Bewitched by Wychwood
So nearly a week ago, I got in my car and went for a drive and listened to my learn Spanish CD along the way. I'm going to Spain in the summer and I like to know a little of the language, see?
After a couple of hours I pulled up outside Wychwood school in Oxfordshire. Nice part of the world. Cotswolds. Lovely. I grew up in Oxford, so these types of crumbly villages and towns with their rose-clad houses, stones walls and leafy lanes are familiar to me. But what I walked into was a whole new world.
KIDS! EVERYWHERE! HILARIOUS, LOUD, FASCINATING KIDS!
Luckily I spoke a little of the language already. And the language we were all speaking was STORIES.
The kids' enthusiasm was absolutely infectious and - although that kind of bonkers, uninhibited approach to story creation was something I might have left in my own childhood, I fell back into it. It was like riding a bike. Before I knew what I was doing, I was bouncing around like Tigger on E-numbers, snatching wild and wonderful ideas out of the air with the help of my new friends.
What a great time we had. Three classes, back to back, all different and yet, all the same in that wide-eyed, up for anything approach. Kids, if you're reading, just remember - Don't Sigh or Yawn, grab the sTORy by the middle. I won't broadcast our techniques here, it's out secret. I made it up on the spot just for you. But I hope, now, you are armed with all sorts of tools in your story-making shed. Including, Lucas (I remember), the Pig of Randomness.
Now, before I go further I need to say a huge THANK YOU to Maple Class for my thank you letters. The pictures were awesome, and the words were touching. You feel ready and armed to write? Excellent! You are inspired to try a story of your own? Brilliant. You had fun? Great. I'm just glad you got something out of my visit...
..speaking of which, I know some of you are a little miffed that you didn't get a snail. It was cruel of me to hand out just a couple and leave the rest of you snail-less... So, I have a plan, to get you more involved with the wonderful world of Will's molluscs and have a chance of winning one of those little critters. On my website, I've created a snail gallery. Using my email (on the contacts page), send me your photos or pictures or fascinating facts you've discovered, and I'll pick one at random every week to win a snail (don't forget to send me your address). How's that? I've started you off with a snail I found yesterday. I popped him on my raincoat so you can see him better.
Check out Will's Mighty Mollusc Gallery here. Early days yet, but let's hope it's soon crawling with little characters.
And that's the end of the snail trail. Again, pupils of Wychwood - you gave me three hours of hilarity and fun, and I can't wait to come back and see you again.
Love from Random. Er, I mean, Rachel x
PS If you loved Jim Reaper, he'd love you to go and leave a review for him at AMAZON - thank you!
After a couple of hours I pulled up outside Wychwood school in Oxfordshire. Nice part of the world. Cotswolds. Lovely. I grew up in Oxford, so these types of crumbly villages and towns with their rose-clad houses, stones walls and leafy lanes are familiar to me. But what I walked into was a whole new world.
KIDS! EVERYWHERE! HILARIOUS, LOUD, FASCINATING KIDS!
Luckily I spoke a little of the language already. And the language we were all speaking was STORIES.
The kids' enthusiasm was absolutely infectious and - although that kind of bonkers, uninhibited approach to story creation was something I might have left in my own childhood, I fell back into it. It was like riding a bike. Before I knew what I was doing, I was bouncing around like Tigger on E-numbers, snatching wild and wonderful ideas out of the air with the help of my new friends.
What a great time we had. Three classes, back to back, all different and yet, all the same in that wide-eyed, up for anything approach. Kids, if you're reading, just remember - Don't Sigh or Yawn, grab the sTORy by the middle. I won't broadcast our techniques here, it's out secret. I made it up on the spot just for you. But I hope, now, you are armed with all sorts of tools in your story-making shed. Including, Lucas (I remember), the Pig of Randomness.
Now, before I go further I need to say a huge THANK YOU to Maple Class for my thank you letters. The pictures were awesome, and the words were touching. You feel ready and armed to write? Excellent! You are inspired to try a story of your own? Brilliant. You had fun? Great. I'm just glad you got something out of my visit...
..speaking of which, I know some of you are a little miffed that you didn't get a snail. It was cruel of me to hand out just a couple and leave the rest of you snail-less... So, I have a plan, to get you more involved with the wonderful world of Will's molluscs and have a chance of winning one of those little critters. On my website, I've created a snail gallery. Using my email (on the contacts page), send me your photos or pictures or fascinating facts you've discovered, and I'll pick one at random every week to win a snail (don't forget to send me your address). How's that? I've started you off with a snail I found yesterday. I popped him on my raincoat so you can see him better.
Check out Will's Mighty Mollusc Gallery here. Early days yet, but let's hope it's soon crawling with little characters.
And that's the end of the snail trail. Again, pupils of Wychwood - you gave me three hours of hilarity and fun, and I can't wait to come back and see you again.
Love from Random. Er, I mean, Rachel x
PS If you loved Jim Reaper, he'd love you to go and leave a review for him at AMAZON - thank you!
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