ADISA

Adisa, a rap poet, came to TRS in May to work with two groups of Year 9 students. Adisa’s approach is very particular, so it is best to let Adisa speak for himself:
“My emphasis is less on the teaching of poetry and more on what poetry has to teach us. Poetry can be used to increase young peoples understanding and awareness of the world, increasing their quality of life and in turn the quality of their contribution to society. The individual using the artistic expression of poetry whether five or sixty five, who writes or speaks about the details of everyday living and shapes them by matching sound and sense will develop a strong sense of self. After all, words are tools used to externalise experience.
When we get children looking for relationships and correspondences, evolving similes and metaphors, what we are really doing is helping to exercise and develop that faculty of the imagination on which artistic, scientific and technical progress depend. Surely this is what education is all about?”
And now let the students speak for themselves:

Adisa suggested the students write a poem about the place they think of as home using personification and metaphor. The students began thinking of the place they think of as home and then creating a spider diagram. They had to think of metaphors for their chosen place represented by an animal; music; transport; food; nature; a precious stone or metal; a building. The students then wove these metaphors into a poem.


Home

The man stands like a detached house

proud standing over his cubs.

My Home
 She is a traditional roast dinner

Safe and calm
A middle aged female she strides like an elephant
An elephant that never rushes
She is like a tree that is strong and sturdy
 My Mum
 She is a koala bear
That nurtures her young
She is a bright coloured flower
That stands out from the rest
She is life.


Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is beautiful and like a diamond cannot be broken
In her fierce eyes I can see the suffering
She is like a mother
She shelters her people
She is independent like a cottage.

Advice


Stop looking for what you ain’t got
And appreciate what you have now.
My Road
She’s sometimes loud
But sometimes quiet
She likes to dance around
She’s spicy but fresh
She’s fast like a Ferrari
She is like a big eye
She looks out for everyone
She’s like a ruby because
She is one in a million
She’s like a sheep dog
Looks after everyone
Comforts them.


Lewisham


Lewisham, Lewisham, Lewisham
What a person it could be
Sometimes rude, sometimes nice to me
Lewisham can be poor
but it still has enough money to get me chicken and chips from the store
Lewisham likes to take me to its house
Blast music, let the neighbours know he is about.

Home

Our conversations at the dinner table come together like waterfalls
The atmosphere is like an R ‘n’ B tape
Chilled and fast

Ireland


Her eyes twinkle like rubies in
The heather green fields
Marmite smears the view
History spoils the dew
IRA splattered on the walls
Classical music floods the halls
Families join together
And hopefully it will be forever.


Florida

Her arms are palm trees that provide me with shadeUnderneath her skin I see the sun.

Bromley Valley Gymnastics Centre


Her training fiery and intense like a chilli
Leotard glittering like diamonds
Flipping in time to a classical beat
Like a dolphin in the warm heat

Hawaii


Mother Nature sprouts like a rose
Her beautiful ruby skin
Makes you feel like a sauna
A peacock making its mark
Spreading its wonderous feathers with strength
Watermelon juice slowly trickles down
The mouth of the seas
Ocean sounds all around
Soothing the youth of the Island.


Winchelsea Beach


Classical music flows out
Of her bungalow windows
Her deer like nature make
Her timid and calm
Her pearly pale skin tans
Softly in the golden sun
Here they come, the loud ones
To trample har and squash her
They pollute the air and
Litter the ground
Then off they go at the end of the day.


Spain

As she wait
Her sapphire eyes gleaming in the sun
Leaning out of her convertible car
Hearing the sound of the wind blowing against her face
Her clothing as bright as tropical fish
Swimming in her sea
Without the sea there are no fish.

My House

Pop music blaring out her bedroom window
Her wealthy friends and family are here to play
Flowers glowing as I walk down her front path
The smell of her mothers cooking makes me feel hungry
As she take is out of the boiling oven
Her golden jewels
Flashing back off her shiny skin.


California


Her golden skin
Glistening in the sun
Her tall, long legs as tall as a sky scraper
Waling proud like a lion
Listening to up beat, quick pop music.

Adisa suggested that we are made up of three things – our voice, our power and our dreams. The students then decided what those three things represented for them. They then wrote a poem combining the three elements.



Adisa, having performed his ‘Auntie Pearl’ poem which uses lots of metaphor, suggested the students write a poem about their favourite kind of music using lots of metaphor. The students were asked to find a metaphor for the vocals, the lyrics, the melody and two instruments. They then wove these metaphors into a poem. He then asked them to think of what freedom was to them and place this anywhere in their poem.


