14-  Wednesdny November 2, 1988 - Capiiane Chronicle

Students learn from the writing pros

OVER 100 Handsworth students recently had the opportu-
nity to hear about the ins and outs of a writing career at
Writing in the 90s, the first-ever conference of its kind held

in a North Shore school.

Organized by Handsworth li-
brarian and creative writing teach-
er Lillian D’Acres, the Oct. 7 con-
ference featured what she. calls
“current, on-the-job’’ local
writers, who shared their knowl-
edge with the students through lec-
tures and smalier workshops.

D’Acres said she thinks it is
essential for students to see the
realities behind the literature that
is being written locally. Also, she
said, ‘‘l wanted to bring in the

e' oto Testy Pel ry

DAVID HAUKA, above, was one of the local writers who shared his
expertise with Handsworth students at their recent Writing in the ’90s
conference. Hauka, 2 screenwriter, joined Alan Twigg, Crawford Kilian
and Don Hunter in making presentations and leading workshops.

Handsworth teacher

HANDSWORTH SECONDARY
School teacher Bill Kokoskin was
presented the Outstanding Teacher
Award for 1988 from the B.C.
Association of Mathematics
Teachers,

The North Vancouver math
teacher is well known for his
dedication and enthusiasm in the

classroom. His grade 12 Algebra
students have consistently scored
above the provincial and district
averages on the province-wide final
exam.

Kokoskin developed and piloted -.

the now provincially prescribed In-
troductory Algebra 11 course, and
his textbook for the course has

B.C. writers because we often
don’t pay much attention to very
gifted, talented people that are in
our midst.”’

Until recently, D’Acres had been
able to host only the occasional
writer or publisher to speak to her
classes. This year, bowever, the
Ministry of Education has expand-
ed its Artists in the School funding
program to include writers.

“When I saw this happen in
August, J immediately organized
the conference,”’ she said.

However, upon approaching the
scnool district for the necessary
funding, she was told all available
money had been earmarked for
other projects. Undaunted, Hand-
sworth administrators decided to
cover the $200 fees for the four
writers who attended, and ap-
proach the ministry for reim-
bursement after the workshop.

Vancouver writer Alan Twigg,
who spoke to the students about
writing and publishing in B.C. and
led a workshop on freelance writ-
ing, agrees that funding should be
made available to allow more in-
teraction between writers and stu-
dents.

“1 think it’s far better for
money to be spent on these
smaller, less-public educational
forums in schools, than on more
high-profile, glitzy. events,’’ he
said. ‘‘(Although) more glamorous
forms of entertainment are more
obvious activities to have in
schools...I think the educational
value of kids being able to talk to
living, breathing writers is very
high.”

Twigg, who has done a number
of school lectures, said the Hand-
sworth conference was ‘‘one of the
most progressive atmospheres I've
encountered.’”

Students were also able to attend
a workshop with Crawford Kilian,
author and Capilano College in-
structor, who critiqued individual

’ students’ works and read from one

of his own science-fiction novels.

““P'd never heard an author read
his own work before,”’ said Grade
12 student Irene Ma. ‘‘He made it
more interesting.”’

Script writing for television and
screen writing were also explored
with TV writer Don Hunter and

honored

recently been published.

This year Kokoskin is teaching 2
new course in calculus.. He has
over the years given workshops on
teaching mathematics to other
teachers and has served on several
committees for the Ministry of
Education. .

AiR aera

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screen writer/producer David
Hauka.

D’Acres said the reaction of the
students, who ranged from Grades
8 through 12, was very positive.

“It was very interesting,’ said
Grade 12 student Scott Clark.
“Everyone came out positive, that
I talked to.”

Clark says he hopes to be a
journalist, although he can also see
himself as a writer of fiction.

Although Ma said she doesn’t
plan to be a writer, her friends that
do all ‘‘found the workshop really
helpful.”’

One thing the potential writers
did learn, said D’Acres, is that
“the arts don’t pay, and all the
writers told them that. There was
nothing hidden.”

D’Acres says about her own
senior writing classes: ‘‘l teach
everything they would need to

know if they were going out there
with the book under their arm to
market it for publishing.”’

In the two classes and one indi-
vidual session held each week, stu-
dents write for contests and liter-
ary magazines, and at the end of
the year write, illustrate and bind
their own children’s book — some
of which -have qualified for
publishing.

Students also give formal
readings of their works to
classmates and invited guests, and

“D*’Acres promises a party each

time someone gets an award or
honorable mention in a writing
contest.

**There’s so much talent there,
and it’s never ever been drawn
upon in the school system,’’ she
said. ‘‘I treat them as authors right
from the first day.’’

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