Debra Bertulis
Type of Artist:
Poet/Author
Poetry writing workshops inspired by a Class topic theme, or writing idea. Poetry to Music/Art workshops: Composing poetry inspired by music/Art, readings, activity. I am very flexible and am used to teacher liaison.
Details
Preferred age range:Reception-Year 8
Maximum number in any one session:
No maximum number for performances/assemblies. Workshops are best for class sized groups.
No of sessions per day:
Three
Session Length:
Sessions are usually timed around break times and lunch.
Areas prepared to travel to:
Anywhere as long as expenses are met.
Transport:
Train and car @45p per mile
Fees:
DBS/CRB:
I hold a current Enhanced DBS and am registered with the Update Service.
Hold PLI (public liability insurance):
Yes
Website:
Twitter:
@dbertulis
Titles include:
Where Do Wishes Go
Testimonials:
"Debra was an absolute pleasure to work with - from the perspective of both the students and staff alike. She had children from Year 4 to Year 8 spellbound with her poetry reading during assembly, and every student who left her wonderful workshops did so with a box full of new literary tools at their disposal. Kind, personable, and full of life, Debra was a real gift to have visit for the day."
Head of English, Eaton House Schools.
"We had the pleasure of welcoming Debra Bertulis to our school, and the experience was nothing short of inspiring. From the moment she stepped into the room, her energy and enthusiasm were contagious. Debra has a remarkable ability to connect with children, engaging them with vivid storytelling, lively performances, and a genuine zest for sharing the beauty of poetry.
Her interactive approach kept our students captivated from start to finish. Whether through creative writing exercises, recitations, or open discussions, Debra encouraged every child to find their voice and express themselves confidently. It was incredible to see students who were typically shy or reserved step forward, inspired by the warmth and encouragement they received.
What truly stood out was Debra's passion for nurturing young minds. She effortlessly created a welcoming environment where curiosity was celebrated, and no question was too small. Her ability to connect with children on their level made the visit unforgettable, leaving our students buzzing with excitement and a newfound appreciation for poetry.
We are incredibly grateful for Debra's visit and would highly recommend them to any school seeking to inspire creativity and ignite a love for language in their students."
John Scurr Primary School, Tower Hamlets
"Hereford Cathedral Junior School would like to thank Debra for her recent visit so close to World Poetry Day. Debra was amazing; she took on the challenge of working with every child in the school, from presentations and poetry sharing with the Pre-Prep children in Assembly, to age-appropriate workshops with each year group, not to mention a really inspiring Q&A session with a small group of poetry enthusiasts from Year 6 at lunchtime. The creative focus amongst the children was truly impressive and many of them produced some stimulating and genuinely reflective pieces of writing. In the end, we filmed some of them performing their own work as we wanted to inspire our parent body too! Thank you again Debra for coming to visit us and for sharing your love of poetry and words."
Hereford Cathedral Junior School
"Our KS2 children were thoroughly inspired to release their ‘inner poet’ when Debra visited us recently. Debra worked on bespoke sessions for our children, based on current learning topics; this completely ignited their enthusiasm and achieved fabulous levels of both engagement and enjoyment. Children were so empowered by their new-found confidence with poetry, many spent their lunchtimes performing their favourite poems to Debra; this really was heart-warming to see. Teachers were amazed at the flow of creativity across the classrooms and it certainly opened our eyes to our very own budding future poets. Thank you Debra, for such a memorable, delightful day."
West Heath Primary
''Debra was a fantastic visitor and an incredibly inspiring poet. From the start to finish of every workshop she was engaging, passionate and attentive. Debra was a natural when working with the children. She delivered differnet workshops to each age group and varied her content and approach accordingly. Each workshop included discussions about poetry they enjoyed, a chance to read and perform poems and an opportunity to compose their own poetry. What was really special baout Debra's visit was the way she connected with the children. She ensured each child felt seen and heard and opened up their minds to the fact that poetry does not need to be formally perfect or composed, that poetry can really be 'just the thoughts in your head'. This concept really freed the children and enabled them to write so openly and creatively. Afterward, all the children were buzzing with ideas and keen to keep writing. Moreover, in the lead up to her visit, Debra sent through a detailed plan of her day and was responsive and quick to adapt where needed. We couldn't recommend Debra more!'
Parkgate House School, London
'We asked Debra to come and visit our school for World Book day to inspire the children to enjoy listening to, performing and writing poetry. It was such an amazing day! Debra wasn’t even put off by our size – 5 classes in each year group. She performed to groups of 150 children throughout the day and even included small groups of children at lunchtime! Throughout the day, Debra had children wanting to talk to her about her poetry and share their favourite ones, even show her the poems they had written by the end of the day! She made time for every child and they loved it! Debra, we loved your visit, thank you for coming.
KS2 Lead, Fernwood Primary, Nottingham
At the start of the year, Debra visited our school and delivered a whole school assembly and Year 3 and 4 workshops. Debra's assembly suited all ages from reception to year 6 perfectly; she engaged all of the boys and had them laughing hysterically at her poems. Her workshops were designed specifically to suit the children's ages and abilities. In an hour, every child, no matter their ability, had created their own poem. The children were incredibly inspired and wrote some of the most beautiful poetry that we'd ever seen them write. Many of our children enjoyed purchasing and reading Debra's books and we have some copies in the library which are very popular.
Head of English, Guildford Prep School
'I just wanted to say a huge thank you for your visit to Pineham Barns. The staff and pupils really enjoyed the day. Pupils wanted to carry on with their poetry for the rest of the day! All of the children were so engaged and you created a real buzz! You were fantastic and the children loved your workshop! We hope to see you again next year.'
Teacher, Pineham Barns Primary School, Northampton.
On Thursday some of our gifted writers from Years 5 and 6 became poets for the day at a recent poetry writing workshop. They were given the opportunity to work with the highly accomplished, Debra Bertulis.
The day focused on poetry and performance poetry. The children learned about rhyme, rhythm and punctuation, and also discussed literary terms such as personification and alliteration. The day was lots of fun as well as very educational and the children looked at the importance of having fun with words and poetry. The children were given the opportunity to write freely using their own imaginations as far as possible.
During the day the children composed their own poems, edited and redrafted them and then shared them aloud with the group. Their outstanding work was really taken from the page to the stage!
(Our Lady of Fatima School, Birmingham)
Other information:
My performances are interactive, with lots of pupil engagement. I choose a variation of poetry styles and mood to highlight the diversity of poetry.