Jo Ind

Working with children

I am keenly aware of the difference the ability to get words down makes to someone’s life. Being able to tell my story through my books and blogs is what enables me to become more fully myself. It is also an indispensable tool in forming relationships in the world of work.  I am therefore delighted to visit schools and help young people learn to write.

I go into a classroom as a journalist, not a teacher, and invite students to enter my world, come with me through their imaginations and discover what it is like to be out and about having ideas, interviewing and writing to deadline. They make a newspaper together and in the process develop media awareness and a new sense of purpose in their writing.

I have worked in both primary and secondary schools independently and through Write On!, a writers in schools programme administered by Writing West Midlands.

“Thank you for teaching me. Now I want to be a journalist when I grow up.”  “Thank you soooo much. I enjoyed every single lesson.” “You’ve been great to us, you are wicked.” “Keep writing.”  (Letters from children at Harborne Primary School, Birmingham after I had done a Write On! programme with them)

“Jo Ind is one of our most accomplished writers working on Write On! Her work is challenging and rewarding, combining functional literacy with a really creative approach to engaging children – and their teachers – in the writing process.” Jonathan Davidson, Chief Executive, Writing West Midlands

Working with adults

As a result of my work in education I have run programmes for teachers helping them devise their own ways of encouraging writing through journalism. I have done workshops for the National Association of Writers in Education and been involved in Writing Together, a project run by the Book Trust and the Poetry Society, creating material for teaching journalism and poetry. I did this with the poet Andy Croft.

I like teaching adults too. In fact in many ways I prefer teaching journalism to older people because our awareness of society tends to expand as we age. I have led creative writing workshops for parents as part of a Write On! programme, facilitated newspaper writing workshops for Birmingham Book Festival and devised and taught a journalism module for the New Writer Development Programme adminstered by Book Communications.

“It’s the best course I’ve ever been on.” “Excellent ideas for lessons.” “The two worked very well together.” “Superb opportunity.” “I’m still in awe.” (Comments made by teachers following the Writing Together training day in Cambridge that Andy Croft and I devised and led)

I am currently involved in developing ways of teaching writing through the use of websites, blogs and social media.