Planning a bush poetry writing workshop

[Nerelie Teese]

Hi everyone

I'd like to ask for hints from your collective wisdom, advice and experience in planning - and hopefully holding - a bush poetry introductory writing workshop of 20 - 30 minutes duration towards the end of this year.

At this stage there's no indication of numbers or participants' ages - it's all still in the discussion phase, but I'm imagining older primary age kids, maybe a few teens or tweens and possibly a few of those wonderful baby boomers/seniors etc. Or maybe just me and the writing stick.

Thanks and Cheers,

Nerelie

PS Hope I've posted this in the right area.

[Neville Briggs]

I don't know what your circumstances are Nerelie, so my comment is tentative.

I conducted an introductory poetry workshop for children 8 to 11. Mine was done at the local library over two mornings, about 2 hours each session. I don't think that you will accomplish much in 20-30 minutes.


Glenny Palmer has a lot of experience in that area, you might get some advice off Glenny.

[Stephen Whiteside]

I would agree with Neville, Nerelie. 30 minutes does not give you long. Still, I guess it's better than nothing. I spent an hour with a small group of grade six students last week, and we spent the first twenty minutes or so just getting to know each other a little. The hour flew past, and I felt we had just scratched the surface by the end of it.

One thing especially interested me. The students understood 'rhyme', but not 'metre'. I talked to them in terms of the 'beat' of the poem, and the number of syllables in each line, and they caught on quickly, but it was a new concept for them. I must admit I was a little shocked. It just shows how little they are exposed to bush/rhyming verse these days.

[Neville Briggs]

One thing Nerelie that you will have to find a lot of time for, is looking up poems for examples and making photocopies to hand out, so each person can have a sample to look at which relates to what you are trying to teach.

You should check, but I think that using excerpts of work for education is allowable under copyright laws. You can use any of mine off this site if they are of any use to you.

Neville.

[Nerelie Teese]

Thanks folks,

Yes, I agree, 20 - 30 mins isn't long but at this stage that's what's been indicated I'll be working with. It's basically a 'taster'. I won't know much more about it for another week - 10 days so I'm not aiming too high with my goals and aspirations.

I'm just hoping that whoever comes along will join in and have a go and a bit of fun and leave feeling as if they know a little bit more about bush poetry and are prepared to read, write and try presenting it, even at a backyard bbq with family and friends. Think I see it as an introductory and confidence building thing.

Thanks for offering your work for handouts Neville, that's great and I'll get back to you about this a bit closer.

Cheers Nerelie

[Maureen K Clifford]

Hi Nerelie - 30 minutes is positively minuscule but probably enough for a taste as you say. I'd probably aim for the funny rather than the serious and since they are possibly older age kids who probably get off on rap would doing a collective piece perhaps work. You start it off and each kid adds a line and you do the last line in each verse perhaps to keep it on track.

Just a thought - I am daunted at the 30 minutes - barely gives you time to get your bum on the seat Good luck with it though I am sure it will turn out fine. Just have fun

Cheers

Maureen

[Nerelie Teese]

Thanks Maureen, I'm still waiting to hear from the organisers just how much time etc I'll have for this. I reckon if I plan for the minimum at this stage and if it's extended then that's a bonus. It's all a matter of wait and see for now.

Cheers Nerelie

[Bob Pacey]

Whatever you do Nerelie I'm sure it will be a great shareing experience.

Good Luck

Bob

[Vic Jefferies]

G'day Nerelie,

May I suggest that rather than trying to offer any form of instruction on writing bush poetry you get started by introducing the class to Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson because it has been my experience very few school children even know their names let alone their poetry.
I know that my life long interest in Australian poetry was sparked by a teacher reading poems such as Clancy of the Overflow, Mulga Bill's bicycle, The Bush Christening and The Man From Ironbark, etcetera. It was then I realised that poetry could be interesting and FUN!

Vic

[Zondrae]

G'day Nerelie,

You may be surprised at the turn out. I have been involved in a couple of workshop of this type at festivals and had more people come along than I expected. Ages range from 9 up to seniors. I had prepared some hand outs and included exerpts from the poems I thought they would know some of. I began by explaining the definition (by the ABPA) of what makes an Australian Bush Poem. Then briefly skimmed over rhyme and metre. I inluded in the handout the definitions of illiteration, assonance, and several other commoly used 'tools'. I recited a few snippits from a couple of my own poems and gave an insight into how I got started and concluded with a question time. I always stress the benifit of being a member of the ABPA and give the web address.

I took email addresses and later sent each one a follow up. I had several replies expressing the appreciation of a 'real ordinary person' giving a 'every day language' informative workshop. Most of them had attempted to write something before but lacked the confidence to read them at the workshop. I also had one bloke who sent me three poems for hard critique. He later came up to me at another event and thanked me for my input. This is just my approach. I have attended several workshops myself. I found that each one offered a little someting that the others did not and I came away with at least one or two new tips.

Good on you for doing this. I'm sure you will get a kick out of it.