Mike uses his skills and experience to promote expression, literacy and a love of books through his poetry working within a wide range of educational setting.
He was recently made a Doctor of Education by Manchester Metropolitan University in recognition of the work he does in schools, colleges, universities and prisons.
Recognized by The National Literacy Trust as being a motivating and positive role model to the young people he works with.
Mike is one of the Trusts “Reading Champions”. He was nominated because of his passion for reading and his success in encouraging young people, particularly boys, to read fiction and poetry. Read an interview with Mike about being a Reading Champion here.
Workshops
Mike facilitates a range ground breaking workshops that aim to promote literature as a positive and useful to for learning.
His workshops challenge the accepted images and ideas of poetry and repackages as contemporary, exciting and important.
As well appreciating the beauty of words, language and sound, the youngsters learn how to empathise with characters which in turn leads them to explore their own feelings and emotions.
Then, with support from Mike, they discover how to express the way they think and feel through their own poetry.
As part of the ‘Excellence in Cities initiative, Mike Garry worked with 12 pupils from different schools exploring poetry and creative writing. The pupils were exposed to a range of poets and styles and with encouragement from Mike, they developed their ability to describe them in terms of imagery and form. Within a short space of time the pupils wrote freely and shared their work openly with their peers and teachers.
Mike Garry worked with some pupils from Roundwood School in Manchester. He introduced them to a range of poets, styles and subjects through a series of workshops. With Mike’s support, the students demonstrated confidence, imagination and the ability to write and perform their poems with fluency and skill. ‘Sound Words and Solid Minds’ is the wonderful, creative and touching anthology of poems written by the young people.
The Homework! Help project was an initiative by Manchester Libraries and the Looked After Children Scheme. The aim was to get young people reading, writing, and compiling an anthology of poems. Mike worked in six Children’s Homes engaging with young people and encouraging them to write their own poems. He visited libraries and bookshops with the youngsters, gave them book tokens and read relevant and contemporary poetry to them.
Bookings
If you’d like to book mike to come into your school contact him here