Author Visit - Sam Tearle

Author visit’s this half term.

Our first visitor, Michelle Paver, regaled us with tales of ice wolves and historic journeys of her characters. She shared her experience of writing, and most specifically drafting pieces of work over and over and over again; until she felt it was perfect.

Her most recent chapter is finally perfect after the 37th draft. Paver – most kindly- shared a page with her annotations and editing scrawled all over so that we can share this with our young people. This will be so powerful in proving editing takes place and that great writers are rarely satisfied before they have edited, drafted, and then often edited and drafted once more. What a great message for Mayfield students who maybe think editing is pointless: after all “we’ve finished!”

Our second visitor, the author Jeff Norton, shared his tales of a zombie character- a misfit with OCD – and how creating him was like making a new best friend. He truly cared about this ‘boy’ and wanted to hear how his OCD made being a flesh eating monster interesting. Vegetarian zombies…unlikely, but true!

Jeff Norton shared a powerful message with our young people: he struggled to read at school. As a reluctant reader, he switched off and disengaged in his learning, until one day his librarian shared a ‘Quest Book’ with him. He was instantly hooked- reading until late. Mum: turned off the light, eventually confiscating his torch when he snuck under the covers; never realising that he kept a back-up.

Norton vowed that he wanted to write THAT book. The book that we are so engrossed in; enjoying so much, that we won’t put it down: even when mum says. He shared with our Year 7s that he wanted everybody to keep picking up books- until they found the one that made them want to read. Not just glance at a cover when forced to – but actually read for enjoyment and pleasure. I thank Mr Norton as he has inspired me to ask teachers what was that book for them… hopefully we can use discussion about our favourite book to truly inspire reading via Resilience and AR sessions.

Thank you to both our visitors- they have made such an impact on our young people this half term, and I believe will have a lasting legacy on teaching and learning for the future!