Every year the Poetry Book Society awards the T S Eliot prize for Poetry, described by The Irish Independent as ‘the world’s top poetry award’. Ten collections of poetry, published that year, are shortlisted.
The shadowing scheme, run in partnership with emagazine, enables students to take part in shadowing the judges of this year’s prize. New this year, teachers are also invited to submit a review for the teachers’ prize.
How it Works
Two poems from each of the shortlisted collections will be available to download from this website.
Teachers who are exploring the poems with students can take advantage of a teachers’ guide which is available from the emagazine website.
The closing date for the student poll and the writing competition for both students and teachers is 17 December 2009 .
There are 3 elements within the scheme:
- Student writing competition: individual students can enter by writing a 500 word rationale for their choice of poet, explaining, on the basis of the sample poems, why they think that poet should win. The rationale should be sent by email to Barbara@englishandmedia.co.uk.
- Student poll: students can take part in the nationwide student poll by recording their individual choice on the emagazine website. Teachers who want to send in their class votes should email lucy@englishandmedia.co.uk with the breakdown of the voting.
- Teachers’ prize: teachers can also join in by writing a 500 word review of one of the shortlisted titles. Teachers entering this competition can take advantage of a special offer to buy a half-price copy of a shortlisted title from the Poetry Book Society by phoning 020 7833 9247 and quoting ‘T S Eliot Shadowing Offer’ once the shortlist is announced. Reviews should be sent by email to Barbara@englishandmedia.co.uk.
Prizes
The winners of both the student writing competition and the teachers’ prize will:
- Win two tickets to both the TS Eliot Prize Readings and Award Ceremony in January 2010
- Receive a full set of all 10 shortlisted collections
- Win a year’s subscription to emagazine and a year’s membership of the Poetry Book Society
The winner of the student writing competition will also have their rationale published in emagazine and in the Culture section of Guardian Online.
Two student runners up will have their rationale published in emagazine and win a year’s subscription to the magazine.
How to get involved
Click here to download the poems.
Join the PBS.
Go to the emagazine website for the teachers' guide and the student poll.
|
