WORKSHOPS

A former Adult Education creative writing tutor, Jonny provides many and varied poetry and performance workshops to humans of all ages.

In Schools:

As well as facilitating hundreds of one-off workshops, Jonny is also a trained Slam Poetry coach for schools – offering high-energy one-day and two-day packages that combine writing skills with light-hearted ‘X-Factor’ style competition. Working with a whole year group at KS2 or 3 (up to 80 pupils alone, or up to 130 with another practitioner) children have the opportunity to write and perform their own work in a high-energy setting. Fantastic for promoting both literacy and engagement, these workshops have proven a hit everywhere.

Jonny worked with former Birmingham Poet Laureate Giovanni ‘Spoz’ Esposito to co-ordinate the Herefordshire Youth Slam in 2010, running slam workshops in schools across the county, culminating in a finale at the Ledbury Poetry Festival. He also coaches on the annual All-Bristol Primary Schools Slam, and has coached and hosted the Ashton Gate Primary School slam for the past three years.

But it’s not all about slams, of course: Jonny offers a full range of workshops for different levels and abilities. Workshops can be tailored to suit schools requirements or to tie in with a project or campaign.

Jonny has worked extensively in more complex educational settings, such as special needs schools and PRU’s. He is currently jointly leading Seldom Heard Voices, an ongoing poetry and performance project, working at length with severely disabled young people, with young adults with learning difficulties and with those living with homelessness and addiction issues. This project has been the subject of a documentary and is helping to develop future govenment strategy for disability arts. Showcase performances have taken place at both the Paralympics and the House Of Commons in Westminster.

Out Of Schools

Jonny has brought poetry and performance to the people in all sorts of settings, from prisons to doctors surgeries, old folks’ homes to public libraries. He has co-ordinated and run a series of long-term projects with people living with dementia across Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, and is about to start another in Herefordshire; this work was the subect of a feature on BBC Radio 4.  His main interest is in working at the ‘frontline’ of community arts- unlocking creativity in those who have never engaged before, or thought art ‘wasn’t for them’. He works extensively with Poetry on Loan, running workshops and ‘instant poetry’ sessions in libraries across the Midlands.

He holds a current Enhanced CRB check and full insurance.

Please get in contact to discuss requirements, for more info and for availability and fees.

 

What they thought of Mr Fluffpunk & his workshops:

“I was not very keen on poetry until you came… you made it really fun… The best part of the day was the super slam! I hope you can come again.”

Muminah Akram, 11

“I thought the slam was so interesting and I thought your poems were so enjoyable. Also, I know how to make a rhyming couplet poem now. I (and the whole of year six) thought you were brilliant… If you have time can you try and come to our secondary schools to teach us more about poems?”

Ravinder Kaur, 10

“The artist was ‘chilled’ and on their level, and coped very well with a demanding group – managing to realise the potential of some very reluctant readers/writers. It was incredibly worthwhile from the school’s point of view and although too early to determine impact on these pupils, the school would be very keen to do a similar project with an older group”.

Polesworth School, Warks.

“100% increase in confidence! These are children who would not even read a sentence out loud, but during the session were not only creating their own work but performing to the rest of the group!”

Poetry On Loan

“We hope that you can come again to our school and play more fun games. We really like to write poems now because we know they’re not always boring… We’ve also entered a poetry competition… Wish us luck!”

Sumayyah Umar, 10

“From the word go, Jon was brilliant to deal with and despite all the bureaucracy involved in working with a council run museum, Jon was positive and pro-active in all my dealings with him. When it came to the workshops and the unknowns that can arise when working with hard to reach groups , I couldn’t have asked for a more can-do person and it meant that I had one less thing to worry about…. Jon maintained a really open attitude towards the young people and tried at all times to move things forward in a non-confrontational way when I was ready to scream and run away…..he was ace. And he came back for more! He really rolled with the punches and the content of his workshops was excellent.”

Kate Campbell, Plymouth City Council

“I am writing to let you know how much fun I had when you came to my school. The thing I liked most was the slam. I liked the part when we were allowed to BOO! the judges! In English I have been writing poems. And I really enjoy it. All thanks to you.”

Ruby Hussain, aged 11

“My favourite thing was when we made our own poem and got to perform it… Before you came I did not like poems but when you came now I love poems.”

Qamar Ajaib, aged 11

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