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Carl's childhood
in South Wales, coupled with
his family's Irish heritage
made a love of words inevitable.
An avid reader from a young
age, the local library supplied
his need for stories of all
kinds and opened up the worlds
of the Greek myths and Arabian
Nights. He found that he could
lose himself in these stories
of heroes, gods and genies and
returned to them repeatedly
over the years.
During his 27-year career as
a teacher of English in comprehensive
schools in Essex, it was his
love of stories, which helped
make him popular with his students.
"He brings a passion and
imaginative flair to his teaching
of literature" was one
comment on his teaching. Whether
teaching lower down the school,
or to "A" Level students,
Carl always attempted to engender
understanding and appreciation
in his students of the language
and images used by the writers. |
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After attending a course
in 1986 where he listened, for the first
time, to a storyteller Carl began to explore
telling for himself. This led to three different
schools using his skills as part of primary
liaison programmes. During his time as a
teacher, he ran storytelling workshops as
part of open days, ran an oracy in-service
training day for a special school, established
an oracy week at one school, a storytelling
day at another, visited a number of primary
schools and wrote a storytelling unit for
key stage 3 pupils, to be used by the English
department.
As a solo storyteller he has visited many
Schools in Essex with great success, both
telling stories and conducting workshops.
He is always willing to discuss ideas for
projects with teachers prior to his visit
and can often offer linked English work
based on his story sessions.
When not telling in schools Carl can be
seen in country parks, village and town
events, community groups and libraries.
In 2003, 2004 and 2005 he told stories as
part of The Essex Book Festival. For two
years he has told ay Milton Park near Cambridge
in their Parklife weekend. He is in demand
for such varied events as the Colchester
Festival, the Seafood Festival at Mersea
Island, Rowhedge Regatta, English Wine Weekend,
Halloween Storywalks, Education Outreach
and Summer Literacy workshops.
Carl has contributed to courses run by the
Essex Schools Advisory Service on a number
of occasions, working with both teachers
and parents. His years teaching mean that
the use of storytelling to aid learning
and understanding is a very important aspect
of his role as a storyteller. The joy and
inspiration he got as a child, and still
gets to this day, from stories has strengthened
his belief in their power not just to entertain,
but also to help us understand others and
ourselves.
Carl has been a member of The Society for
Storytelling since its inception, and is
a founder member of The Essex Storytellers
with whom he has performed all over East
Anglia. Essex Storytellers have organised
two storytelling festivals, performed in
pubs, schools, halls, theatres, libraries
and churches putting together appropriate
programmes for each occasion.
Every year since 2000 Essex Storytellers
have put together storytelling projects
based around Essex locations and history.
Organisations and funding bodies such as
Awards for All, The National Trust, Colchester
Council, Essex County Council and The Arts
Council have all given grants to these successful
projects.
As an Equity member, Carl has full public
liability insurance for performances. He
also has an enhanced CRB certificate. |
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