Peter Dixon is a poet, performer, and educationalist. His poetry and outlook centres on the potential of human imagination – and the importance of learning being enjoyable and rewarding.
Peter and friends
Peter grew up in London during the Blitz, and readily admits to being a rather naughty boy whose schooling was far from successful. Having failed at spelling and understanding of word, form and grammar, he tended to write secretly at home, drawing and writing of things largely ignored by schools.
More or less by accident he became a school teacher and eventually a senior lecturer in education. Still mystified as to how all of this happened, over the course of the last 30 years Peter has been a full time children’s writer and educational consultant. His first book was published in 1978 and he has written and painted fairly steadily ever since. Whilst living in Winchester, Hampshire, with his family and tortoises, he has contributed to over 100 poetry anthologies and has had seven collections of his own work published by Macmillan, including Grow Your Own Poems, Lost Property and Peter Dixon’s Grand Prix of Poetry.
As a broadcaster and media contributor Peter has worked on shows for the BBC and commercial channels, from Poetry Please to Learning History Through Paintings. In the 1980s he was a guest presenter and performer on the BBC’s Pebble Mill and wrote for the channel’s popular Jackanory series. He was a panellist on BBC2′s The Education Show, has appeared on Radio 4′s Woman’s Hour and The Archive Programme, and has written for children’s programme Bear Behind and also for The Fast Show.
A hugely entertaining keynote and after dinner speaker, Peter’s experiences, outlook and style of delivery are guaranteed to captivate audiences and generate many talking points.
Amidst a range of poems and anecdotes, he blasts a stream of ideas geared to inspire the willing and enthuse the weary. He has spent the last decade attempting to re-establish the concepts of childhood and creativity in primary schooling; taking the message from Sidcup to Cyprus, from Chatsworth to China and from Bangkok to Basingstoke.
As a former primary school teacher and senior lecturer at Winchester University, Peter is well suited to working with large groups and small classes – and is particularly at ease operating within the realm of the education system. His regular columns for EYE Magazine have won plaudits from a growing band of admirers of his irreverent but poignant style.
In addition to being included in over 100 anthologies, Peter has had seven collections of his own work published by Macmillan. In 2008 Peter’s poetry collection The Colour Of My Dreams was used as the basis for an album of songs by former Razorlight drummer-turned-solo-star Andy Burrows, released through Universal Records in aid of Naomi House Children’s Hospice.
He has spent the last decade attempting to re-establish the concepts of childhood and creativity in primary schooling; taking the message from Sidcup to Cyprus, from Chatham to China and from Bangkok to Basingstoke.
His up-front and sometimes controversial commitment to the ‘child-centred’ approach to Early Years teaching makes him a popular and entertaining educational conference speaker.
Much feedback from Peter’s appearances at educational events and seminars has referred to a reminder of why individuals joined the teaching profession in the first place. For this reason Peter’s talks, discussions and works are of great value to educational specialists.
Peter is also a prolific visual artist whose paintings have developed something of a cult following, with a number of galleries in London and the South of England showcasing his distinctive work on a regular basis.
In 2008 Peter’s poetry collection The Colour Of My Dreams was used as the basis for an album of songs by former Razorlight drummer-turned-solo-star Andy Burrows, released through Universal Records in aid of Naomi House Children’s Hospice.
Peter’s interests include scuba diving, visits to Medway and Dorset, old artefacts and Southampton FC, whilst his dislikes include David Blunkett, Arsenal, and line dancing.
