I offer a fun and educational workshop to primary schools aimed at inspiring writing and creativity.
I have a DBS certificate and have visited over 150 schools 'face to face', speaking to thousands of pupils, mainly Years 3 and 4. All of these sessions have proved very successful, click here for testimonials of teachers.
With the pandemic, I have now developed a free online version of my workshop, which I am offering to primary schools throughout the UK. The online workshop uses Zoom and like my ‘face to face’ sessions has poetry, Alan and Madge’s songs, reading and writing tips, so hopefully is fun and educational for all.
These online sessions have also proved very successful and I have now 'virtually visited' over 240 schools online, speaking to over 800 classes of all ages.
Enjoy this trailer of my free workshop!
Regarding my online workshop, the class has already read chapter 1 of my book from this website to prepare them for our session.
When I meet the class, I first recite several fun poems I have written for children to get the session off to a good start.
I then ask pupils if they have been to the seaside, and if so, what is washed up on a beach? After discussing this, I show them a photo of myself with the Perranporth Mermaid, as well as pictures of the Mermaid’s husband and baby, which the class enjoy!
We then read chapters 1 and 2 together. After questions and answers, I show the pupils the whole process of how I made my book, demonstrating the benefits of planning and editing work. I show how I took an initial idea – here I encourage pupils to use their own imaginations – to making a plan and first draft, including plenty of crossings out! Next, I show a revision and my typed out manuscript and how I then worked with illustrator Joe Harrison to develop the illustrations for the book. I make this fun and informative – for example, showing shorthand writing from my previous job as a journalist and asking pupils which illustrations they would choose.
The pupils find both the story and the process of making a book fascinating and my workshop can have a beneficial impact on the writing of pupils, especially boys.
My interactive online workshop lasts about an hour-and-a-half and is free. Of course, I hope to gain some book sales, which cost £7 each if ordered through school (£8.99 if ordered through this website). In most schools, pupils have ordered copies; at others, instead of pupils ordering books, the school itself ordered copies for the school library and this might be a preferred option for your school.
If you think my workshop is something your pupils will enjoy as well as gaining inspiration for their own writing, please email me at stephen.pass@hotmail.com or telephone 01423 521508 to arrange a time and date for an online session, or if you have any further questions.
I look forward to meeting you and your class online!
During his workshop Stephen demonstrates how the illustrations were developed for his book, asking pupils which they prefer.
