Behind the Scenes: Short Stories and the Descriptive Essay

The human experience is complex, intense, and real. The stories that understand the complexities of humanity are the ones that pull us in, compelling us to keep reading, dreaming, and hoping. Through vivid, alluring language, students create characters and situations that breathe life and act around the reader. Students create characters that understand and work with human emotions like fear, anger, and thoughtfulness. Scenes ripple with life, and you can hear the wind and smell last night’s downpour in the soft air. Students explore the tapestry of life through literary devices, plot elements, and character creation. They create their own worlds and characters, drawing out innumerable plots and possibilities for change. Through exploration and experimentation, students go behind the scenes of creative writing and discover that it’s limitless.
 
Milestone: Ability to sketch characters that connect with the audience and situations that the audience sits on the edge of their seats for, and to understand how that happens.
 
Recommended for: Ages 11+ / Grades 6-7
Instructor: Ms. Anna Bonney
Day and Time: Wednesdays, 2:00 PM-3:00 PM ET
Duration: 8 classes
Dates: November 8, 15, 29, December 6, January 10, 17, 24, 31
No class November 22, December 13, 20, or 27, January 3
 
Anna Bonney, a hardworking teacher with a creative teaching style, is currently studying Psychology and Education at Southern Virginia University. She possesses a deep passion for teaching language, both oral and written, and is skilled at creating a supportive yet challenging environment in which students thrive. By adopting a creative, interdisciplinary approach, she encourages students to discover a larger world of learning. She's always looking for something new for her students and loves to explore and experiment with teaching and writing. She loves working with kids and looks forward to watching each of her students challenge themselves in her classes. In her spare time, she bikes short-distance, sings, and writes poems for children's books. She loves to travel and has traveled to Europe and Africa multiple times, Italy, Turkey, and Tanzania being her favorite spots. Her experiences abroad have driven her to work towards a career in international education. She firmly believes that hard work, creativity, and an optimistic attitude pulse beneath a successful learning experience.
 
Teaching style: appointments with students, journaling, peer partner learning, research projects, spelling bees
 
Student & Parent Reviews for Ms. Anna:
Ms. Anna is a wonderful teacher! She keeps the kids encouraged with her kindness while encouraging them to go above and beyond what they think they can do. My son loved her classes, games, and teaching style. We're looking forward to next year! —Carrie, parent
I'm so proud of how far my daughter's writing has come! Ms. Anna has done an incredible job. She's kind and loving with the students, and my daughter found it easy to approach her with questions and concerns despite her shyness. Thank you TTK! —Molly, parent
My son loved working with Ms. Anna. His writing has improved past my expectations, and he's excited to keep writing. Ms. Anna keeps classes productive and engaging with games, writing activities, and inter-disciplinary discussions. She draws in authors, famous literature, and historic context to explain English concepts and cultivate the students' interest in English. Her feedback was easily implemented, and she was easy to reach whenever my son had questions. Thank you for this fabulous resource! We'll be back next year. —Jennifer, parent