Education

Created and read by: members of the Collective Encounters Adult Theatre for Social Change group

Education Nightmare memories Awful cold school dinners Control, rules. Fighting, non-conforming. Structure. Brainwashed. State of the nation. When will it change?

Each morning I put on my mask to go to school. They say I'm here to learn. That it will shape my future.

Father was a great reader, mother a great writer, she had a fierce intelligence but did all she could to hide it.

I was bottom of the class at school, if I had, had a teacher that believed in me, where would I be? What would I have become?

Education Frustrating, worrying, challenging. Pressure. scary, satisfying. Understanding, realising, growing. Playing, exploring. Learning. I started after leaving school.

Evolving.
Enlightening

Stop trying to fit us all into the same box.

Some of us are explorers.

If I have an idea, I have to express it, my brain feeds on ideas, if it's not feeding it's starving and starvation as you know leads to death.

Here in this group, I found myself. Art is no longer a solitary pursuit. It multiplies when shared.

We stand on our own unaware of the power we collectively hold.

I don't want to be devoid of ideas, creating is ideas.

I remember the late 60s with the Merseybeat poets I used to read their poems at school. I recited a poem of Adrian Henri’s, and my friend accompanied me on the guitar.

I looked at Merseybeat books, it was my generation.

I went to performing arts college and I knew I belonged, I found myself mixing with all kinds of different people from different backgrounds, religions, ethnicities, sexuality.

I'm an artist, creativity is in my core, whatever I create is my own work of art, whether it's writing, making jewellery, crafting with my daughter.

There was a competition to write a play, my play was chosen, I was so proud.

I was bottom of the class before I learned to read, not very bright, I finally mastered reading and I've never looked back.

Since then, I've loved the theatre and arts, my children have performed, I've passed my love of it onto them.

I love opera, I love ballet, I love colours, I love the stage. I will use my art to protest, I want change and I want to be part of that change.

Learning. Lifelong. Experiencing, failing, retrying. Open to new ideas. Growing.

I can do anything and reach new heights now.

Frustrating, worrying, challenging.

I can do anything can reach new heights now. Playing, Exploring. Learning. I can do anything can reach new heights now.

Creativity Ideas. Connecting

Changing footsteps. Different paths in life.

You can go in any direction you want when you have an interest that is driving you have a love and passion for it.

Would you like to continue your learning journey? If so, what’s your next step?

If you would like to find out more about continuing education courses at the University of Liverpool, including those in English and Creative Arts, visit https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/continuing-education/