Crime Story: Luke and Brenda Taylor teach creative writing through crime scene investigations to Dubbo students

A former detective turned teacher engages students in creative writing through crime scene investigations. Here’s how he does it.

Former NSW Police detective who is now an English teacher with a Masters of Writing, Luke Taylor, combines crime scene analysis with creative writing to engage students across the state.

Crime Story founder Mr Taylor and his wife Brenda attended St John’s College Dubbo earlier this week to teach students creative writing through “experimental literacy”, where children are “investigating a crime” presented by various workshops.

“As they go through their investigation, students will learn the difference between observations and inferences and that becomes a part of their deeper imagery,” Mr Taylor said.

“All the techniques they are going to use can be broken down into basic steps that can be applied anywhere else, particularly for the HSC.

“When we talk about sensory imagery, we’re getting them to actually pick up and feel, touch, smell and taste to describe what it feels like to get into that deeper imagery we use when we are writing.”

Crime Story founder Luke Taylor. Photo: Supplied.

Dubbo students are engaging with creative writing through Luke and Brenda Taylor's Crime Story workshops. Photo: Supplied.

Dubbo students are engaging with creative writing through Luke and Brenda Taylor's Crime Story workshops. Photo: Supplied.

Dubbo students are engaging with creative writing through Luke and Brenda Taylor's Crime Story workshops. Photo: Supplied.

Mr Taylor said students were expected to complete the two scenarios and take notes during the workshop to continue the “natural dialogue” when they were writing.

He said his passion of working in police interested his students, so he merged his education with experience for students to solve and create their own stories.

Dubbo students are engaging with creative writing through Luke and Brenda Taylor's Crime Story workshops. Photo: Supplied.

Crime Story founders Luke and Brenda Taylor. Photo: Tijana Birdjan.

He told The Dubbo News he is excited to deliver his program in Dubbo as he understands “how hard” it is for regional areas to get access to educational resources.

“Get the kids out of their seats, particularly in English and get them exploring and detailing their observations, and then you put a bit of grammar in there and the world has changed for them,” he said.

As a HSC marker, Brenda said Mr Taylor knows what students need in the craft of writing “so he is able to target exactly what is needed”.

She said the program has received positive feedback from students and teachers across the state.