Information About Lucy - Barnsbury teacher

Personal Description:

I am a first class graduate of English Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Manchester, where I consistently received first-class grades for my creative writing, as well as three academic awards including the Shakespeare Scholarship for best overall performance and Alun Lewis prize for poetry. I want to use my skills to connect students to their love of the written word and help shape their ideas in engaging ways. I have been published online in Candid Orange, The Mancunion, and The Hysteria Collective, as well as in print by Live Canon. I have won the Golden Sponge Stick short story competition, and I am currently working on a portfolio of poetry for publication.

Teaching Experience:

As well as engaging in regular feedback sessions over the course of my degree, I have run creative writing workshops for the University of Manchester Creative Writing Society. I am confident working with young people and am an experienced Scout Leader with five years service, during which time I have also run the creative writing badge for my troop which was incredibly popular, especially when I brought my typewriter on camp. I am comfortable tutoring poetry, prose, and creative non-fiction, as well as reviewing portfolio submissions and providing creative feedback on written work.

Teaching Approach:

My approach is to start each session with a free write, which breaks down barriers of fear and allows creativity to flourish. From there, I will take an individual approach with each student dependent on the genre of writing. For poetry, we will look at turning ideas into imagery, drawing inspiration from other poets and from the world, and working through editorial techniques and exercises to refine each piece. For prose, we will look at story structure, character development, and exercises to overcome writer's block. I will provide students with personalised exercises, as well as ideas to take away from each session.