Gervase Phinn

Gervase Phinn (born 27 December 1946 in Rotherham, Yorkshire) is an English author and educator. After a career as a teacher he became a schools inspector and, latterly, Visiting Professor of Education at the University of Teesside.

He has published four volumes of autobiography, collections of poetry and a number of books about education. He has a particular interest in children's literature and literacy and is widely known as a lively and entertaining speaker.

He is married with four grown-up children.

Career

Professor Gervase Phinn taught in a range of schools for fourteen years before becoming an education adviser and school inspector. He is now:
* a freelance lecturer, broadcaster and writer
* President of the School Library Association for 2006-2009
* a consultant for the Open University
* Honorary Fellow of York St John University
* Doctor of Letters of the University of Leicester
* Fellow and Visiting Professor of Education at The University of Teesside.

Publications

He has published many articles, chapters and books and edited a wide range of poetry and short story collections.

His academic texts include:
* "Young Readers and their Books", published by David Fulton
* "Touches of Beauty: Poetry in the Primary School and Reading Matters"

He has published collections of his own plays, poems, picture books and short stories, including his anthologies of verse:
* "Classroom Creatures"
* "It Takes One to Know One"
* "The Day Our Teacher Went Batty"
* "Family Phantoms"

Books of stories for children:
* "What's the Matter, Royston Knapper?"
* "Royston Knapper: The Return of the Rogue"
* "Our Cat Cuddles" (a picture book)

Novels

Gervase Phinn is probably best known for his best-selling autobiographical novels, many of which he has read as talking books:

The Dales Series

* "The Other Side of the Dale"
*"Over Hill and Dale"
*"Head Over Heels in the Dales"
*"Up and Down in the Dales"
*"The Heart of the Dales"

Associated Books

*"A Wayne in a Manger"

Television and radio appearances

*Esther (BBC1)
*Midweek (BBC Radio 4)
*You and Yours (BBC Radio 4)
* Open House with Gloria Hunniford (ITV)
*North East Tonight (Tyne Tees Television)
* The Today programme (BBC Radio 4)
*Calendar (Yorkshire Television)
* Breakfast Television (BBC1)
*(BBC World Service)
*The Heaven and Earth Show (BBC 2)
*The Des O'Connor Show (LWT)
*Quote Unquote (BBC Radio 4)
*Look North (BBC 1)
*The Big Toe Radio Show (Radio 7)
* Just One Chance (BBC 2)
*Book at Bedtime (BBC Radio 4)
*Book of the Week (Radio 4)
*A Good Read (BBC Radio 4)

Honours

In 2004 Gervase Phinn received "The Speaker of the Year Award" from the Association of Speakers' Clubs. "Up and Down in the Dales", won the Customer Choice Award at the Spoken Book Awards.

In 2005 the highest academic award of Sheffield Hallam University, Doctor of the University (D.Univ.) was conferred upon him by the Chancellor, Professor Lord Winston.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

He is an Honorary Fellow of the English Speaking Board.

References

* [http://www.penguin.co.uk/nf/Author/AuthorPage/0,,0_1000048132,00.html?sym=BIO "Gervase Phinn", "Penguin UK Authors"] Retrieved November 29 2005.

External links

* [http://www.gervase-phinn.com Official web site]