Education
I qualified as a history teacher in the late 1990s, and then spent the best part of a decade running projects that switched children on to books, buildings or history. That's why a lot of my writing has been for teachers, parents and young people. It's good to communicate ideas using clear language instead of dumbed down content.
Here's a small selection of my education work.
Gateway Gardens Trust: Bittersweet Exhibition
The Bittersweet Exhibition for the Gateway Gardens Trust (GGT) was launched in October 2008. I was responsible for researching and writing the text, whilst Barry Lowenhoff came up with the superb design. The display is a rich, visual depiction of the links between slavery, food and Wales.
As GGT Chairman Bettina Harden wrote after the launch:
"...the response has been tremendous. The Chairman of HLF said he never expected it to be as good, look so great and... relate such difficult issues to people's everyday lives. Thank you for pulling something tremendous out of the hat for us... [Dr] Chris Evans LOVED it and is really looking forward to having it at the University of Glamorgan Library over the winter when we don't do many visits; we will feature in the Big Issue with some of our ex-homeless guests on the visit from Dragon Arts - and their response was so enthusiastic. Finally, the Leader of the Vale of Glamorgan Council wants to get it on the Vale's website, so tremendously positive all round."
Gateway Gardens Trust: The Gateway Gazette
The Gateway Gazette is a 21st-Century take on what newspapers might have contained in 1792. Based on authentic newspaper sources, the Gazette was commissioned by the Gateway Gardens Trust for its Heritage Lottery Fund supported slavery and sugar project, Bittersweet. I wrote two versions: one for adults visiting historic gardens in Wales, and another for children. The children's version is pictured above.
Feedback from trialling the adult edition of the newspaper in July 2008 was extremely positive and proved how valuable professionally-produced resources can be for learners.
Fantastic and Brilliant. Really informative with catchy articles that have held peoples attention.
Loved the adverts. Fascinating to see what was available then.
It should be in libraries, so more people get the opportunity to read it.
It doesn't try to be too authentic, the coloured pictures make it more alive. If it was too realistic the print would have to be much smaller and just in black. Then it would be boring and it's not!!
Barbican Art Gallery: Teachers' Pack
I wrote this teachers' resource to accompany the Barbican's prestigious In the Face of History photographic exhibition. The pack was aimed at secondary history teachers, but was crammed with cross-curricular links and activities, as well as ideas for follow-up work in the classroom.
"Ben worked with me to produce a teachers' resource for the Barbican Art Gallery exhibition In the Face of History. His writing was excellent, he followed the brief carefully and had obviously spent a great deal of time preparing and considering the best way to approach the project. He worked according to a fairly tight schedule, produced work on time and was always easy to communicate with."
Anna Dent, Barbican Education Officer
Download the In the Face of History Teachers' Resource (PDF 1.7MB) »
Northampton Museums: Making It Teacher's Resource
Northampton Museums needed a teachers' resource at short notice to accompany Making It, a brilliant comic-book resource that explores themes of fashion, conformity, identity and belonging. My pack is full of activities that help both primary and secondary teachers use Making It across the curriculum, from citizenship to history, French to art.
A bit extra…
I've been working with Suffolk-based designer Barry Lowenhoff to offer writing, design and research services to the heritage, education, archives and museums sectors. Our joint consultancy is called History by Design.
Visit the site to see examples of our work. Barry and I also work either together or individually for a wide variety of clients in different sectors, so if you are interested in good design and crisp writing, then get in touch.