Apple Fire
The Halesworth Middle School Anthology
Published on 24. June 1993
Book
Paperback/Softback
128 pages
978-1-85224-206-0 (ISBN)
Description
Jill Pirrie's phenomenal success in teaching mixed ability children to write remarkable poetry has been the subject of many press articles, a television feature on The Late Show, and a chapter in Edward Blishen's autobiography. She has already published a book on her teaching methods, On Common Ground (Hodder). This anthology brings together the best poems written in her classes since 1987, illustrated with pictures from Halesworth's art classes. 'I teach to the top,' she says, 'and that lifts up those of lower ability. What I do is literature-based. It has been a relentless quest for ideas over three decades, based on a belief that the surest route to literacy is through literature, and that through poetry you can gain access to all forms of expression...I want to give each child a heightened awareness of life.'
Reviews / Votes
For 16 years this inspiring woman has taught English, three hours a week to each of six classes of 11- to 13-year-olds at Halesworth near Southwold on the Suffolk coast. She has come to public attention because of the regularity with which her pupils win awards in W.H. Smith's Young Writers' Competition. In the past nine years, 54 of them have been individual winners...The freshness of imagery in the children's poems is often startling' -- Joan Bakewell * Sunday Times * The poems work as detailed and imaginative explorations of the natural world...If we needed a reminder (and I suspect we always do) that no one is too young to write, and write well, then this is it... The book is a lesson for creative writing practitioners everywhere. -- Sally Bacon * Poetry Review * When she comes into the classroom, there is a great sense of time being made precious...when she imparts something to a child, she makes them feel it is immediately theirs. -- Edward BlishenMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Tyne and Wear
United Kingdom
Illustrations
Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 138 mm
Weight
205 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-85224-206-0 (9781852242060)
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Schweitzer Classification