David Harmer has a wealth of educational expertise.
He was a very successful teacher for 14 years, then became a head teacher for a further 15 years.
He trained as a drama specialist and during his teaching career kept up to date with current thinking in that area, including two years on a course leading to an A.D.B.Ed.
David first performed poetry with John Turner, Martyn Wiley and Ian McMillan in the performance group Circus of Poets.
For the last fifteen years he has worked with Paul Cookson in their very popular poetry double act Spill The Beans.
After 29 years at the chalk face of primary education, the last ten of which saw a rise in demand for him to deliver inset to teachers and workshops to children in poetry, prose and drama, David decided to change occupation in 2003.
During this time, David also has become a well-established poet, performer and writer, appearing in over 130 books of children's poetry as well as some collections of short stories.
He has edited a number of children's collections for Macmillans. He also has collections of poetry for adults, but his real passion is the development of children as writers.
This change of occupation has not only allowed David to spend time in many, many schools and educational establishments across the country, but also to remain up-to-date with Government thinking and educational research.
He has lead inset for local authorities, individual schools, conferences and theatres, focusing on writing of both poetry and prose and developing literacy and oracy through high quality drama.
All reviews have been very positive and David is often booked a second, third or fourth time. Indeed, many of his schools are now regulars, with repeat annual bookings.
Following his own MA in creative writing from Sheffield Hallam University, David is now employed on a part-time basis as Module Leader in Teaching Writing For Children on the same MA. This means he has constant contact with contemporary children's literature and cultural references.
David Harmer was born in Kent in 1952. His family moved to South Yorkshire when he was 13, where he has lived ever since.
He studied at Bede College Durham and then did a BA with the Open University. In 2000 he gained an MA in Creative Writing from Sheffield Hallam University, where he now works part-time.
He lives in Doncaster with his wife Paula, their daughters Lizzie and Harriet and Blossom the Shar Pei. When he isn't working, David enjoys reading, listening to a wide variety of music (especially Bob Dylan), watching Sheffield United and spending time with family and friends.
Appearing
Newcastle (18th), Sunderland (19th)
Author Website
David Harmer
Publisher
Macmillan Children's Books
Recommended Reads
 |
The Truth About Parents Macmillan Children's Books 978-0330477338 Do you ever worry about what goes on inside your parents' heads? Then these poems are for you! Find out exactly what - if anything - makes them tick. Dad's Pants - Dad's pants are so embarrassing. Dad's pants give us a fright. And when they're on the washing line they block out all the light. |
 |
The Truth About Teachers Macmillan Children's Books 978-0330447232 "Do you ever worry about what goes on inside your teacher's head? Then these poems are for you! Find out exactly what - if anything - makes them tick (besides marking your homework). It's a definite sign. Our dinner lady Mrs Mack is well in love with Mr Fipps. Because at every dinner time, she winks and smiles when he's in line and gives him extra chips." |
 |
Read Me Out Loud Macmillan Children's Books 978-0330446211 "Read Me Out Loud" contains a poem for every day of the year from the very best modern and classic poets. There are raps, performance poems, chants, playground rhymes, action verses, poems to join in with, choral poems, poems from different cultures, monologues, dialogues, poems for a series of voices, songs, playlets, loud poems and quiet poems, poems with sound effects and poems with actions you can read them any way you want as long as it is Out Loud! This work includes poems from James Carter, Lewis Carroll, Charles Causely, Paul Cookson, David Harmer, Roger McGough, Gareth Owen, Roger Stevens, Nick Toczek, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Kit Wright and many, many more. |
 |
Pirate Poems Macmillan Digital Audio 978-0330451819 Meet Calico Kate and her cut-throat Crew, learn twelve ways of walking the plank, find out about the buried treasure of spyglass Island and Blackbeard's ghost in this splendid volume of swashbuckling verse. |
