Glenn Colquhoun at St Hilda's Collegiate School
Our Grantees - Read NZ Te Pou Muramura - Writers in Schools
Otago Community Trust — November 1, 2022
Inspiring tamariki and rangatahi to develop a love of reading and writing by bringing a writer or illustrator into their classroom is the core focus of Read NZ Te Pou Muramura's Writers in Schools programme. Otago Community Trust has supported the programme for several years and pleased to see award-winning writer, poet and GP, Glenn Colquhoun and also children’s author Juliette MacIver in a wide variety of Otago schools this year.
This year the Read NZ Te Pou Muramura's - Writers in Schools programme connected 700+ Otago children with a Writers in Schools visit - 389 students in Cromwell, 279 students in Dunedin and 50 students in Owaka. A range of primary, intermediate and secondary schools were all visited.
The feedback outlined in the accountability report reinforces the importance of and the impact on the students of Writers in Schools visits.
Balmacewen Intermediate were thrilled about poet Glenn Colquhoun's visit
"Glen had an exceptional way of sparking inspiration with young writers. All of our students were extremely engaged in his words of wisdom, and I found it to be not only inspiring from a writing perspective but a life perspective also. He had some very key messages that I think gave our students some things to reflect on" - Balmacewen Intermediate, 2022
The $4,000 grant approved from Otago Community Trust supports the programme and offers young people the opportunity to build confidence with their reading and in turn their writing skills.
For some children a visit from an author or a poet bringing their 'books to life' is a way into reading, especially for reluctant readers or those for whom reading does not come easy.
The Writers in Schools visits, builds confidence in young readers and writers by providing continued inspiration and motivation long after the visit. This often takes the form of providing helpful advice for future writing tasks; having a 'real-life' writer commenting positively on their writing - encourages students to take pride in their writing and to keep going with it.
OECD research shows that reading for pleasure is one of the most important indicators of a child’s future success. Being able to read enables us to participate fully in the community and contributes to our overall wellbeing. Read NZ Te Pou Muramura, 2022
Key dates and deadlines for booking a Writers in Schools visits
- Mon 3 Oct 2022 - Bookings open for Term 1, 2023
- Fri 16 Dec 2022 - Bookings close for Term 1, 2023 and Bookings open for Term 2, 2023
- Thur 5 April 2023 - Bookings close for Term 2, 2023 and Bookings open for Term 3, 2023
- Fri 30 June 2023 - Bookings close for Term 3, 2023 and Bookings open for Term 4, 2023
How to Apply
Apply for a visit via the below link
https://www.read-nz.org/programmes/writers-in-school/apply-for-a-visit/
