Poetry in schools

This photo of the start of a poetry workshop with the poet and teacher Richard Burns was published in 1981 in the TES (Times Educational Supplement.)  It was taken at a large primary school in Essex. In schools, and in his own hom-town, Cambridge, Richard Burns is known to children as Hatman. That is how they greet him in the playground and when they see him in the street.

As an international expert on teaching writing skills, Richard Burns conducts poetry workshops in many different countries and cultural contexts. In England, he regularlarly visits schools in the Eastern counties, the South East, London and the Midlands.  His original and exciting methods and approaches have been the subject of a half-hour Anglia TV documentary. He also works in further, higher and continuing education. 'Work' is based, always and above all, on creative play.

The following pages explore some of the practical issues involved in planning and preparing poetry workshops, their methodology and values, evaluation of them by teachers, comments from parents, press coverage, and the professional skills and background that Richard Burns brings to bear.

See links to Richard Burns's educational work at:

The Poetry Kit                                                      Artists in Schools