For the past six days I have been the Writer in Residence at Fairburn School in South Auckland.
What an extra special experience – there are so many fabulous things I could share but here are fourteen things I loved about working in this school.
One
The teachers, the librarians and the management team are so supportive. What a warm, friendly, inspiring bunch of people. It makes a big difference when you are a guest.
Two
The children are warm and friendly and are prepared to give things a go. Whenever I walked through the playground, it seemed like hundreds of children came running up, saying ‘Hello Paula Green’ with big smiles. So welcoming.
Three
I love the way the children joined in when we made up poems in the hall. I did three sessions and each time the hall buzzed with poetry.
Here is one poem we made up (inspired by a very foggy Auckland Monday morning – my first drive to the school).
Out of the Fog
Out of the fog the icy grass
Out of the fog the blackbirds squawking
Out of the fog the blue grey mountains
Out of the fog the white dog barking
Out of the fog the moving shadows
Out of the fog the humans walking
Out of the fog the hedgehogs crawling.
Four
I love the way some classes went off and wrote poems after my interactive performances. Room 19 not only went away and wrote poems but performed at the Family Sharing Day on Friday. Such vivid language. Such ocean pictures growing in my mind as I listened. Every poem was a gem but here are four of them.
Five
I loved the way the New Entrant class left the hall and made up a poem that they performed on the Family Sharing Day. They stood on stage in a long line, in front of the audience, and each child said their line. What courage. And they said their lines so beautifully.
Kids
Kids play outside (Isaac)
Kids like to skate (Ernett)
Kids play in mud (Talita)
Kids can put their boots on (Drae)
Kids have hair (Aisea)
Kids can cook (Ryan)
Kids can hide (Jasmeet)
Kids can learn (Yogyeta)
Kids like to read (Triansha)
Kids can sit (Juelz)
Kids can swim (Neti)
Kids like shopping (Shresti)
Kids love toys (Sueao)
Kids can laugh (Coco)
Kids are big and strong (Izhaan)
Kids are Superheroes (Koni)
Six
I did a wild-card workshop with 16 children from Y2 to Y6 who have stretching imaginations and a love of words. We did picture poems but it was pretty hard going through all stages and finishing the poems in one hour. I like picture poems to look good but also sound good so you play with reading them out loud! This is great way to jam with words.
I loved the way Otile brought back her finished poem to show me! I especially like way she made a windy rain cloud and a heavy rain cloud.
Seven
I loved seeing a hen walking to school one morning and getting an idea for a poem. I wondered what class it was going to visit. It remind me of my ‘Peacock is Over the Moon’ poem in my book Flamingo Bendalingo!
Eight
I loved reading the poems that Y5 and 6 had displayed in the hall and discovering some children had written about the visiting poet (me!). I laughed at the line ‘Mad Hatter actions’ in this poem. Wonderful! So I am like a Mad Hatter! Just the poetry surprise I love.
Nine
I loved being interviewed by a bunch of budding journalists (Anna, Solomone, John and Orla) with the help of Mr Choong (he had great ideas and such energy!).
When the video is posted on YouTube I will post a link. The group has put a lot of work into the interview. My favourite question was to think up three words to sum up poetry or my poetry career (play, music, joy).
Ten
All week I worked with sixteen Year 2 students doing writing. Wow! Such poetry buzzing and steaming in the room. Ears and eyes were working hard. Sad to say goodbye.
The Tree
My tree is a
strawberry tree.
Cats crawl in
my tree.
Owls hoot in
my tree. Birds chirp
in my tree. My tree
is thin.
My tree sways and
makes a lot of noise.
Constance
The Sun
Blazing fiery yellow
sun sizzles, Matariki stars
shine bright on us.
Tiger hot blazing
sun, sparkly shining
hot sun.
Lockington
Eleven
I worked with twenty Year 3/4 students all week — hunting for words, playing with words on the line, building images, using ears. The room was popping and simmering with poems. Sad to finish!
Birds
Birds flying high
flapping and diving
In the night
peeking out windows
Searching for birds
I look for
tui every time.
Nardia Y3
The Sky
Eclipses star moon
black orangish yellow,
and covered clouds
white sun sinking.
Seagulls, fantails and
sparrows
taking food
chirping drifting,
diving and flying
pictures of clouds
in slow motion.
Jashvir Y4
My Tree
He has dark green
tree leaves
wsssshh wsssshhh wooh wooh
from the tree,
and the owl sleeping.
I told people
to stop hurting Max.
He grows me plenty of apples
for lunch.
I love Max
and he loves
me his
secret is he’s happy
every time
I’m around.
Jared
Twelve
I worked with twenty Y5/6 students for six days. Words went flying, eyes went searching, imaginations soared, ears listened to the music on the line. Wonderful! It was sad to say goodbye.
Spring Evening
Dim misty moon
big bright blossom
rosy red rose
ripe red apple
green grass growing
rosy red robin
big bonfire
beautiful twilight moon.
Jordan Y5
Spring Bees
Bees harvesting nectar
buzzing bees flying
following orders.
Making honey
dodging spiders
fierce fighters.
Flying in blue skies
watching humans play
flying by.
Allerton Y5
Flowers
Flowers grow
into sunflower petals
on top
of the dark
brown soil.
Nehusita
The Forever Tree
Tall weak tree, branches
swaying, leaves falling,
skins cracking, crows sitting
on dead branches.
Reminds me
of a tree upside
down that will
never ever talk again.
Solomone
Thirteen
I was so surprised and delighted when a Junior class performed James K Baxter’s whale poem in the hall (it’s in The Treasury of NZ Poetry for Children and one of my favourite Baxter poems) . The class recited it beautifully and we all gasped when up popped the big black whale with the flicking tail. Genius!
The Family Sharing Day was a spectacular day and I adored all the plays and poems – the classes had worked so hard to celebrate Oral Language Term! I especially loved the way old stories became new stories. What a great idea this was.
Fourteen
I loved the way the whole school glowed with poetry. I drove home on Monday afternoon (yesterday) (Day Six) and felt full of delicious poems. Wonderful. More than that though, I glowed with the way this very special school had welcomed me into their whanau.
t h a n k y o u
x P a u l a
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