North Ryde PS, Michelle Caruso

In 2018, Bernard conducted a Professional Development (PD) course at North Ryde Public School (NRPS), organised by then leader of NRPS’s Writing Initiative, Ms Michelle Caruso. The program consisted of a full day session with teachers followed by individual sessions with each 2-6 class, focusing on different activities and elements of creative writing.

The nature of the program allowed teachers to observe individual teaching activities within their respective classrooms and then come together to share with their colleagues the practices demonstrated. This meant that “each teacher got to see it modelled and up skilled but we also got to learn from each other by hearing how Bernard ran every session,” said Michelle. 

“The teachers loved the PD because it was a long session,” said Michelle. “They just kept asking Bernard questions at the end, so I could tell they were really engaged and they definitely used all the elements that he taught them so it was very practical and went straight back into the classroom.”

One aspect of NRPS’ strategic directions plan aimed to better target student literacy, with a particular focus on writing. The original plan was to focus on creativity for the first half of the year before progressing into the mechanics of writing, however, Michelle found that, “creativity was actually needed throughout the whole year, because when looking at writing, creativity was a huge element.”

After the PD, Michelle noticed a huge change in the teaching methods of her colleagues and an increase in the engagement of students when it came to creative writing.

“Creativity was actually needed throughout the whole year, because when looking at writing, creativity was a huge element.”

“The practical ideas Bernard shared and because he’s an author I think it was really authentic and you can’t get anymore authentic then having an author teach you about writing. I think as teachers we get to a certain point we’re we’ve been teaching writing for a while and we do it a certain way and then after you hear an author speak you just realise there is a different shift you can spin on teaching writing and for me personally I’ve never taught writing the same as I did prior to working with Bernard.

“I continue to have a huge focus on creativity and I still use the same strategies Bernard taught. In particular, elaboration and sentence of thought but I’ve used all the activities that he showed at the PD,” said Michelle.  

Michelle also noticed the responsiveness of the students to the new teaching style, saying that she has some students begging her to do more creative writing. In response to the interest, Michelle began running weekly creative writing sessions with students. She also established a display in the school office to make “sure that all their work was framed to give them credit . . . it’s just about really valuing their creative writing,” said Michelle.

Michelle is temporarily teaching a year 1/2 class at Nicholson Street Public School and says she has carried across her teaching styles from NRPS where they have been met with the same enthusiasm and engagement from students. “Because I’ve never focused so much on creative writing before it’s just nice to see a class really responding to it and enjoying being able to take a risk and become confident,” she said.

“I’ve been using the same techniques that I learnt. I just won’t teach creative writing the same again after working with Bernard and having that focus on creativity as a hook for kids. It definitely hooks them in and I think it has a better focus on writing in general.”

Michelle’s experience with teaching creative writing has inspired her own interest in the area, fuelling her desire to pass on her passion to her students.

Michelle spoke with Emily Gibbs.

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