IEW Creative
Narrative Writing
Spark your imagination
Fridays 2:00-3:00 PM EST
Overview
In this course, students entering grades 4-6 will learn techniques for writing creative fictional works. Lessons will focus on IEW Unit 3 Retelling Narrative Stories and will incorporate strategies from Lee Roddy’s “How to Write a Story” guide. Students will read, outline, modify, and reconstruct in their own words thought-provoking myths, fairy tales, and short stories such as The Elves and the Shoemaker, Rip Van Winkle, The City Rat and the Country Rat, and Perseus and Medusa.
At the conclusion of the course, students will submit their favorite piece to IEW’s Magnum Opus Magazine, a premier showcase of student works from around the world.
Curriculum
Students will learn how to…
- