DOCUMENT RESUME CE 070 429 ED 389 910 O'Rourke, Rebecca AUTHOR Written on the Margins. Creative Writing and Adult TITLE Education in Cleveland. Leeds Univ. (England). Dept. of Adult and Continuing INSTITUTION Education. ISBN-0-907644-04-X REPORT NO PUB DATE 94 50p.; Funded by the Universities Funding Council. NOTE AVAILABLE FROM Department of Adult Continuing Education, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, England, United Kingdom (3.95 British pounds). PUB TYPE Research/Technical (143) Reports EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. *Adult Education; *Classroom Techniques; *Creative DESCRIPTORS Writing; Criticism; Educational Needs; Educational Opportunities; Educational Practices; Evaluation Methods; Feedback; Foreign Countries; Guidelines; *Student Attitudes; Student Evaluation; *Teacher Attitudes; Tutors; Writing Instruction; *Writing Workshops IDENTIFIERS *England (Cleveland) ABSTRACT This report summarizes the findings of a 2-year rescIrch project on creative writing and adult education in Cleveland, England, that focused on the ideas and feelings of tutors, students, and writers involved in creative writing workshops in the city. The report begins with overviews of creative writing activities in Cleveland (including mention of professional writers currently/formerly residing in the city). Presented next are comments from those interviewed regarding opportunities for developing writing inside and oqtside educational institutions, including government-funded community arts projects and voluntary networks. Available outlets for publication are identified. The aims/significance of research examining adult education and creative writing programs are discussed. Barriers to involvement in creative writing programs and the different uses mIde of creative writing in education are described, and the debate over whether creative writing is or should be education or art is considered. The next few sections address the following concerns identified by those interviewed: assessment, creative writing groups as sources of support and guidance for free-standing groups and vehicles for giving/receiving constructive feedback. Concluding the report are guidelines for giving and receiving good feedback, and a discussion of the roles of creative writers as tutors and tutors as writers. Contains 22 references. (MN) * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. *****************AAAAA*************************A::**A::******* ***** L.. Education Department of Adult Continuing U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Othee of Educatoonal Research and Improvement EDUC)X1ONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER tERICI the POCument has been reproduced as rItelhyed from the person or organization oboinating 0 Minor ChanleS hare teen made to improve reproduction Quality Written on the margins Points of .imw or opinions stated in thisdoci ment do not necenshly represent (Aloe! OER: positron or policy Creative writing and adult education in Cleveland "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY . Norah Hill in Percy Street t.- C.) TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Rebecca O'Rourke t. INFORMATION CENTER (ERICI Written on the margins in Cleveland Creative writing and adult education Staff Rebecca O'Rourke Research Fellow: Dr Andy Croft Project Director: Cheryl Whittingham (until July 1994) Clerical Support: Susan Sharp (from July 1994) Dermot Blackburn Photographer: Advisory Group Cleveland Arts Linda Innes Department of Adult Continuing Education Mike Stein Ilitor and Writer Trevor Teasdel Department of Adult Continuing Education Kevin Ward later The Evaluating Creative Writing project was funded by the Universities Funding Council, the Higher Education Funding Council (England) between October 1992 and October 1994. © Rebecca O'Rourke 1994 *tr. .11.01.1.1.1,..o.r/:**". ..110.1,1* 11101,1i.......1ftee060.M14.1.611 Introduction How much it takes to become a writer. Bent (far more common than we assume), circumstances, time, development of craft - but beyond that: how much conviction as to the importance of what one has to say, one's right ... to say it. Difficult for any male not born into a class that breeds such confidence. Almost impossible for a girl, a woman. (Tillie Olsen) Arguments about whether writers are born or made have always been less interesting to me than those about the un-making of writers through the lack of entitlement and opportunity. During fifteen years' involvement with the writing workshop movement I have never doubted its fundamental impulse. But as I campaigned for changed priorities in arts policy, challenged the exclusion of creative writing from the teaching of English, belonged to and tutored workshops, served on the Executive of the Federation of Worker Writers and Community Publishers and wrote my own novels and short stories, I have always argued about, as well as for, the right to write. This report, the first from a two year research project initiated by the University of Leeds' Department of Adult Continuing Education, contains both kinds of argument. The research project arose because during the mid 80s the Department successfully developed a programme of creative writing courses as part of its community education work in Cleveland. Such popularity generated curiosity and its was felt important both to learn more about the courses and to investigate their relation to wider educational and arts issues. ( "-...t1"1 71( - Mark Robinson at North Ormesby Primary School's book week A premium was put upon recording the ideas and feelings of those involved as tutors, students and writers which is reflected in the writing of this report. It begins with an outline of Cleveland's creative writing activity, identifying the special role played by adult education and community activism. I then discuss my working methods, stressing the dual remit of the research to explore issues of policy and practice. The following sections summarise the project's main aspects and findings, including factors influencing the provision and take up of creative writing activities and the relation of creative writing to education and the arts. I then discuss three areas of concern voiced by participants - differentiated provision, assessment and giving and receiving critical feedback. These formed the basis of participative, developmental projects and I report their findings as well as discussing another developmental aspect, support and training for tutors, before offering some general conclusions. 