I offer a range of bespoke workshops around writing, reading and thinking. I aim to help groups to broaden their horizons personally and intellectually and to develop the tools to express themselves critically and creatively. Using my 15 years of experience in UK Higher Education, I also offer workshops for universities, schools and charities around specific skills such as university application, preparing for life at university and choosing courses and paths of study. I am an an award-winning teacher and lecturer with a specialism in promoting equality and diversity in the classroom and supporting students who are differently abled or who have had non-traditional routes into education. I have taught at Newcastle University, Teesside University and UEA and have delivered workshops for National Centre for Writing, English PEN, the Northumberland Archives, GW4 Consortium (Exeter, Cardiff, Bath and Bristol Universities), Newcastle City Library, the London Library, the Contemporary Women’s Writing Network, and many more. I am fully DBS checked and am a fellow of Advance HE, which accredits teachers in Higher Education.
Sample Workshops
Making A Start At University
Drawing on my experience welcoming students to institutions across the UK, this workshop is aimed at sixthformers who plan to go to university but particularly at those who may be first generation university students. It aims to demystify those first few weeks, walking students through what to expect and how to prepare. It supports students to take advantage of the opportunities and challenges of HE settings in the UK and abroad.
Planning a Project
How do you begin to tackle a big writing or research project? How do you establish a research question? What might a methodology look like? This workshop helps you to take the first steps toward making your writing or research project a reality.
Using Archives
What do you need to consider before you undertake archive work? What should you expect from an archive and how can you make the best use of your time there? This workshop offers hints and tips to approaching the often alien space of the archive and helps you to make the most of your time.
The Feminist Essay
Aimed at young people, this workshop considers how different writers have used the essay form to disrupt norms in criticism and in politics. It attends to the shape and form of the essay and how feminist approaches have shaped and intervened in this. It culminates in beginning to craft your own feminist essay or your own creative intervention in the essay form.
Each workshop can be tailored to suit a range of audiences and can be delivered at school, university and for non-academic audience.
If you or your organisation is interested in a workshop do get in touch.
Testimonials
‘Katie is an expert communicator. When I worked with her the student demographic at Teesside was very diverse and with a very high proportion of first generation entrants to university. With Katie’s support and guidance the students consistently achieved their full potential: they were inspired, empowered and motivated. She received some of the best student feedback I’ve ever seen. I can’t recommend her highly enough!’
Dr Helen Davies, Senior Lecturer at University of Wolverhampton.
‘Katie’s classroom is organised around fun and engagement, never leaving anyone behind, and her enthusiasm and insights into the work are totally inspiring. Instilling confidence and curiosity into a wide range of students isn’t easy but Katie really makes it look like it is.’
Former Student, Newcastle University
Dr Katherine Cooper 