Adventures in Creative Writing L2: From Fantasy Picture to Descriptive Story
What's included
1 live meeting
50 mins in-class hours per weekHomework
There is no official homework, but each student will be encouraged to add their scene description to our classroom and respond to the other students throughout the week.Assessment
I give gentle, positive feedback on each learner's writing. For those using Google Docs, I can see their work and comment on grammar, spelling, and story elements. I will likely comment on the imagery, figurative language, mood, narration, characterization, conflict, suspense, structure, or story arc for those who share orally. I may ask the class what they think will happen next in the story or their mood. I am responsive to questions about spelling and diction and help provide story starters or advice during the writing time.Class Experience
US Grade 3 - 5
⭐All learners are welcome! This class is loved by diverse learners, including struggling writers, enthusiastic writers, ESL learners, Autistic, and persons with ADHD, dyslexia and dysgraphia! ⭐Learners are welcome to type or write by hand. ⭐New learners are always welcome! ⭐Subscriptions renew every Sunday (like all ongoing classes.) ⭐Ask about sibling, friend, and loyalty discounts! ⭐Coupon codes below! ⭐Continue for as long as you want (and drop out when you need to.) ⭐Your encouraging messages and reviews help motivate me to continue creating new content! These classes are fantastic for learners who need some inspiration for their stories since much of the class time is spent on brainstorming to get the creative juices flowing! There will be a new fantastical illustration to describe each week. Since there is a new picture each week, new students are welcome to join these ongoing creative writing sessions at any time! Each week is an independent practice session. Each class will follow the same format. We will talk about the illustration and work together to brainstorm story ideas and list sensory adjectives and phrases using the five senses. This brainstorming will take the majority of the class (twenty to thirty minutes) to address two common writing problems: 1) What should I write? 2) How can I bring it to life? Then, I will share one short passage from a book or a poem each week to illustrate how an author can bring their description to life with figurative language, like imagery, simile, metaphor, onomatopoeia, alliteration, or personification. For ten or so minutes, each learner will write either a description or a short story inspired by the picture. They will be encouraged to weave in words and phrases from our brainstorming. While I will provide a Google Doc for each learner (so I can monitor their progress and make suggestions for their stories), learners are also welcomed to write their stories by hand. During this time, I will make some oral comments to learners who are using Google Docs (since I will be able to see their writing) to guide them on adding imagery, clarifying ideas, and editing grammar. Finally, each class concludes with ten minutes for sharing their writing. The learners do not need to be done writing their stories to share and the feedback is entirely positive, which may focus on word choice, descriptiveness, figurative language, creativity, characterization, mood, or suspense. (The creative writing will be started in class, and although there is limited writing time, learners are welcome to develop their descriptions/stories and respond to each other in our classroom throughout the week but there will not be any official homework.) Then, of course, at the beginning of the next week, I will share a new illustration as we head out into a new fantasy world! ▶️Due to rising costs and lower enrollment, I have had to increase my prices. This is consistent with Outschool's current recommendations. However, I am dedicated to finding a solution for all families! Do reach out to me if your learner would like to take my class and you need a discount. I can set up pay-what-you-can plans. ▶️If you are able to pay the current fee, I thank you for your support since I work hard to provide creative, inspiring content while balancing the challenges of living with disability and chronic illness. Thank you! TRIAL CLASS Try it out for $1! Use coupon code BELLGFANTASYTRIAL19 MONTHLY SPECIALS! Get an $8 class using BELLGFANTASYJUNE12 until June 30, 2024. Get an $8 class using BELLGFANTASTYJULY12 in July 2024. Get an $8 class using BELLGFANTASYAUGUST12 in August 2024. Get an $8 class using BELLGSEPTFANTASY12 in September 2024. Get an $8 class using BELLGOCTFANTASY12 in October 2024. Get an $8 class using BELLGNOVFANTASY12 in November 2024. Get an $8 class using BELLGDECFANTASY12 in December 2024.
Learning Goals
Students will improve their understanding of the writer's toolbox, including imagery, simile, metaphor, personification, alliteration, hyperbole, and onomatopoeia, through group brainstorming, discussion of creative writing examples, and individual practice. Each student will build up their writer's voice, as they focus on diction, syntax, figurative language, and stylistic choices to describe a scene with a consistent mood.
Other Details
Learning Needs
This class is creative and follows the same structure each time, so it is a hit with many neurodivergent learners. There are also no extensive writing requirements and we use Google Docs. Dysgraphic and reluctant writers embrace it.
