YOUNG writers have been discovering the hidden joys of Okehampton and training themselves to view the world differently. Last week saw 15 gifted and talented year 9 students from Okehampton College spend two days away from other lessons to help further their skills in creative writing. Their workshop sessions were led by author and poet, Colin Macfarlane and Okehampton College English teacher, Kate Diffey. This is the third year running the event has taken place and has helped the students build on their creative writing skills and engage in different ways of learning. Mr Macfarlane works across the country in education as a specialist with able, gifted and talented students. He said: 'The two days have been a complete pleasure. The kids are really responsive and it is a great environment to work in and a great place to do poetry. 'The kids are genuinely keen and the quality of the poetry and their unusual ideas have been exceptional.' The students spent time in Simmons Park studying the fun fair that was in situ at the time, and considering how it contrasts to the natural beauty of the park. They were learning how to write haiku, a Japanese form of poetry that is three lines long and places great focus on different syllables, sound echoes and philosophical thought. To do this effectively they examined different techniques, such as alliteration and assonance, as well as discovering the fundamental beauty in the power of observation. Year 9 student, Gareth Williams, said: 'It has helped us see a complex depth to poetry that is not just everyone's conception of conventional rhyming.' Fellow student, Diggory North, added: 'We learned how to discover in depth meanings of simple things and how to see things from a different perspective.' The students said the two days had taught them different ways to find inspiration and ideas. Alongside this they learned new techniques to express their views, and feelings as well as ways to find deeper meanings in the every day world when time is taken to stop and thin about it. More than three quarters of the class expressed a desire to pursue writing either in higher education or as a career.
