In this week's episode we're exploring an innovative project at the National Civil War Centre in Newark developing creative writing skills through art and using thinking routines in really innovative ways.

The visual literacy Collect Connect Create project was developed to raise self-esteem, self-efficacy and motivation for year 10 pupils (14-15 year olds)  who had struggled with disrupted learning during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The longer-term aim was that young people would develop the skills, knowledge and experience to raise their attainment in their English exams, having the confidence to write a “convincing and compelling” piece of fiction, using extensive and ambitious vocabulary and demonstrating the use of different language techniques.

Denise explores the key features of the programme, how it worked for students and the collaboration they had with writer-in-residence, Ioney Smallhorne.. 

Then we focus on the thinking routines that they used in the programme and specifically the thinking routines that they created for it, such as Look List Lose and Shapescape. They also creatively adapted thinking routines that they had learned with me on my VTMO course.

We talk about how the thinking routines offered tools to the students to assist them with their writing, how they helped them learn how to look as well as write, how they gave them a framework for organising their thinking and were a launchpad to writing. 

If you’re interested or curious about incorporating thinking routines into an educational programme at your museum or using art as a prompt for creative writing, then this episode is for you. If you’re interested in creating your own thinking routines, listen in too!

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Collect Connect Create Project Resources https://www.maxliteracy.org/case-studies/newark-museum/ Pocket Prompts PDF can be found in the Lesson 1 folder.

Denise Greany on LinkedIn

Sarah Clarke on LinkedIn

Ioney Smallhorne website