Wednesday 10 July 2013

Thank you ABBA! by Keren David

This week's a big one for me. On Thursday I teach my last class at City University where I've taken the  Writing for Children course for the last two years.
I took this same course in 2008 -  then taught by Amanda Swift, a fellow SAS member, and my first book started as a plot-planning exercise in the classroom.  I'm passing it on to yet another Sassie -  Tamsyn Murray -  so I know it'll be in good hands. I'm sad to leave, but work has taken me away from home too much this year, and my family claim to need me.
 I could not have taught the course without ABBA. It's been my invaluable resource, packed full of information and opinion, to illuminate my students on all aspects of writing for children.
My absolute favourite post to use in class is this one by Liz Kessler. It inspired a writing exercise in which students brainstorm plot ideas onto post its, then get into groups to organise their post-its chronologically into a plot -  amazing what can be achieved in half an hour.
Who knows, maybe one of my students will be writing for ABBA one day soon.
So, thank you Liz, thank you  ABBA contributors, and a very happy birthday to us!

1 comment:

Liz Kessler said...

Keren, I've only just seen this post. Thank you! What a lovely compliment, and delighted to have helped! xx