A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend the Auckland Reader and Writer Festival alongside some of my students, and fellow teachers. Poet Laureate, Selena Tusitala Marsh, young adult author, Alex Wheatle, New Zealand self published author, David Riley, and playwright, Victor Rodger, were some of the talented writers that I heard from.
Each speaker highlighted the passion they had for their work and for finding the spark that ignites new readers. There seemed to be a recurring theme with finding your cultural identity through writing down how you experience the emotions that we all experience. This is what really stuck out to me as we are living in times where we’re starting to see more representation on screen and it does start in schools.
Selena Tusitala Marsh spoke at length about how her poetry was a cathartic experience and a way for her to deal with loss and grief. Her raw honesty was something that our students will not forget. Marsh also spoke about how each Poet Laureate receives a tokotoko stick and she explained the history behind hers and shared the journey she was taking with her tokotoko stick.
Alex Wheatle, from Brixton, shared with us the harsh circumstances he experienced throughout youth before finding a love of the written word. I mean, he was arrested for his part in the 1981 Brixton riots... Much like Selena, he was able to channel these experiences into his written work – a series of semi autobiographical stories of his life growing up on the ‘mean’ streets of Brixton. He was engaging and enthusiastic – plus he put on a little show highlighting his musical prowess. His books reflect some of the troubles that our children face today and, when I spoke about him in class, some of my reluctant readers wanted to know if I had any copies available. (Wheatle was my favourite of the four. There was just something so fascinating about his stage presence.)
David Riley shared two anecdotes about the importance of reading and reminded our students, and the audience, that they are actually very good readers but also reminded them that there was more to read than just Facebook and Instagram posts. Riley is a part time drama teacher in Auckland and self publishes his books. His books are all aimed at those reluctant readers with books about our favourite sporting heroes along with myths and legends from all the cultures that make up our country. (I couldn't find any good videos.)
Finally, Victor Rodger shared how he ended up finding his identity, reuniting with his father, and writing about it in his plays. Rodger has written plays but has also written for “Shortland Street” which many of the students found amusing. Like the speakers before him, Rodger focused on the importance of reading and how both reading and writing helped him reconnect with his multicultural heritage.
Why did I choose to write about this experience? Well, I am a word nerd but these writers reminded me of why we read and why we write. They also spoke to the students in the audience, reminding them that they can change the world. It was a great experience and one I’d recommend to students and teachers alike. There is something about listening to people who are passionate about their work that really inspires me...how about you?
xJaime