I have two events coming up in Bengaluru this week – a book launch tomorrow, and a reading workshop on Saturday. I hope to see you there! Book Launch at Atta Galatta, Koramangala, Bengaluru Date: 9th March 2017 Time: 5:30 pm Open to all! Reading Workshop at Kids Collective, Jayanagar, Bengaluru Date: 11th March 2017 […]
Writing Workshops at Gurukul School
The British Library invited me to conduct writing workshops for the fourth and fifth standard students of Gurukul School, and what fun it was! A student of mine introduced me to a lovely activity that I improvised for the fourth standard. I handed out sheets of paper to groups of children, and asked them to write […]
Workshops at Symbiosis International School
I love the concept of the language week that is held at Symbiosis International School. The students organised a language quiz; they explored the cultures associated with different languages; they had competitions … And I was invited my to conduct creative writing workshops for grade VIII. In November last year, I conducted reading workshops with grade […]
AFCC 2017
Last year, I attended the Asian Festival of Children’s Content for the first time because I was shortlisted for the Scholastic Asian Book Award. This year, I’ll be attending it again–as a speaker! I’m speaking as part of a panel discussion titled “Writing about Us”. Here’s a little about where the whole thing came from. […]
The Reading Challenge is Back!
The Reading Challenge is back at the British Library, Pune, and this time, the theme is ‘The Big Friendly Read’! Celebrating 100 years of Roald Dahl, we have a lovely collection of books as usual. Many feature Dahl characters that I fell in love with as a child, and of course, many others with the […]
Journeys with Shakespeare
When I was asked to speak about Shakespeare at a gathering of school principals and English teachers, I was more than a little nervous. I borrowed and read books; I watched DVDs about his life; I pulled out notes from my Master’s course on Shakespeare … And I enjoyed myself thoroughly! Reading about Shakespeare again made […]
The Puppy Who Wanted to Fly
I enjoyed reading this short, simple play by Caron Thomas, one of the girls at the Writers’ Club at St. Mary’s School. I’ve published it here for you to read (with her permission, of course). The Puppy Who Wanted to Fly Caron Thomas Characters Puppy Little bird Mommy Daddy Cat __ Scene I A warm […]
Reading Challenge at MIT Gurukul
Going back to a school at which I was once a teacher was a whole new experience for me! Despite all the reasons I quit, I couldn’t keep the smile off my face as I walked around the school. This time, I was not there an employee, but as an independent trainer from the British Council. Going to […]
Flickering Flames at the Pune International Literary Festival
The authors of Flickering Flames, an anthology of short stories and poems, were part of the Pune International Literary Festival (PILF) 2016! The young girls, all in the age-group 11-13, got the opportunity to read excerpts from their work at an event that welcomed a range of eminent speakers and writers. Of the thirteen members of the Writers’ Club at […]
Weekend Workshops at Bengaluru
The joy of travelling is when I can mix leisure with work. Last weekend was a long weekend, and in Karnataka, it was longer still because of Varralakshmi Poojai. Many were apparently traveeling, yet, several turned up for both workshops I conducted. At Atta Galatta, Koramangala, I conducted a creative writing workshop for the age-group 9-13. It […]
Creative Writing at Vidya Valley School
In the pouring rain, we made our way across the city to a school far, far away. It was beautiful. Greenery all around us, streams in the most unexpected places – this was not a part of the city I knew. I’d heard about Vidya Valley, and met a few students from the school at […]
Creative Writing Workshop in Bengaluru
Last year, I conducted a reading workshop at Atta Galatta, and I knew I had to go back there and do something else! The place is perfect, the ambiance charming and the children I met were lovely. So now it’s time to do something else, something new! Conducting the Writers’ Club at St. Mary’s School has […]
Reading Challenge at MGM Clover Dale
The Imagination Box, which I wrote about yesterday, as well as the books I’ll be writing about in the days ahead, were part of the Reading Challenge organised by the British Library. As always, I enjoyed myself thoroughly conducting a series of workshops at MGM Clover Dale High School in Aurangabad. The theme for their Reading Challenge […]
Author Visit
Yesterday, the Writers’ Club at St. Mary’s School welcomed Leela Gour Broome, author of Flute in the Forest and Red Kite Adventure. Mrs Broome introduced her two books and spoke to the children about the process of writing them. “I’m not a fan of fantasy,” she said when the children asked her what she reads. “I think […]
Workshop on Communicative English
The six-hour journey from Pune to Beed was lovely. I love travelling in the monsoon through pouring rain, looking at all the shades of green passing by. I love the hills in the rain. They’re so full of life, so different from the parched summer browns! My workshop last weekend was with Gurukul English School […]
Workshop at Mane’s International School, Ratnagiri
People on the road selling karvand, mangoes and jackfruit. The lilting language that makes me listen to the tune rather than the meaning. The dark sand and the crashing waves. Joy! And Mane’s International School was beautiful. It’s a small school as of now, just a baby. There are mango trees everywhere, and the principal spoke […]
Storytelling Workshop at Palm Groves
A group of parents got together and invited me to conduct a weeklong storytelling workshop at a housing society. Storytelling has never been more fun! Working with my own stories is a lovely experience in itself, and when the story comes with its own kit … The enjoyment reaches new levels! Here’s a group of children […]
Record Breakers at Cathedral Vidya School
Another set of Reading Challenge workshops came to an end yesterday. This time, the theme was ‘Record Breakers’, and the school that took it on was Cathedral Vidya School, Lonavala. Working with fifteen bright children from classes five to eight filled me with joy! Lipograms and pangrams brought much hilarity … The activity started in all seriousness and then […]
Travel the World: A Journey through Stories
I’m conducting a storytelling workshop this weekend at the British Library, Pune. Overview Every culture creates its own stories: to entertain young children, to teach them, and to attempt to explain the world. Through interactive storytelling, this workshop will give young children a glimpse of different cultures, allowing them to taste a little of the world! Day One […]
Reading and Writing Workshops at SGI, Kolhapur!
I spent three days at Sanjay Ghodawat International School, Kolhapur, and conducted a series of reading and writing workshops with 204 children as part of the British Library’s Reading Challenge programme. We worked on myths from around the world, read aloud Fragoline and the Midnight Dream and George and the Dragon, played with idioms, wrote stories … What fun it […]