Supply List
Each student should have a notebook and pencil or a computer/device to compose their descriptions.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Teacher expertise and credentials
2 Degrees
Bachelor's Degree in English from University of Windsor
Associate's Degree in English from Canadian College of Educators
Hi! My name is Alaina Bell Gao, and I am an experienced Canadian English teacher with 15+ years of professional teaching experience. As a dedicated, creative, gentle, and patient neurodivergent teacher, many neurodiverse learners thrive in my classes, including those with ADHD, OCD, Autism, anxiety, and dyslexia. Additionally, I have experience working with gifted and 2E learners, many of whom have thrived in my classes. Finally, I am trained and experienced in teaching English as a second and foreign language and welcome international learners!
Teaching Style:
● Share the joy of learning
● Learn with my learners
● Welcoming class culture
● Patient and cheerful nurturer/encourager
● Passionate, fun, creative, and imaginative
● Interactive and engaging (with flexible requirements and accommodations)
● Inquiry and experiential teaching
● Creative projects and enrichment activities
● Academic deep dives with critical thinking
● Multidisciplinary real-world and culture-centred lessons
● Social-emotional connections
● Literature and writing specialty
● Unique content (self-designed)
● Passionate discussion, storytelling, games, projects, and activities
In the words of Antoine de Saint-Exupery, I teach students “to long for the endless immensity of the sea" to stimulate a desire for learning in an encouraging and fun environment. To this end, I consciously model a lifestyle of endless learning.
Professional Highlights:
● Teaching English literature and history at a top-ranking national exemplary Sino-American high school in China
● Tutoring gifted students in critical thinking, close reading, literary analysis, and essay writing
● Teaching college English and launching their social and cultural anthropology course
● Teaching English language learners (English as a second/foreign language; TESL/TEFL certified)
● Guiding AP English Language and Literature, IELTS, and TOEFL learners to success
● Teaching Chinese history and culture for a Chinese cultural association and in schools
● Developing specialized programs for student needs so struggling learners could thrive
● Developing curriculum for private use and for organizations
● Writing children's historical and cultural books
● Authoring a textbook on project-based learning (Teacher's Discovery)
● Authoring a high school English textbook (Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press)
● Performing as a Department of Tourism Management voice actor and for the exam board
● Teaching beginner readers with games and activities
● Transforming reluctant readers and writers into confident ones
● Leading book clubs and literature circles
● Transforming learner perceptions of poetry and close reading
● Facilitating the yearbook and drama clubs
● Connecting with learners from around the world
As you can see, I work with learners of all ages and abilities. I have much experience supporting learners in achieving academic and personal success, whether that is entering an Ivy League university, a gifted education program, passing an IB or AP English course/exam, reading branches and early chapter books with excitement, reading a novel with comprehension, learning to love reading for the first time, gaining the confidence to express themselves, overcoming personal barriers to success, picking up a pencil to write and to write with passion, voicing their emotions and experiences powerfully, or completing a large project for the first time. I celebrate every success!
My classes are very creative and interactive, with an encouraging, caring, stimulating, and inspiring environment, which is full of thought-provoking questions, deep discussions, meaningful connections, social-emotional reflections, interdisciplinary learning, and an international worldview. For most of my classes, we take time to savour the literature and I host plenty of engaging literature circles and book clubs, with an increasing range of multicultural novel options, in addition to the classics and Newberry award winners.
My classes are an enthusiastic deep dive into literary appreciation, close reading, and literary analysis without overwhelming the learners with heavy terminology. (I still incorporate references to figurative language, as well as the reader's response, formalist, historical, socio-cultural, and archetypal lens into my lessons, but this is done in a way that the learners can grasp, even without prior training.) Annotation and research skills are a focus in many classes, too. Additionally, I often talk about the power of a learner's choices and the impact those choices will have on their audience. This is to encourage an awareness of the creative process and of themselves as writers, poets, artists, and creators.
As for social studies, I am fascinated by people and cultures, as I am by stories and histories. Although I am Canadian, I lived in China for ten years, integrated into the culture, studied the history extensively, learned Mandarin, and started an educational not-for-profit organization with my Chinese husband. I am an experienced educator and am trusted by Chinese parents, the Chinese Association of Mississauga, and local teachers to teach Chinese history and culture. I also have friends and connections within many other cultures, so building up global awareness, cultural competence, and empathy is important to me!
Additionally, I care about each learner's well-being, so learners are welcome to bring a snack, drink, or fidget spinner to class if that will help and won't be a distraction to others. Learners are also welcome to take stretching breaks. Please reach out to me for any concerns or accommodations. Also, I have recently raised my prices at Outschool's recommendation (smaller class sizes and inflation), but I want to make this work for you! Do reach out to me if you are interested in one of my classes and are in need of a coupon.
Finally, I am an experienced and passionate educator, but I also live with chronic illness and a disability, which means that I greatly appreciate your support. This is my main job and I can only do it thanks to fabulous parents like you! Thank you! So, what are you looking for? Let me know! I would be happy to accommodate you, if possible! I look forward to hearing from you soon!
Reviews
Live Group Class
$20
weekly1x per week
50 min
Completed by 216 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 8-12
1-6 learners per class