Poet Paul Delaney Returns to Open Gate

Shortly before the autumn holidays, British poet Paul Delaney returned to Open Gate for his regular visit, introducing our pupils and students to the world of poetry and creative writing in English. This year, he led workshops for first-year Grammar School students and several Elementary School classes. The students explored his latest work, discovered different forms of poetry and had the opportunity to write their own poems.

This year, Paul Delaney drew inspiration primarily from his two new poetry collections, There's a Bee in the Classroom!and Salima's Suitcase. Students listened to the poet reading his work, reflected on the themes of his poems and then had the chance to create their own. They were also encouraged to share their poems with their classmates.

Our second graders also immersed themselves in the world of poetry. Paul Delaney introduced them to his poem There's a Bee in Our Classroom, which helped them explore key elements of poetry, such as verses, choruses and repetition. The pupils then put what they had learned into practice by writing their own poems, letting their imagination and creativity run free.

The poet also met with our fifth graders, who remembered him fondly from previous visits and were very much looking forward to working with him again. This time, their workshop focused on haiku, a traditional Japanese form of poetry. Together, they read and analysed several of Paul Delaney's haikus, explored their structure and then set about writing their own. They found inspiration in a wide range of topics, from sports and pets to travelling and everyday school life.

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