Drawing On Previous Learning

An eclectic collection of poems from the unique perspective of a poet who has spent much of his life at the hard edge of education.

These poems reflect the emotions and experience of being a teacher as well as the thoughts and feelings about everything that externally impinges on the role of educators. While the collection will have broad appeal to fellow practitioners, it will also resonate with anyone and everyone who has attended school.

Mike Ferguson’s poems about teaching and examining were written over a 30 year period as an English teacher, and over 35 years as an examiner of English Literature at GCSE level. The eclecticism comes not only from reflecting over a long period of time but, more pertinently, on a varying focus of style and the experiences themselves.

Ferguson’s most recent writing is almost exclusively ‘experimental’ in vein. A small core of poems are sonnets. A number of poems air the poet’s political and critical views on education.

Author Biography

Mike Ferguson is a writer and blogger. Previous publications include
The Lonesomest Sound (Knives Forks and Spoons Press, 2019), Aeons of Upheaval (Trainwreck Press, 2020) and Precarious Real (Maquette Press, 2016). His work has been regularly published in International Times and Stride Magazine. Since leaving the world of teaching behind, he has devoted his time to writing, mainly poetry, with four published collections and regular publication in online poetry magazines.

He also writes two personal blogs: ‘gravyfromthegazebo’ which features poetry and also commentaries on education, especially as this relates to teaching English; ‘copycatter’ which contains exclusively creative writing ideas for students [and any writers!], including regular materials for National Poetry Day.