this crushes their
necessary skills this crushes their confidence in themselves as writers it
confidence in themselves as writers it
confidence in themselves as writers it instills a fear and resistance to a
instills a fear and resistance to a
instills a fear and resistance to a skill which should be accessible to
skill which should be accessible to
skill which should be accessible to everyone I would like the children in my
everyone I would like the children in my
everyone I would like the children in my class to know that what they write
class to know that what they write
class to know that what they write matters the content is paramount not to
matters the content is paramount not to
matters the content is paramount not to worry
worry
worry if they cannot yet master the art of
if they cannot yet master the art of
if they cannot yet master the art of using a semicolon or yet identify a
using a semicolon or yet identify a
using a semicolon or yet identify a fronted adverbial they are ten years old
fronted adverbial they are ten years old
fronted adverbial they are ten years old they’ve been writing for maybe only five
they’ve been writing for maybe only five
they’ve been writing for maybe only five years and like any skill or craft it
years and like any skill or craft it
years and like any skill or craft it takes a long time to become proficient
takes a long time to become proficient
takes a long time to become proficient now I believe that we can and we do
now I believe that we can and we do
now I believe that we can and we do maintain high standards and high
maintain high standards and high
maintain high standards and high expectations for our children without
expectations for our children without
expectations for our children without placing the whole focus on spelling
placing the whole focus on spelling
placing the whole focus on spelling punctuation and grammar I wholeheartedly
punctuation and grammar I wholeheartedly
punctuation and grammar I wholeheartedly agree that they are important aspects of
agree that they are important aspects of
agree that they are important aspects of writing but they are also things which
writing but they are also things which
writing but they are also things which will develop over time firstly and most
will develop over time firstly and most
will develop over time firstly and most importantly children must be infused to
importantly children must be infused to
importantly children must be infused to write they must learn to have the
write they must learn to have the
write they must learn to have the confidence to play with words and enjoy
confidence to play with words and enjoy
confidence to play with words and enjoy language make it serve a purpose for
language make it serve a purpose for
language make it serve a purpose for themselves as individuals I have
themselves as individuals I have
themselves as individuals I have beautiful writers in my class and they
beautiful writers in my class and they
beautiful writers in my class and they do not all use a parenthesis in the
do not all use a parenthesis in the
do not all use a parenthesis in the correct place and I can’t guarantee they
correct place and I can’t guarantee they
correct place and I can’t guarantee they cannot all explain what subordinate
cannot all explain what subordinate
cannot all explain what subordinate clauses but their writing is a creative
clauses but their writing is a creative
clauses but their writing is a creative outlet it’s a form of communication and
outlet it’s a form of communication and
outlet it’s a form of communication and for many of those children it’s a means
for many of those children it’s a means
for many of those children it’s a means of catharsis their writing helps me to
of catharsis their writing helps me to
of catharsis their writing helps me to better understand them as individuals
better understand them as individuals
better understand them as individuals and helps them to have a voice teachers
and helps them to have a voice teachers
and helps them to have a voice teachers and students must take back their right
and students must take back their right
and students must take back their right to write change needs to start with us
to write change needs to start with us
to write change needs to start with us many teachers are already damaged by
many teachers are already damaged by
many teachers are already damaged by some kind of writing tyranny maybe we
some kind of writing tyranny maybe we
some kind of writing tyranny maybe we are afraid of writing and if we are
are afraid of writing and if we are
are afraid of writing and if we are afraid of writing we take that fear into
afraid of writing we take that fear into
afraid of writing we take that fear into the classroom and so we must rediscover
the classroom and so we must rediscover
the classroom and so we must rediscover writing for ourselves and work out what
writing for ourselves and work out what
writing for ourselves and work out what it is that we enjoy about writing what’s
it is that we enjoy about writing what’s
it is that we enjoy about writing what’s important about writing for us one way
important about writing for us one way
important about writing for us one way of doing that is to join a teacher’s
of doing that is to join a teacher’s
of doing that is to join a teacher’s writing group
writing group
writing group and in 2009 Simon Wrigley and I founded
and in 2009 Simon Wrigley and I founded
and in 2009 Simon Wrigley and I founded the UK national writing project and that
the UK national writing project and that
the UK national writing project and that fosters teachers writing groups and you
fosters teachers writing groups and you
fosters teachers writing groups and you should perhaps look to see if there’s a
should perhaps look to see if there’s a
should perhaps look to see if there’s a group near you or whether you are
group near you or whether you are
group near you or whether you are inspired to start a group yourself and
inspired to start a group yourself and
inspired to start a group yourself and if you live in Norwich and there are I
