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$170

for 10 classes
Class

Creative Writing Workshop I for Ages 14-18: Sci-Fi, Adventure and Eerie

New class
Ages 14-18
Live Group Course
In this 4-week course, students will read short stories from 3 literary genres, practice Wild Mind writing from prompts and expand their work into one complete short story, receiving steady support and feedback through the process.
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:
(112 reviews)

Live video meetings
2x per week, 5 weeks
2-6 learners per class
45 min

What's included

10 live meetings
7 hrs 30 mins in-class hours
Assignments
2-4 hours per week. I will send a written reflection on each student's progress at the end of the course.
Assessment
1 after class completion

Class Experience

US Grade 9 - 12
Beginner - Advanced Level
In this 5 week class, we will explore three different genres of fiction and write our own narratives in each genre. will be to select one rough narrative to develop into a complete, polished short story. 

Genres we will cover in this series:
 
Science fiction
Adventure
Eerie/horror
 
Our class will follow a cycle in which we will spend a class period reading a work of published fiction from one of the genre categories, then write from a prompt that will spark our own ‘fragment narratives’ of that genre. We will follow author Natalie Goldberg’s vision of “Wild Mind Writing” for the prompt work, which we will discuss. Read more about Natalie Goldberg’s writing approach here: https://www.thesunmagazine.org/articles/26471-wild-mind
 
After we have completed a single prompt narrative, we will open the floor to anyone who would like to share their work aloud. If you do not wish to read aloud or share your work at this point, you do not have to.
 
After we have finished exploring stories from our three genres and completed three prompt narratives in Wild Mind fashion, everyone will choose ONE narrative to extend and revise, turning it into a full short story. Extensions/revisions will be done mostly outside of class (But we will have a little class time for this) and brought to class on due dates.

 Everyone will submit finalized stories, and we will ‘workshop’ each one together (more on workshop below). 

WHAT IS WRITING WORKSHOP and how does it differ from Wild Mind prompts?
 
In prompt sharing, we will observe ONLY elements of peers’ work that we particularly like; however, in workshop, we engage in deeper critique with classmates’ work (keeping a supportive approach).
 
Writing workshop is a critique process in which we examine the revised, polished narratives or poems of classmates and offer clear, helpful and honest feedback. Because our Wild Mind prompts are not revised, we offer only positive feedback. In workshop, we do more extensive critique.
 
WHAT ARE WILD MIND PROMPTS?
 
Wild mind prompts are sessions where you respond to a writing prompt with the first ideas that come to your mind. Generally, when we write narratives, we are encouraged to plan our ideas out before we start. With the Wild Mind approach, we do the opposite. For this, we dive into writing without thinking too much beforehand, tapping into ‘first thoughts’ and allowing ourselves to tell stories without slowing our thoughts down with ‘editing mind.’ (Editing mind will be invited to the party later!) This writing approach comes from Natalie Goldberg, an Ann Arbor, Michigan native who has written several books on the craft of writing. We will look at her ideas more in depth in class.

Learning Goals

Engage students in excellent and varied fiction
Foster student exploration of their own voice in writing

Syllabus

Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created Curriculum
10 Lessons
over 5 Weeks
Lesson 1:
Genre 1: Science Fiction
 Syllabus
Wild Mind writing discussion
Discuss Sci Fi as a genre
Read together: 'The Veldt' by Ray Bradbury 
45 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Science Fiction: Writing
 Discussion of author choices/style
Wild Mind prompt-Sci Fi writing
Sharing and feedback by choice 
45 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Genre 2: Adventure
 Read and discuss To Build A Fire by Jack London 
45 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Adventure: Writing
 Discussion of author choices/style
Wild Mind prompt-Adventure writing
Sharing and feedback by choice 
45 mins online live lesson

Other Details

Supply List
I will supply copies of all the stories we read during class.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.

Meet the teacher

Joined July, 2020
5.0
112reviews
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Michigan Teaching Certificate in English/Language Arts
   I am a certified English/language arts teacher and have been a secondary teacher for over two decades. In addition to core English, I've created and taught many elective courses, including Poetry Out Loud, Flash Fiction and Fairy Tale Studies. I am also a private reading and writing tutor.
   I believe that learning and play are deeply interwoven. I aim to create a feeling of community and joy in my classes, and to foster a supportive dynamic among learners. I love watching students light up, laugh, work through challenges, and become more confident learners. 
   In my twenty years of teaching, I have worked extensively in the area of diversity. One of the core philosophies of my school centers around examining and lifting marginalized groups. To this end, our faculty has engaged in workshops and seminars with authors and activists in the field, including Peggy McIntosh, Bryan Stevenson, Matt Faulkner and Donna Gephart. Among students and faculty, we hold an annual Diversity Day, during which we study and celebrate differences in areas such as sexuality, gender, class, race, and ability. Personally, a colleague and I facilitate a girls' group which meets weekly to discuss issues surrounding gender stereotypes, finding our voice, and establishing healthy boundaries and friendships. I have immersed myself in the study of diversity through my English curriculum as well, teaching many works of literature that deal with oppression and disenfranchisement. Through these experiences, I have built comfort with and experience in examining these complicated issues with young people. 

Reviews


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