My voice speaks the words
Which make me gain power
My dreams can happen


I shade under the waterfall lyrics
As the flower melody opens up
Trying to compete against the rose vocals
Freedom is a journey with no destination
A tornado piano is expected
By ignored by a sunny flute


My dreams inspire me
To build up my power
That lets out my voice

 The trees sway to the wonderful lyrics
As a velvet melody overlaps
Freedom is a never ending boat journey
That connects with the smooth vocal
An electric piano make the flowers sing
Mixes with a lively guitar
A free guitar with no strings

 My voice is power
My power is achievements
My achievements are dreams

 Friends are my support
Fashion dictates who I am
Sunday is a free day

 My tap shoes dance through the tune of the keyboard
I am riding the waves through the base
The football fans spell out the drum beat
The seismograph plays out the up and down movement of the tone
I am on the run with all my power and heart
Music is a map with no destination

Friends are my support Family everything
My voice is my art
My pencil is my power
My dream is my hobby

Freedom is a hot air balloon
Drifting in the sky
Not to be tied down
There’s no limit, how high


Freedom is a sky with no sun
The vocals are sweet honey
The steep pan drum
Keeps me going, keeps me hearing
Those velvet rhymes


The heavy rhythm vibrates in my head
The steady beat repeats over
And over like a never ending river flowing
Across the dance floor


My voice is drama
I am powerful when I am home
I have so many dreams

Sandpaper lyrics
Smoothing out the rough patches of my life
Fashion is my voice
Freedom is the path I make for myself

My voice is my faith
I feel powerful with my God


My voice is football
My power is in my books
My dream is the net

Freedom is an empty cage
Drums are the stampeding elephants
Bass is the rhythm of an African dancer


Voice is your power
Power is within your dreams
Dreams come from your heart

You got the banging beats bang into you head
I got the lethal rhyme that kills me all the?


Words flow like a never ending river
People jumping like they are on a huge trampoline
Freedom is a place with no walls
The lyrics breathe freshness into my mind
The speed is like a test of a racing red Ferrari


My voice is football
My power is my feet
My dream it to play


Freedom is a bird in a forest
Freedom is a hot air balloon that never returns
The vocals are like a stampede of Kangaroos
The rhythm is like a large group of people
Jumping on pogo sticks simultaneously
The energy is like a room full of voices
Screaming and laughing children with joy
The drums are like boulders
Rolling down a staircase


Love is my comfort
Comfort comes with my friendship
Friendship is my love

The pogo stick vocals
And the volcano lyrics
Flow as the tractor drums and brain
Computer’s fireball energy flies round the room
Freedom is a key to open may doors


If we have love in our hearts all the time
We will have peace
I am may not be rich in money
But I am rich in dreams

Dreams open up doors
Courage makes the dreams come true

The vocals bounce like a space hopper
Through my ears
The rhythm never ending like a river
The ice cream lyrics melt into my head

Voice is your power
Power is within your dreams
Dreams come from your heart

I dived into the synthesizer sea
The sharp guitar cut through my cage
The bomb beat blew me off my feet
Down a hole of resounding lyrics
I solved the rhythm puzzle
Because freedom is a beat with no tune

Recent Word of the Week Winners


War Memorial Library :

TEMPESTUOUS

 Adjective  Characterized by storms and bad weather. Violent or stormy
Chosen by Jane Cheng (13LW)

KONIOSIS

Noun  A disease of the lungs that originates from certain rock particles (such as volcanic ash) being inhaled.
Chosen by Whitney Samuels (10AS)


ENVISAGE
 
Verb  To form a mental picture of; consider as a possibility of the future.
Chosen by Loren Wright (12BA)


Discovery Library :


SUPERSTITION

Noun  Irrational belief in magic and the powers that supposedly bring good luck or bad luck.
Chosen by Rosie Hui Feng (7LI)


POLYSYLLABIC 

Adjective  A word consisting of more than two syllables.
Chosen by Cydney Honour (8SH)


CONGENITAL 
Adjective   Denoting any non-hereditary condition, especially an abnormal condition, existing at birth.
Chosen by Conor Betts (7BM)

Andy Briggs

Andy Briggs is the author of the very successful HERO.COM series and the VILLAIN.NET anti-series for Young Adults. He is also a screenwriter - working on numerous movies and TV shows both in the US and around the world for companies such as Paramount and Warner Bros. He is also moving to the other side of the table and is tackling the role of producer with two movies in development. Andy also writes comic books and is one to watch since he has secured the rights with the estate of Edgar Rice Burroughs to re-launch Tarzan with a brand new series of books, bringing the classic eco-warrior into the 21st century, 100 years after Tarzan first swung into our lives.

