Jacinta Read
I count myself as living proof that obstacles can be overcome when supportive grown-ups harness the power of good storytelling.
As a child with undiagnosed neurodivergence and learning difficulties, I did poorly at school. Fortunately, my parents had a relentless belief in me. They read to me daily and hammered home the message that grades did not equate education. Their patience and unwavering encouragement instilled in me a love of literature, and the permission I needed to claim my right to creative expression. This I did wholeheartedly through dance, art and writing.
I was an enthusiastic diarist and letter writer, always hoping my ideas would distract readers from my terrible spelling! The goal became to find the ways that worked best for me and the way my brain was wired. I managed to survive school and earned a BA in Fine Arts (chosen because I believed it to be the degree that involved the least amount of “serious” reading and writing). After becoming a parent I felt a deep need to set the best possible example I could for my two children. I embarked on further studies and in 2018 I graduated from Goldsmiths, University of London, with a PhD in creative writing.
I’ve had the privilege of teaching my subject in formal and informal settings, to people of all ages. I adore the creative arts and my professional experience includes running a dance studio, a craft market, and working as a children’s book illustrator.
Most recently, I have been preparing to return to home-educating my own children. They are 10 and 12 and have had a mix of homeschool and regular school. We are a multicultural family. I am Chinese/Welsh, born and raised in Hong Kong, completed my schooling in Australia, and now living in Oxford, England.