Mentoring writers to work with teachers

We are starting a project in September 2013 which will involve writers working in two ‘teaching schools’. They will work with trainee teachers to encourage them to write creatively, so helping the teachers to develop their own creative writing teaching. As we do more work in this area, we are interested in providing more writers with the opportunity to teach teachers. So, linked to this project, we have devised a mentoring scheme for writers who are interested in gaining experience of working with teachers. We are looking to appoint poets, script writers and prose writers to work alongside Anna Woodford, Carina Rodney and Amanda Robson on the project in each of the two participating schools.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor on the teaching schools project you need to identify the writing form you would like to be mentored in (you can select more than one if you have professional experience in more than one area).

You will need to be available for a meeting with all the mentors and other mentees on Thursday 5 September at 10am. Please then make sure you are available for all the dates listed in that form in either school.

Carmel College, Darlington

12 September, 4pm-6pm: Introduction to writing script, developing character

24 October, 4pm-6pm: Developing story, structure

21 November, 4pm-6pm: Introduction to writing poetry

5 December, 4pm-6pm: Developing and critiquing your poetry

8 January, 4pm-6pm Developing short stories

23 January, 4pm-6pm: Sense of place, character, story telling

30 January: Revisiting script

27 February: Revisiting poetry

13 March: revisiting prose

Shotton Hall School, Peterlee

9 October, 10am-3pm: Anna Woodford on Poetry

10 October, 10am-3pm: Carina Rodney on script

11 October, 10am-3pm: Amanda Robson on prose

4 December, 10am-3pm: Anna Woodford on poetry

5 December, 10am-3pm: Carina Rodney on script

6 December, 10am-3pm: Amanda Robson on prose

26 March, 10am-3pm: Anna Woodford on poetry

27 March, 10am-3pm: Carina Rodney on script

28 March, 10am-3pm: Amanda Robson on prose

We are looking to appoint a total of six mentees. Each will be attached to a specific school and a specific writer. They will shadow and team teach with that writer, and have a reflection meeting with their writer mentor after each session.

To apply

You will need to have a track record as a professional writer to take part in the project, so to apply please send your CV with publication history, prizes, and broadcast or production credits. Please also detail any experience you have of working in schools. Please email it to [email protected] by Wednesday 28 August.

Payment

We will pay people being mentored £200 for their attachment to the Carmel College project, and £300 for their attachment to the Shotton Hall project.