Ed Finch - AIM High Writing

Ed Finch

AIM High Writing

Summary

Age range KS1 to KS4
Books No
DBS Checked Yes

Booking
Contact
+44 (0)1535 656015
aimhigh@caboodlebooks.co.uk

Ed Finch is an experienced teacher and headteacher with a passion for storytelling

About Ed
Ed has been a teacher and a headteacher for more than twenty years. 

Ed has told stories to audiences of all sizes and all ages - from prestigious venues to camp fire circles. Ed keeps everyone from the youngest children to adults enthralled through his animated storytelling and his wicked sense of humour. Ed often uses his amazing collection of instruments to accompany storytelling creating atmosphere and adding emotion through music and sound effects.

Ed has taught in Africa and in Europe as well as in the UK. He has worked as a class teacher and as a headteacher in small rural schools, large urban schools and everything in between - very little phases him. Ed has great experience in using storytelling as a jumping off point into writing. Ed is also an experienced and passionate teacher of poetic writing helping children to find their own voice.

Ed’s AIM High Writing Days

Storytelling Day - KS1 or KS2

This day has a focus on oral storytelling and is especially well suited for children for whom the act of physically writing is challenging or off-putting. It can work well with children who have dyslexia, hypermobility or other challenges to getting things down on paper.

Ed will start off the day with an exciting performance of storytelling which will help convince pupils of the power of language to excite and entertain and bring them on board for the day.

After a short break, Ed will go on to teach children the basics of storytelling practice using fun activities and strategies drawn from his many years as both a storyteller and a teacher. 

Following on from this, the group will work on developing their own stories for oral retelling based on the patterns of the stories used earlier in the day.

Ed can vary the stories used to fit with the age of the children in the workshop or any special themes or values that the children are exploring.

Storytelling into Writing

Built on the saying that ‘writing floats on a sea of talk’, this day takes the power of oral storytelling and sets it to work to get children writing. It is well suited to children who are writing with some confidence but could do with a boost to encourage them to add personality and flavour into their written work.

Ed will start off the day with a powerful storytelling experience before taking the children ‘behind the scenes’ and showing how he creates the magic.

The children will use oral games and exercises to get the children’s language popping before moving towards writing with the same spark of fun and creativity.

In the second half of the day children will be stretched to write at greater length, retelling excerpts from a new version of a model story.

The day always ends with celebration of the children’s achievements.

Poetry Day

Ed is a poetry fan as well as a writer of poetry for children and young people. In this fun and fast moving day he shares poetry that works for him, explores how it works and enables the children to write powerful poetry from their own experience using the techniques explored throughout the day.

Ed introduces the day with a ‘poetry feast’ sharing poems by exciting contemporary poets such as Matt Goodfellow, Laura Mucha, Joseph Coelho and others. This fun performance ensures all children (and adults!) in the room know that poetry is fun, entertaining and exciting.

Moving on, pupils create their own very short poems using games and activities that carry the weight for them and ensure they never feel put on the spot.

Later in the day we take a turn for more serious poetic writing that explores themes around relationships and children are invited to use the tools learned in the morning session to create poetry with a little more weight.

The day closes with a celebration of the children’s work together.

This day can be shaped to particular needs of children’s age, stage and interests. Ed is a sensitive and experienced educator and can ensure that particular themes are explored or left alone if that is needed.

Some of Ed’s Feedback

A wonderful day. Ed brought his stories to life for all our children, skillfully adapting them to suit each age group. All our children were engrossed; loving the stories and learning a huge amount about the craft of storytelling. Thoroughly recommend this for any and all age groups.

P. Salisbury , Headteacher

One of the finest storytellers I’ve heard . . . and I’ve heard lots!

L. Macfarlane (Educator and Book Seller)

Our children loved listening to Mr Finch. By the end of the session they could all tell a story together and they used the structure to tell their own stories. Mr Finch demonstrated techniques for staff to enhance their teaching. Win, win!

T. Penny, Principal

Bookings
To book Ed please contact
aimhigh@caboodlebooks.co.uk