Erin Knutt (Buie) moved to Australia from Canada 8 years ago settling in Byron Bay, NSW where she completed her Primary Teaching Degree.

Erin has been working with children over the last 15 years in a variety of settings including, coaching sporting teams, instructing at outdoor education facilities, teaching English in a remote school in Thailand, teaching in Primary schools and during the last three years teaching in the Special Needs Department of a local High School. Throughout this time Erin has enjoyed using her love of writing and her vivid imagination to create stories for the children she teaches to enjoy and learn from.

Duration: 1 hr
Suitable for:  Stage 1, or Stage 2

Workshop overview

Author, Erin Knutt and illustrator, Misa Alexander present a dynamic workshop where they use their picture book, Fergus & Delilah, to explore diversity and inclusion. Students will have the opportunity to explore the similarities and differences of the characters through life –sized props, discussion, illustrations and a bit of dance and music thrown in the middle. Students will then work alongside Misa as they draw their own characters and reflect on how they can be inclusive of others. Finally participants will make their own block head craft, complete with wires for hair, that they can take home or showcase at school!

Topics covered

• Differences and Similarities
• Character choices
• Inclusion
• Storyline
• Power of Illustrations

Curriculum outcomes

• Examine Literature
• Recognise similarities and differences in individuals and groups, and explore how these are celebrated and respected.
• Understand that people use different systems of communication to cater to different needs and purposes and many people may use sign systems to communicate with others.
• Explore ideas, experiences, observations and imagination to create visual artworks and design.

Duration: 45min -2 hrs
Suitable for:  Stage 2, Stage 3

Workshop overview

Erin Knutt is a children’s book author and special needs teacher. Erin’s workshops are highly engaging, imaginative and interactive. Students will challenge their norms to create diverse characters, which lead to inspiring storylines. Students will write a short narrative where their new characters have to overcome funny, peculiar and difficult situations to achieve the end result. Students love taking home their unique story to share with their friends and family.

Topics covered

• Character development
• Brainstorming & storyline creation
• Components of a narrative

Curriculum outcomes

• Text Structure and organisation
• Thinking imaginatively, creatively and interpretatively
• Expressing and developing ideas
• Examining literature
• Creating texts