Realistic Fiction Writing Camp: Learn How to Write Fiction That's Real

**I will be out of the classroom from Sept 5 - Oct 1, 2021. Emails sent during that time will have significantly longer than average response times. 

*I deeply appreciate parent reviews!*

I have 20+ years of experience teaching students from pre-school to college. I am trained in English, History, and Language Acquisition. I am also trained in instruction surrounding issues of diversity and equality. (More on that later)

I prefer discussion-based class environments where there is a clear exchange of ideas between student and teacher. Students are much more likely to retain information when they are actively engaged. I want my students to be an integral part of the learning process and to expect to be "heard" in the classroom. 

My history includes: operating a North Carolina state accredited home schooling program, working in the public school system for 10 years, and teaching both online and seated classes at North Carolina State University. To date, I have taught more than 1800 online classes to students aged 4 through 25.  I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology & Criminology, and am currently working toward a PhD in Sociology. I also have a Masters level certification in Teaching English as a Second Language. Additionally, I am the former President of a 501(c)3 non-profit small animal rescue responsible for rehoming more than 400 animals.

My training associated with issues of diversity and equality relate to the study of Intersectionality, a Social Science paradigm. Intersectionality is an analytical framework for understanding how aspects of a person's social and political identity combine to create different modes of discrimination and privilege. Examples of these aspects are gender, race, sex, class, and sexuality, among others. Any class offering surrounding these subjects will be approached from a data-driven, scientific standpoint.

When not teaching, I love fishing, camping, horseback riding, and spending time with my children and grandchildren. :)

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Class Policies

1) Classes will begin at the scheduled time, even if all learners are not in the classroom (unless there appears to be a technical issue). I will not contact absent learners during class time so I can focus on the learners who are present. 

2) My goal is to always end the class exactly at the stated time, however, classes with low enrollments or especially talkative students may run a few minutes under or a few minutes over the scheduled time.

3) If no learners are in the classroom, I will wait 10 minutes before exiting the classroom. 

4) I ask that students leave their cameras on (unless there is a privacy concern). This ensures all students have the opportunity to contribute to a dynamic classroom experience. Everyone benefits when everyone is included in the discussion!

5) I will post the class recording to the classroom as soon as it is available to me. 

6) Please pay close attention to age ranges: Outschool classes are expected to fall within an age range of five years. However, while there are many very gifted young learners, any class offering with sensitive content (i.e. discussions of race, gender, sexuality, etc.) will likely have a much smaller age range that is non-negotiable. Learners who do not fall into the designated age range will be un-enrolled and refunded. 

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Refund Policy

Parents may withdraw up to a week before class starts with a full refund. Within this time frame, parents may transfer to a new section up to 48 hours before start time, but are no longer entitled to a refund. Medical and family emergencies may be considered with documentation. 

Missed or Cancelled Classes
In the event a learner misses a class, recordings are privately made available in each classroom. In the rare event the teacher has to cancel a class for technical issues, the class will be rescheduled at the earliest available date and time. For one time classes, parents may opt for a refund instead of joining the new time, but will lose access to the recorded class. In the event a learner arrives in class and has too many technical issues to participate, they will be transferred to the next available section.