if you live in Norwich and there are I
if you live in Norwich and there are I know there are fantastic writing
know there are fantastic writing
know there are fantastic writing teachers in the room there is a group
teachers in the room there is a group
teachers in the room there is a group that meets at UEA and wheeler we have
that meets at UEA and wheeler we have
that meets at UEA and wheeler we have fun it’s relaxing you wouldn’t think so
fun it’s relaxing you wouldn’t think so
fun it’s relaxing you wouldn’t think so at the end of a school day but people
at the end of a school day but people
at the end of a school day but people come away refreshed we learn from each
come away refreshed we learn from each
come away refreshed we learn from each other and we learn what writing is like
other and we learn what writing is like
other and we learn what writing is like from the inside out we take those
from the inside out we take those
from the inside out we take those deepened understandings back into our
deepened understandings back into our
deepened understandings back into our classrooms there’s not one way of doing
classrooms there’s not one way of doing
classrooms there’s not one way of doing it we each take those understandings and
it we each take those understandings and
it we each take those understandings and use them in the classrooms in the ways
use them in the classrooms in the ways
use them in the classrooms in the ways that work for us so what do we learn we
that work for us so what do we learn we
that work for us so what do we learn we learn writing is complex and tentative
learn writing is complex and tentative
learn writing is complex and tentative and playful that it we can’t always get
and playful that it we can’t always get
and playful that it we can’t always get it right and that often it’s difficult
it right and that often it’s difficult
it right and that often it’s difficult we learn not to be afraid to put pen to
we learn not to be afraid to put pen to
we learn not to be afraid to put pen to paper to treat words care to take care
paper to treat words care to take care
paper to treat words care to take care of words and to respect the words of
of words and to respect the words of
of words and to respect the words of others teaching writing involves
others teaching writing involves
others teaching writing involves openness and generosity and not imposing
openness and generosity and not imposing
openness and generosity and not imposing systems listening carefully and not
systems listening carefully and not
systems listening carefully and not making assumptions about writers and not
making assumptions about writers and not
making assumptions about writers and not making assumptions about what a writer
making assumptions about what a writer
making assumptions about what a writer might want to write just at this moment
might want to write just at this moment
might want to write just at this moment so we think as you can guess that is
so we think as you can guess that is
so we think as you can guess that is important to take note of how children
important to take note of how children
important to take note of how children write and how they view writing so we’ve
write and how they view writing so we’ve
write and how they view writing so we’ve been asking children of all ages in my
been asking children of all ages in my
been asking children of all ages in my school about what they think of writing
school about what they think of writing
school about what they think of writing we’re also keeping a record of how
we’re also keeping a record of how
we’re also keeping a record of how writing happens across a school year in
writing happens across a school year in
writing happens across a school year in a primary school so George is going to
a primary school so George is going to
a primary school so George is going to help us by answering in her own words
help us by answering in her own words
help us by answering in her own words some of the kinds of questions that
some of the kinds of questions that
some of the kinds of questions that we’ve
we’ve
we’ve asking Georgia firstly how do you think
asking Georgia firstly how do you think
asking Georgia firstly how do you think you learn to be a writer I think you
you learn to be a writer I think you
you learn to be a writer I think you just do it and with more practice it
just do it and with more practice it
just do it and with more practice it develops and becomes better and I think
develops and becomes better and I think
develops and becomes better and I think what you learn in lessons you take in
what you learn in lessons you take in
what you learn in lessons you take in use in your own way and use it in your
use in your own way and use it in your
use in your own way and use it in your writing fantastic that’s actually really
writing fantastic that’s actually really
writing fantastic that’s actually really interesting point because as teachers we
interesting point because as teachers we
interesting point because as teachers we get a bit obsessed with outcomes and
get a bit obsessed with outcomes and
get a bit obsessed with outcomes and fulfilling learning objectives and
fulfilling learning objectives and
fulfilling learning objectives and success criteria but actually the thing
success criteria but actually the thing
success criteria but actually the thing with writing is that it doesn’t
with writing is that it doesn’t
with writing is that it doesn’t necessarily come immediately
necessarily come immediately
necessarily come immediately things might pop up weeks later in a
things might pop up weeks later in a
things might pop up weeks later in a child’s work so the challenge for
child’s work so the challenge for
child’s work so the challenge for teachers is learning to be patient
teachers is learning to be patient
teachers is learning to be patient knowing that there may not be evidence
knowing that there may not be evidence
knowing that there may not be evidence of learning inside one lesson alone okay
of learning inside one lesson alone okay
of learning inside one lesson alone okay what do you think you can use writing
what do you think you can use writing
what do you think you can use writing for because wherever you go you’re
for because wherever you go you’re
for because wherever you go you’re always need writing in if you’re a
always need writing in if you’re a
always need writing in if you’re a doctor or a scientist you’re still need
doctor or a scientist you’re still need
doctor or a scientist you’re still need writing fantastic and you told us that
writing fantastic and you told us that
writing fantastic and you told us that above all you like to write stories and
above all you like to write stories and
above all you like to write stories and interestingly that’s for almost every
interestingly that’s for almost every
interestingly that’s for almost every single child in the school said so can
single child in the school said so can
single child in the school said so can you tell us a little bit more about what
you tell us a little bit more about what
you tell us a little bit more about what happens when you write a story when you
happens when you write a story when you
happens when you write a story when you write a story it takes over and your
write a story it takes over and your
write a story it takes over and your imagination goes out of control sounds
imagination goes out of control sounds
imagination goes out of control sounds amazing okay you also mentioned earlier
amazing okay you also mentioned earlier
amazing okay you also mentioned earlier that you use writing to manage your
that you use writing to manage your
that you use writing to manage your worries could you expand on that a bit
worries could you expand on that a bit
worries could you expand on that a bit more I was juggling with my anxieties so
more I was juggling with my anxieties so
more I was juggling with my anxieties so my dad got me a book and before I went
my dad got me a book and before I went
my dad got me a book and before I went to bed I’d write on my worries and once
to bed I’d write on my worries and once
to bed I’d write on my worries and once it is shut it was if they had gone away
it is shut it was if they had gone away
it is shut it was if they had gone away for the night so I could get to sleep
for the night so I could get to sleep
for the night so I could get to sleep more easily Georgia why do you write
more easily Georgia why do you write
more easily Georgia why do you write alright for me for the pleasure of it do
alright for me for the pleasure of it do
alright for me for the pleasure of it do you think that any kinds of writing are
you think that any kinds of writing are
you think that any kinds of writing are more important than others as long as
more important than others as long as
more important than others as long as you know the basics by childhood then
you know the basics by childhood then
you know the basics by childhood then you can expand from there you definitely
you can expand from there you definitely
you can expand from there you definitely miss out if you can’t read or write my
miss out if you can’t read or write my
miss out if you can’t read or write my nan couldn’t the world is nasty in so
nan couldn’t the world is nasty in so
nan couldn’t the world is nasty in so many ways need something like this to
many ways need something like this to
many ways need something like this to lighten things alright is important and
lighten things alright is important and
lighten things alright is important and all writing is equally as hard not more
all writing is equally as hard not more
all writing is equally as hard not more important just different types of
important just different types of
important just different types of writing Georgia do you think of yourself
writing Georgia do you think of yourself
writing Georgia do you think of yourself as a writer I think everybody’s a writer
as a writer I think everybody’s a writer
as a writer I think everybody’s a writer becoming a writer cannot be done for you
becoming a writer cannot be done for you
becoming a writer cannot be done for you teachers hold a privileged position of
teachers hold a privileged position of
teachers hold a privileged position of nurturing young writers as they begin
nurturing young writers as they begin
nurturing young writers as they begin their writing journey the role of the
their writing journey the role of the
their writing journey the role of the teacher is to feed the student and keep
teacher is to feed the student and keep
teacher is to feed the student and keep them safe so they can begin to take
them safe so they can begin to take
them safe so they can begin to take risks especially for young writers we
risks especially for young writers we
risks especially for young writers we cannot simply stuff them with rules and
cannot simply stuff them with rules and
cannot simply stuff them with rules and structures we have to have the
structures we have to have the
structures we have to have the confidence in our teaching and in the
confidence in our teaching and in the
confidence in our teaching and in the environments that we create to know that
environments that we create to know that
environments that we create to know that children are learning writing from the
children are learning writing from the
children are learning writing from the inside out from generation to generation
inside out from generation to generation
inside out from generation to generation writing remains a powerful language tool
writing remains a powerful language tool
writing remains a powerful language tool we do not know how those we teach will
we do not know how those we teach will
we do not know how those we teach will end up using it our job is to make it
end up using it our job is to make it
end up using it our job is to make it possible for children to choose what
possible for children to choose what
possible for children to choose what writing can do for them thank you
writing can do for them thank you
writing can do for them thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] you
”
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