4 Writing in Cleveland interest in that anyone else shared my lived in Cleveland unaware In the early 1980s I for choice as in 1992 I was spoilt starting work on the project writing, yet within days of Guisborough, Stockton, Hartlepool, Whitby, out its stall in the Writearound Festival set timetables later I swapped bus and Loftus. A few weeks Middlesbrough, Redcar, Skelton thirty kindly compiled an impressive when Trevor Teasdel for a different sort of map in Cleveland. history of the writing movement page outline I looked at in Cleveland in various ways. with the writing activities I familiarised myself adult originated. I read reports from where and how they'd publications, noting when, importantly, I talked to people organisations. But most education institutions and arts because so fairly full account here impressions. I've included a about their memories anu overview. few people have this have lived the writers who live, or but they overlap. First are There are distinct areas writers in Cleveland, both activities which support published or not. Second, here from schools through adult Education spans the full spectrum educational and voluntary. The adult and higher education. various forms of further, basic education to the Cleveland nationally. A number writing activity distinguishes achievement of voluntary small networks: writing groups, have developed writing of committed individuals writing. and the promotion of publications, information exchanges presses or one-off local radio, small magazines and presses, writing Thirdly come the outlets for Cleveland's impact of Northern Arts and television. Finally, there is the newspapers and provision, authority leisure services Cleveland Arts, and local local arts organisation, the arts. City Challenge in supporting including the recent role of Cleveland writers like We learn that writers are not writers around in our heads. We all carry images of Owen in the trenches, hardship or wealth: Wilfred Writers need extremes of you or me. Rendell's second squirrelled away in Ruth Jeanette Winterson Anne Frank in her attic, ordinary. And yet, most Whatever writers are, they are not home to write her novel. Even makings of a scratch writing group. two and have the towns lay claim to one or antecedents detailed by Andy with the inauspicious literary Cleveland, though it struggles Like That', has writers. Croft in his article, 'A Hole networks. to local writing simply write, with no connection Some writers live here and about life but others are ambivalent arising from work or home This may be a necessity writer group,' says children's and never would join a wider involvement. 'I haven't Lynn Howells : giving so there wouldn't be a in groups I can't stop I can see the value but and their and listening to their questions lot of point. I give talks to groups to about writing is not what matters talk I feel that what matters to me them. her distance : different reason for keeping Novelist Barbara Gamble has a and join us, saying anyone can do it, come We do a terrible disservice soraetimes feel fewer outlets for writers. I because there are fewer and find is somebody who writing". The only analogy I can very anti "creative furniture and some make beautiful hand-made has spent years learning to saying I know how to do that. dickhead from MFI comes along Barry longer live here successful professional writers no Many of Clev,land's most the But if they write about Pat Barker and Jane Gardam. Unsworth, Nancy Thompson, 1 area, as the latter two do, they influence the perception of Cleveland as a place for writers. This has not been attractive until recently, when Writearound's combination of locally-based and nationally-published writers has had a positive impact. The Northern Echo called it 'the north's liveliest literature festival'. But this stress on accessibility upset some of those involved with writing before the upsurge of activity in the mid-80s. Developing writing in Cleveland I feel very strongly that writing is an apprenticeship you have to go. through. If it takes seven years to become a doctor why shouldn't it take a writer seven years? There is a big debate about whether writing is a talent or something you can learn. During the research I talked to several people about their routes into writing, and school had enormous influence. Often English stood out in an otherwise undistinguished school record. Imaginative writing was a source of real pleasure in primary school, but was cut off abruptly by the demands of secondary school education, especially for those who passed their 11+. It's good to see that writing as a pleasure and a tool of self- development is now extended across the full school curriculum. Although many schools' initiatives, such as the W.H. Smith's poets in schools scheme, are separate from other writing activities there is considerable recognition of the need to connect schools to a wider writing community. This is vital for the coming generations of writers. However, despite many initiatives seeking to connect school writing to free-standing writing, only a handful of younger writers have joined writing groups and other initiatives. One of the earliest writing residencies, Kath McCreery's at Berwick Hills in the early 80s, worked with adults and children. Writearound puts a lot of effort into activities for children. The new Cleveland Arts' Literature Development Worker post is split between schools and other writing activities. The Evening Gazette's 'Notice board' is likely to set work by a thirteen-year old alongside that of a forty-year old. Such initiatives keep the