Im Being Chased by a Dragon

I’m the woman who runs the Monday creative writing workshops for InterHigh. I parachuted into the classroom in January 2010 and I’m happy to say, I’ve enjoyed every single session since. Hopefully, the students have too. Certainly I’ve seen several of them return a second, third or fourth time around. It’s my privilege to watch them develop their writing skills by reacting to simple tasks that trigger their imaginations. The main tasks require dedicated, quiet writing time. It’s brilliant to think of my students, quietly writing at home, wherever that may be, yet united by working to the same theme or starter sentence.

These classes are very different from the academic ones in that those attending range from Year Sevens to Year Elevens. I’m normally aware of a student’s age but no way does this influence me when choosing exercises. Every one of them enjoys words or else they wouldn’t waste time attending my sessions and that’s the levelling factor. I also try to make their choices flexible so they might find themselves imagining they’re auditioning for a part in a Broadway show or telling everyone how they’d turn their laptop into a steam punk computer. They can decide whether to write humorous stuff or to show their dark side. They compose restaurant menus. They design their dream bedroom. They create wild and wonderful worlds.

 Do the younger students ever become frightened by sinister shapes or gruesome monsters? I can tell you it’s usually me who’s scared to turn the light out at bedtime! We do have some bloodthirsty tales but nothing worse than anything you’d find in a self-respecting fairy tale. Humour’s often in evidence and how I enjoy it when someone finds his or her voice and delights us with a character’s quirkiness and ability to make us suspend disbelief.

 

There is a tremendously therapeutic element to creative writing. I first realised this back in the 1970s when I attended an open evening at a residential school for pupils with behavioural problems. One girl showed me a poem she’d written and although it was worryingly dark, I knew she’d expressed her emotions on the page probably far more easily than she could control her anger.

I once held a session for senior citizens where I urged them to write down their memories so their descendants had a record to cherish. The advantage of this kind of group exercise is that often one person’s experiences will trigger someone else’s. Faces light up and people chuckle and nod their heads. In the same way, an InterHigh group will post a smiley face, make a LOL comment, or draw something on the whiteboard. Jacqui and her admin team are very good at informing me if a student is experiencing any personal problems. Sometimes one of the group might text me to explain a close relative is ill or a pet has died. If this student prefers to stay online as an observer, that’s absolutely fine and I like to think the fun and companionship of the others is providing the kind of medicine money can’t buy. 

Every group has a different dynamic. My current one is large and contains writers with whom I’ve worked before plus ones who were new to me at the beginning of term. Of course some students work together in their peer groups but I’ve noticed how quickly everyone bonds and how supportive they are of everyone’s efforts. They are never obliged to contribute. Even the most experienced of writers can have an off day. Tell me about it! Sometimes we run out of time because there’s so much exciting writing to hear.

 When a student who attends regularly but has never contributed to any of the tasks, suddenly posts a piece of writing, I feel very delighted. Those who read aloud or post work achieved in a comparatively short time should be proud of their performance. Confidence is achieved in many different ways. So if you hear your son or daughter speaking over the mic about being chased by a dragon or watching their mum being captured by aliens, please don’t worry. It’s only that Monday woman again.

 

Sandra Mackness