A PROLIFIC poet has helped pupils to perfect their prose with a workshop in reading, rhythm and rhyme.
Celebrated author Wes Magee tapped into the imagination of students at Mount Pleasant School, Darlington, in a series of creative poetry lessons.
Pupils from Reception to Year four worked with Mr Magee to create group poems on their favourite subjects including bonfires, fireworks and the weather.
Deputy head teacher Jo Blackham said: “We have a number of Wes’s books in our school library and the children love his catchy rhythmical poems so it was great to be able to have him come in to school to work with them.
“We place a great deal of emphasis on writing in lessons and this is a great way to extend pupils’ literacy skills in a fun and exciting way.
“It’s very inspirational for our pupils to meet people like Wes and to see how he brings his poems to life - rhythm and rhyme in poetry is a real aid to children’s learning.”
A former head teacher, Mr Magee has published seven poetry collections for adults and more than 100 books for children including fiction, plays, poetry, picture books and anthologies.
“We have had some incredibly creative ideas from the children today and they have come up with three magnificent poems in a very short space of time,” said Mr Magee.
“Poetry is all about the rhythm and that is a very important tool in helping children to learn.
“It’s been lovely to help sow the seed of creative poetry writing in both pupils and teachers and I’m looking forward to hearing the children read aloud their work at the end of the day.”
Year six pupils at Mount Pleasant have also been involved in their own creative writing project after submitting poems on the Futility of War, which is being displayed alongside artwork at The Peace and Reconciliation exhibition at Darlington’s Crown Street Library.
Pupil Lewis Tilley, eight, of Darlington, said: “Wes was really good and helped me to come up with lots of ideas.
“I decided to write my own poem called Fireworks Go Bang, which is the first poem I have ever written. Wes said it was amazing and that I was a really good writer.”