lines between the generations open. Sometimes projects designed with children in mind ended up serving adults' needs, as was the case with Bramblethorne Writers. The original impetus came from a project designed to involve parents in boosting their children's reading and writing skills, but it quickly became apparent that parents also wanted to develop their own creative writing. This was an eye-opener for the teachers : If there was one, there could be other talented writers in our midst. In the past we'd only considered that some parents would benefit from adult literacy classes. Whether illiteracy was a majority or a minority problem we simply didn't know. We had assumed it to be the problem of the majority. We were about to discover something that was to change our attitudes and raise our level of expectation. Not that there needs to be any conflict between creative writing and adult literacy. Many of the ideas about wider access to writing influencing the arts and education originated in adult literacy work. They share the idea that writing is a powerful medium which can increase individual self-esteem and record valuable experience which might otherwise be lost in an over-commercialised literary culture. Many adult literacy initiatives have been concentrated in metropolitan and multi-cultural cities such as Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and London and promoted through various national training workshops, writing weekends and a student newspaper. Adult literacy organisers in Cleveland were aware of these developments, but they had not greatly influenced policy. However, there was enthusiasm for the approach at Cleveland Tertiary College, Redcar : 2 and that are to all extents that name, but classes We have no class of who stepping-stone for students writing. They act as a purposes creative important development ability and confidence. It's an have developed their orientated and self- The class is student from their basic skills. self esteem and their with their reading, their developmental and it helps confidence. constrained writing might be possible was developments in creative The extent to which possibility there was interest in the and funding. At Redcar, by changes in organisation it was adult literacy. Elsewhere, of enhancing work in of creative writing as a means student sometimes the case, an individual respond only if, as was more common to adult Henderson, an organiser for creative writing, As Maureen showed an interest in the idea : tutors rarely introduce basic education, explained their own lives but write about themselves and We encourage students to do sessions on don't set out deliberately to that's as far as it goes. We don't need to go with practical needs. They creative writing. People come need we'd provide If students came with the into the world of imagination. it, but they don't. good to is concerned. It would be cold where creative writing Adult literacy is out in the could and creative writing tutors happen. Perhaps adult literacy see some crossovers writing, or work together to run a about stimulating imaginative meet to share ideas do encourage expressive adult literacy tutors who writing day for students? Perhaps The Evening Gazette's it to Write Around The Year or writing could suggest sending Notice Board ? reorganisations of further for innovation. Recent government But these are hard times non-vocational education to vocational the emphasis from and adult alucation shifted writing, which spans of this is good news for creative training and accreditation. None rigid distinctions and is in ways that do not fit these the leisure/art/commerce range and accreditation. wholesale introduction of assessment particularly resistant to the into prominence then falling cycle of activities coming Taking the long view there is a people currently feel from the into perspective the threat away. This helps to put back over twenty-five years, and education. Looking continuing reorganisations of arts activists dominate provision or different cycles of activity ai priorities we see different Decline is not always natural. Imposed Cleveland or from writing. come and go from bring a premature end. constraints and priorities can writing adult education and creative if the relationship between It would be a great shame developing and sustaining it has played a key role in was to end in this way as, as although Not all adult education is the same, Cleveland's thriving writing culture. organisers and tutors. The of these differences than students are much less conscious similar. One distinction is of the class sessions are very aims, objectives and nature commercial orientation. writing courses and those with a more between general creative wide range of forms formal syllabus. These usually cover a Another is whether there is a structured way than the techniques and skills in a more and introduce students to students' generating, and responding, to workshops, which tend to concentrate on provides good learning. having a syllabus necessarily writing. This isn't to suggest that taught both, comments : As Heather Bennett, who has enough. I I don't seem to be doing A course has to be taught, in a group find ways to handle very strong feel guilty. Although I do have to critical one who wants to take over, personalities. For example, the very beginning, ask this one to comment on the so I split the comments of balance, end arl so on. It's a constant act someone else on the be paid, I So, having said I shouldn't assessing and reading the group. for different things. realise I should. It's being paid 3 Arguably, this work can be more demanding. In facilitating a group the tutor simultaneously tries to develop the group's skills in responding to each other's work, encourages them to take responsibility for their own progress in writing and stimulates new writing. This also makes demands of the students, most of whom are surprised but pleased at the informal approach : I like the informality. I wouldn't like it very formal, with people being told exactly what to do. That's