Creative Writing courses – open to all across Birmingham!

Tributes and gifts from learners at the end of the Getting Your Writing Published and Produced course (2014)

My 17 open-access Creative Writing classes across Birmingham in 2013-2016 provided accessible, insightful and challenging new approaches to writing, and varied friendly feedback on your work, whatever your level and background and experience. I can make you a better writer, and make you feel better about your writing, at the same time.

I ran 17 of these weekly courses across Birmingham from 2013 to 2016, with ‘outstanding’ feedback on my sessions from managers and lovely responses from learners.

Latest information about the courses here:	Feedback on my courses:
Classes were full of learners from extremely mixed backgrounds, levels and experience – and revealed plenty about life, never mind just about writing! What do you think these rings and arrows represent? Answers on my Getting Published and Produced course! From assessment by my line manager, November 2013: Explanations given by the tutor are very clear and understanding is being checked throughout the session. The tutor is very much acting as a facilitator throughout the session, which gives him the opportunity to give continuous one to one feedback and support. Key strengths: Excellent peer assessment and assessment for learning has taken place. All activities are learner centred. Excellent questioning technique to elicit previous knowledge. Lesson very well structured. Cohesive SOW [Scheme of Work] and lesson plans. Tutor very aware of the strengths ad weaknesses and progress of each single learner. Excellent differentiation seen in class and on Group Profile [form] Summary of learner feedback: Lessons are very well planned and structured. We always get thorough oral and written feedback. We have already learnt many things we didn’t know before, e.g. the essence of a story, how to use the formula to “pitch” a story etc. I like his teaching style. He gets the best out of us. This was an outstanding lesson because: All learners achieved their personal learning goal. The tutor takes immediate action after learners’ feedback and adapts his plan and teaching style accordingly. He is very aware of the learners’ various backgrounds and learning styles which feeds into his lesson planning and individual support. He has an excellent knowledge and passion for his subject which motivates and inspires the learners.	End-of-course feedback from learners who completed my courses scored 8, 9 or 10 out of ten from almost all learners for almost all aspects of the course… “I loved coming to your class and sharing ideas and writing with other people… Once again thank you very much for your understanding.” – Autumn 2015 learner I’m just dropping you a quick note to say that… I really appreciated the hints and tips you provided today. You’ve given me much to think about and you’ve fixed my writing switch that I thought was permanently broken. I’ve really started to think about my writing style and potential outlets. Not bad for 2 hours. – First-time learner after her first lesson with me Ian is brilliant – calm and very tolerant, even today when he was being challenged! I am doing his 7 week “get your work published course” and for me it is perfect, I have never written anything apart from music so this is a good course for me to see where I could take things in the future so I understand my end goal. He is easy to understand, sets clear growth work should we want to do it and is very professional. – Ceinwen Bran, piano4solihull You are quite an effective and inspiring tutor. Which is why I transferred [from another centre to your courses – and this learner has now come to my classes at 5 different centres!] – Loz Barrett, teacher Thankyou Ian for such a great course! I feel I have a lot more confidence now to go ahead and get my work published. – Fran Lee, Children’s writer I am more confident with my creative writing than ever before. Ian generated a safe and respectful atmosphere that made sharing work easy. But most importantly I was entertained, engaged and educated. – Michael Westgarth Learned so much I didn’t know – & so much detail with advice & suggestions, comments & feedback. Websites & apps – things I’d never thought of looking at/using… Chance to do short pieces in class & longer at home – a relentless ‘kick up the backside’ that every promising (or not) writer needs… So useful, so interesting – looking forward to the next term. – Elaine Entecott, short story writer …it was great to find out that we can actually write something interesting, and that principally is thanks to you. – Two learners from my Creative Writing courses (via email)

Latest information about the courses here:

Feedback on my courses:

Classes were full of learners from extremely mixed backgrounds, levels and experience – and revealed plenty about life, never mind just about writing!

What do you think these rings and arrows represent? Answers on my Getting Published and Produced course!

From assessment by my line manager, November 2013:

Explanations given by the tutor are very clear and understanding is being checked throughout the session.

The tutor is very much acting as a facilitator throughout the session, which gives him the opportunity to give continuous one to one feedback and support.

Key strengths:

Excellent peer assessment and assessment for learning has taken place.
All activities are learner centred.
Excellent questioning technique to elicit previous knowledge.
Lesson very well structured.
Cohesive SOW [Scheme of Work] and lesson plans.
Tutor very aware of the strengths ad weaknesses and progress of each single learner.
Excellent differentiation seen in class and on Group Profile [form]

Summary of learner feedback:

Lessons are very well planned and structured.
We always get thorough oral and written feedback.
We have already learnt many things we didn’t know before, e.g. the essence of a story, how to use the formula to “pitch” a story etc.
I like his teaching style.
He gets the best out of us.

This was an outstanding lesson because:

All learners achieved their personal learning goal.
The tutor takes immediate action after learners’ feedback and adapts his plan and teaching style accordingly.
He is very aware of the learners’ various backgrounds and learning styles which feeds into his lesson planning and individual support.
He has an excellent knowledge and passion for his subject which motivates and inspires the learners.

End-of-course feedback from learners who completed my courses scored 8, 9 or 10 out of ten from almost all learners for almost all aspects of the course…

“I loved coming to your class and sharing ideas and writing with other people… Once again thank you very much for your understanding.” – Autumn 2015 learner
I’m just dropping you a quick note to say that… I really appreciated the hints and tips you provided today. You’ve given me much to think about and you’ve fixed my writing switch that I thought was permanently broken. I’ve really started to think about my writing style and potential outlets. Not bad for 2 hours. – First-time learner after her first lesson with me
Ian is brilliant – calm and very tolerant, even today when he was being challenged! I am doing his 7 week “get your work published course” and for me it is perfect, I have never written anything apart from music so this is a good course for me to see where I could take things in the future so I understand my end goal. He is easy to understand, sets clear growth work should we want to do it and is very professional. – Ceinwen Bran, piano4solihull
You are quite an effective and inspiring tutor. Which is why I transferred [from another centre to your courses – and this learner has now come to my classes at 5 different centres!] – Loz Barrett, teacher
Thankyou Ian for such a great course! I feel I have a lot more confidence now to go ahead and get my work published. – Fran Lee, Children’s writer
I am more confident with my creative writing than ever before. Ian generated a safe and respectful atmosphere that made sharing work easy. But most importantly I was entertained, engaged and educated. – Michael Westgarth
Learned so much I didn’t know – & so much detail with advice & suggestions, comments & feedback. Websites & apps – things I’d never thought of looking at/using… Chance to do short pieces in class & longer at home – a relentless ‘kick up the backside’ that every promising (or not) writer needs… So useful, so interesting – looking forward to the next term. – Elaine Entecott, short story writer
…it was great to find out that we can actually write something interesting, and that principally is thanks to you. – Two learners from my Creative Writing courses (via email)