This May Andy took precious time out of his busy schedule to visit The Ravensbourne School to work with some of our Year 7, 8 and 9 students. Our students really enjoyed his visit, which was aimed at showing them they can all give writing a go. As one student said ‘Andy explained a lot about how he got from nowhere to famous and what it is like being an author.’ Many students were impressed by Andy’s star connections and enjoyed seeing the pictures of him in Hollywood. Most students seemed to enjoy the very noisy quiz Andy ran to work out if you were a hero or a villain, and many said they were inspired to write more following Andy’s visit. Let’s hope Tarzan does not take up too much of his time and Andy can visit us again some time soon. For information about Andy Briggs go to www.andybriggs.co.uk

Andy Briggs Feedback 7a1

I liked that we did a game, we could shout out, it was also very funny. Also Andy told us some stories about himself.

I thought the day was brilliant, he told us all about his life. He also told us how he got to be successful. Andy persuaded me that I can become an author. Andy described his book and me want to get it so I nagged my Mum to get them for me. The only thing he could have doe better was to let him ask some questions

I liked the fact that he came in and talked about his life and how he became a writer and ho his brother is a writer. My favourite part was the quiz. I ended up as a good guy. It was probably the best lesson I’ve ever had.

I thought it was really fun and I think he has inspired me to write something when I am older.

On that day we found out that there are hundreds of film sets everywhere. When films are actually made the buildings are really small. When you are a writer it is really easy to get distracted.

On that day we found out a lot about films, like where they are set, the people who made the film and I’ve found out about some of Andy Briggs’ books (hero.com and villain.net). At the end we had a quiz to see if you were a hero or a billion by choosing one of three answers for every question. At the end you added up your score.

The man explained a lot about how he got from nowhere to famous and what it is like being an author. He could improve it by saying what he does to make his books exciting and what he thought about us.

The good things about the day were the activities we did and seeing all the films that he showed us and the people that made the films. To improve we could have got to ask more questions.

I liked the session because we got to meet a real professional author who has been round the world. It was a really interesting session that was fun and enjoyable. To improve the session I think we could have tried to have more time so that we were able to ask him some questions about being an author. The best bit was when we saw pictures of him in Hollywood.

We had a session with Andy Briggs and I thought that it was going to be boring but when he entered the classroom we did lots of stuff. We did a quiz, we talked about books and he showed us pictures of himself in Hollywood within the studios.

The good thing about the outstanding lesson was he got me into writing because of that I write stories quite often and my handwriting is improving much more. To improve the lesson he could let us know a bit more about how he became a famous book writer.

I liked it because it was brilliant because we didn’t have to do any work or writing. I liked the way he told us about how writers are everywhere. I was annoyed with myself because I wanted to read them but I have another book going.

I really liked the session with Andy Briggs because he gave us lots of information about being a writer, he made us laugh and he told us some funny stories about his life in Hollywood. He showed us some pictures of different characters from movies and he gave us lots of information about his books and I really would like to read them.

He was a good author who had met loads of famous stars and been on the set of big movies like Terminator, Batman and many more other film sets. He has written may books for children, he has written books that are exciting and interesting. He also has a brother who has worked in the writing industry as well.

I enjoyed Mr. Briggs lesson because we didn’t write anything down and at the end we had a good quiz. I would like it if we had done more activities. My best part of the lesson was when he was telling us funny stories that had happened to him.

I thought that the session helped us to improve on our writing skills and was very fun as we got to do a fun quiz. I also liked that he shared pictures with us and showed us his books.

I liked the photos that he showed us. I liked one of the stories that he told us. I liked the bit at the end where we played a game to see if you evil or a hero or in between. I can’t think of anything to improve on.

Andy Briggs made me want to be writer/producer of anything. To improve the session he could have read us a bit of his book/s.

My thoughts on the session we had with Andy Briggs was good and interesting as we could relate to him about the things we watch or read. Also how he taught me about my writing skills and taught me that we need writers for most things such as TV programs, and books. I liked how he told us stories about his trips around the world with his brother and his pictures of Hollywood studios.

Good: He explained about his life as a writer and how important it is. He described his adventurous books. After his lesson I started writing a tragic story. It was fun and I really enjoyed it. Improvements: None.

He showed some books he wrote and he showed us where he works and what his job is. Improvements: Book selling (!), talk a bit more about his books and read from them.