***Summer 2023 Vacation Schedule***
 NO CLASSES July 31 - August 13

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What sets “Artful Gaming with Maryam Awan” classes apart from others?

Optimistic settings that focus on creating genuine relationships through comforting experiences.

Welcome to another good-natured and inclusive “Artful Gaming” experience hosted by Maryam Awan, NBCC. In each teen-centric and kid-powered circle, learners naturally experience life and social skills challenges in engaging ways through the guidance of a caring and experienced Bullying Prevention Specialist and National Board Certified and School Counselor. 

Through an authentic and fresh teaching approach using Gamification, Character Development, and/or Project-Based Learning each group of learners, in a distracted and ever-changing world, will subtly experiment with social and life skills in safe ways. Encouraged by Maryam Awan in a kind-hearted and positive style, she will help them make sense of it all at a pace and in a language that learners connect with and truly understand. 

Connecting with families through regular communication and having a partnership in a child’s success is very important to Maryam. Please know that Maryam’s door is always open to you and your learner anytime and that she welcomes collaboration with families in making each experience the right fit for your children. 

(Please visit the Teacher Experience Section of this listing as well as Maryam Awan’s OS Profile for an in-depth description of teaching styles, experience, and credentials).

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Secure. Contain. Protect. 

Welcome to "Creepy and Quirky SCP Field Journaling Creative Writing and Sketching Club" where you will take on the role as one of the following staff members of the SCP Foundation!

Containment Specialist
Researcher
Security Officer
Tactical Response Officer
Field Agent
Mobile Task Force Operative
Site Director
05 Council Member

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Weekly Schedule:

During this heavily learner-directed club, each week learners will have a chance to share their newly created SCP's in a social club format. Some learners share formal reports, some share artwork, some share digital art, and video game creations.  This is a learner-directed social club where each week learners have the opportunity to lead the discussion and assist new members in understanding the basics of SCPs and journaling, allowing room for potential leadership roles. Topics are selected and driven by the learners each week in class. 

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How will each session work?

During each, interactive, learner-directed session, members have the option to create an original SCP complete with a report and a field drawing of their SCP in their journals. This club is part creative writing and part art, each depending on the learner's choice. Some learners choose to showcase traditional or digital art, share video game models they are creating, read from reports they have types or written, as well as photos, or simply verbally tell their stories.   

You get to decide how you prefer to share your SCP findings, stories, reports, and artwork! All forms are welcome! 

Do you make each page a collage? 
Do you type up a report and insert and attach the report to your journal? 
Do you make notes in the margins of your journal around your SCP sketch? 

The format you use for your field journaling and whether or not you prefer to use one is up to you! 

Some suggestions for your field journaling:
Drawings of your SCP can be as detailed as possible using pencil sketching and ink pens/markers (like a variety of sizes of black sharpies or fine liners). Accompanying your sketches and notes can be a detailed report of your original SCP following the SCP Report Guidelines should you choose to. 

We will spend meetings creating sketches and reports about your original SCPs while learners share their work and creativity from the week prior. Learners will decide how they want to utilize class time by either sketching or creative writing about their SCPs. They can spend as much or as little time as they like on each SCP which more than likely will require some outside classwork.   SCP reports can be as detailed or as simple as preferred.  To make a report "official" one can follow the SCP. Report Guidelines as found online. 

SCP creations may fall under the category of quirky, simple, and even humorous or on the more creepy and dark side providing they are appropriate in nature and stay within the mild horror and sci-fi genres (no worse than a PG-13 rating), and follow Outschool Learner Behavior and Classroom Policies. 

Please note that some SCPs may be scary and dark in nature. This club is for learners who do not scare easily and enjoy genres like ghost stories, Sci-Fi, and mild PG-13 rated levels of science fiction and/or horror. 

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What will be taught in each session?

In this learner-directed SCP Club, learners will have the chance to gain confidence through the options of writing, art, and creating. This club allows the natural progression of: 
- Artistic Self Expression
- Originality
- Building Self and Artistic Confidence
- How to boost imagination
- How to clarify thoughts
- Better understanding of the mechanics of reading and writing
- Communication
- How to give and receive feedback 

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Will there be homework? 

To a degree, though optional, it is recommended. Each week learners should have a new SCP already in their minds to sketch or create an "official" SCP report on. Though not required, it is recommended that learners come to class with one component already completed (the sketch or the report) so that they may spend class time on one while having something to share with other class members. There may be cases where there are in-depth SCPs created where the sketch and/or the report may span over the course of a few weeks. This would purely be up to the discretion of the creator and how much work and backstory they want to add. 

This club is meant to be relaxed, chill, and fun and is not considered a graded or instructional course by nature. Rather, it is a learner-led, welcoming, and safe space to come together to form a community of like-minded creative writers and/or young artists who have an interest or love for sci-fi and mild horror.

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What is the level of learner Interaction?

Learners will have the opportunity to share their original SCP ideas through any form of artistic representation that they choose. In the past some learners write reports and read them, some showed hand-drawn and digital artwork, some share their creativity through video game design, while others simply verbally share their SCP stories verbally. Learners are welcome to create posts in the Outschool Classroom to share with one another. This may be original works or information they have read about already established SCP from research done outside of class. 

There are no requirements to join these social sessions other than the desire to create and have inclusive, welcoming, and respectful fun with one another.

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A little about me?

As a child advocate, I love engaging with and understanding my learners.  Regardless of my student's age, interests, or classes, I strive to maintain an inclusive and safe environment with a relaxed and social vibe that truly allows my students to be themselves.

Working with children from five to eighteen years old for over a decade, I understand that connecting well with each student is key to their success. I strive to socially connect with my students during class on a level that makes them comfortable and confident to try new things while having fun doing it while embracing and celebrating learner interests.  I encourage sharing ideas and thoughts during sessions so the class can be safely steered in a direction everyone enjoys while still maintaining focus.

After seven years of teaching art and performance art (utilizing my BFA Degree from The University of Arts in Philadelphia) and over a decade of being a National Certified Counselor and School Counselor (with a double MA degree in Community Agency Counseling and School Counseling), I hope to serve my students and their families well, regardless of what type of classes I lead.

Working on Outschool, I continue to be a working artist, illustrator, travel blogger, social media manager, author, and art director. One of my proudest moments in writing and art directing includes my work on the published female-driven martial arts graphic novel Blades of Hope. Additionally, I have illustrated alphabet books and have written a young adult novel as well as children's picture books. 

I look very forward to working with your learners and helping them build their artistic and creative confidences.