intimidating, it stops creativity. When this form of learning and teaching works well it can be very powerful - increasing independence and self-determination amongst students and providing tutors with energising teaching. However, the absence of a formal structure isn't the same as no structure. Unstructured events can become frustrating and chaotic for tutors and students alike, creating a sense of aimlessness. The University of Leeds' creative writing classes, with one or two exceptions, are provided in Cleveland as part of its community education. This means targeted to reach particular groups of people, for example: women, the unemployed, ethnic minorities; and to those who have not previously had many educational opportunities, for example unable to have stayed on at school or pursue higher education courses. The emphasis is on reducing the barriers to education, so courses are run where people live, course content is designed around student needs and interests and fees are waived. The 1994-5 session offers over twenty community based creative writing courses at venues ranging from Hartlepool to Hemlington, Staithes to Saltburn, Grangetown to Yarm. Also on the community education programme are five specialist workshops: advanced short story, novels, play writing, re-writing skills and women's writing; courses run in association with other organisations, for example Redcar Mind, and a winter poetry-weekend school and a week-long summer school. There is, however, an ambivalence about whether creative writing can or should be integrated into education. This was one of the questions the research as a whole had to consider. For several years Leeds offered a 'Writing for Pleasure and Profit' course on its main, rather than community, programme. From 1994 this type of adult education class will move closer to mainstream University teaching. Studying for a degree has also become more flexible, with courses broken down into units which students can build into a degree using the credits each successfully-completed module carries. Adult education courses have had to become modules in this scheme, which means they must also be accredited - of which more later. I decided to confront head on the arguments about whether or not creative writing is a proper academic subject by offering a range of courses on the accredited programme. After much discussion these were accepted and for the first time in 1994 specialist courses and an introductory certificate in creative writing will be offered to students in Leeds and Cleveland. It will be interesting to see what they make of them. This is a long way from the tentative gathering at Hemlington which launched its community based creative writing courses a decade ago. Leeds' involvement in creative writing developed slowly and despite its current near monopoly was not motivated by a desire to dominate. Up until 1987-8 Andy Croft, adult education Lecturer in Literature in Cleveland, described his involvement with the writing scene as a spare time activity: I got to very few nesside Writers' Workshop meetings, but I saw myself as a member and that was nothing to do with work, and neither was Owlet and then later Writearound. It's not proper stuff with a departmental role at all until the late 80s when I tried to marry what I was doing in one part of my life with the other half. Andy's involvement, and through him the University of Leeds, arose partly out of his 4 of Cleveland's creative writing own interest and partly because the greater involvement which, as a result of his groups with statutory agencies required professional skills with job, he was familiar with: I'd got experience of chairing meetings and I was the only one with any experience of programme planning and publicity. So the job of organising the programme devolved on me for those first three years, just sort of naturally. It wasn't my choice or my decision. It's difficult to disentangle voluntary from educational strands in the development of Cleveland's writing culture. This is especially the case because community education, as Andy has argued, aims to develop people and places : lb give people access to their imaginations, and their own languages and their own experiences: to legitimise the act and process of writing. ... In short, to participate in the slow, slow development of an independent, native, democratic, culture in Cleveland. Creative writing's uneasy place within education has already been hinted at. The roots of this lie in the development of English as a critical interpretive subject. This means that unlike art or music, where theoretical and historical study is integrated with the practice of the art form itself, the writing process is absent from the academic discipline. This resistance to creative writing is strongest in the old Universities. The new Universities have generally been more experimental and inter-disciplinary in their approach. They have developed Combined Arts degrees and creative writing modules which count towards final degree marks. In the University sector an interest in writing might be encouraged but alongside, rather than within, mainstream work. In the early 1980s Teesside University launched the Cleveland Literary Society. While based there, it attracted students and had a more critical edge; when it moved (1984-5) to Leeds University's Adult Education Centre at Harrow Road, it added readings to the critical work and by 1988-9, when it was re-launched as Poetry Live!, it was entirely readings based. Within Teesside's Humanities Degree scheme intermittent creative writing and poetry workshops have been offered as elements of courses or freestanding extra curricula workshops. Higher education's most important contribution to the development of creative writing came through some of the students it attracted to the area, who got involved in arts, cultural and community development and stayed on. 5 9 a.; J, Terry Lawson, founder member of Writearound ./ V16117-14 , Harrow Road Wednesday night group at vivrk on their end of year anthology 6 IregilM7 int 11),VCrIP 'V 7 Ja A WIOW