Writer's Workshop: Beat the Block
Imaginative visual prompts and weekly literary themes eliminate writer's block and strengthen creative writing skills in this ongoing, drop-in friendly workshop.
Alex McGreavey (she/her)
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(151)
What's included
1 live meeting
45 mins in-class hours per weekClass Experience
This is an ongoing workshop that guides creative writing through fast-paced challenges, weekly themes, discussions, and (optional) peer review. Stop by once or come back again and again; each week's workshop is unique. Check out the course video for a sneak peek at examples of weekly literary themes! In every workshop session, we'll write through a series of fun and engaging fiction writing challenges. Students will be provided with a vivid and inspiring image to get past the anxiety of "being creative." We will then discuss said image against a literary focus to keep our writing grounded. After initial drafts, students will have the option of revising alone or with peer feedback. All sharing of student writing is entirely optional. (Grammar and mechanics will not be addressed in this class.) The purpose of these workshops is to alleviate any stress from the act of writing. With prompts and guidance, students are able to strengthen their writing skills stress free. And if we have a little fun along the way? Fabulous. _______ Upcoming Classes: Week of Jan 10 RUN LIKE THE WIND: Using Personification in Setting Week of Jan 17 BUZZ, POP, BANG: Exciting Writing with Onomatopoeia Week of Jan 24 BRING THE DRAMA: Building Suspense through Conflict & Climax Week of Jan 31 ORIGIN STORY: Creating Characters with Depth Week of Feb 7 BRAVE NEW WORLD: Developing Characters in Fictional Universes Week of Feb 14 WHOSE SIDE OF THE STORY: The Power of Narrative Perspective Week of Feb 21 SCRIPT STYLE: Creating Character Dialogue Week of Feb 28 SCREAM & SHOUT: Finding Phrases Instead of 'Said' Week of March 7 INSIDE YOUR HEAD: Developing a Character's Inner Monologue Week of March 14 ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE: Creating a Memorable Character Description
Other Details
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined December, 2018
5.0
151reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
📢 ON A BREAK UNTIL JANUARY, 2025! 📢
I am off on a new adventure, currently on maternity leave! Classes will resume in early January, 2025, so come back soon!
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THIS TEACHER BELIEVES IN INCLUSIVE EDUCATION FOR ALL LEARNERS!
Hello! I'm Alex, and I have spent the last decade serving a variety of roles within the world of education. Outside of teaching on Outschool, I am also a curriculum creator and education consultant. I am committed to personalized, dedicated, engaging education. I've had the honor of working with hundreds of students, and my original curriculum has reached thousands more. I have worked with a diverse range of students from 4-18 years and hope your student is next!
CLASSES IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS:
I love all things language & literature! I geek out over things like Shakespeare, essay outlining, and the Oxford comma.
CLASSES IN SFX MAKEUP:
With a background in performing arts education, I am thrilled to now offer virtual SFX courses through Outschool. From facepaint to gore to prosthetics, I love guiding students in their MUA journey!
MY TEACHING PHILOSOPHY:
I'm all about putting the FUN in fundamental skills! I believe student engagement is key to a successful education and am dedicated to promoting humor in every lesson. I aim to be the most supportive, engaging teacher possible, working to meet my students where they are.
EXPERIENCE:
- Google Certified Educator
- Curriculum development in literacy, theatre, Humanities, & English Language Arts
- 3 years teaching in a B&M classroom (middle and high school ELA)
- 6 years running literacy workshops and theatre outreach programs
- Experience working with neurodivergent learners
- Experience working with gifted and 2e students
EDUCATION:
Bachelor of Arts in English
Bachelor of Arts in Performing Arts Education
Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts
University of Minnesota, Morris
Major GPA: 3.91
-Awarded the Alice Mills McCree Scholarship, Humanities Division
-Awarded the Raymond J. Lammers Scholarship, Theatre Department
-Presented at the Undergraduate Research Symposium, 2010: "Integrating ESL Students into Peer Group Writing Sessions"Reviews
Live Group Class
$10
weekly1x per week
45 min
Completed by 9 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 11-15
3-12 learners per class
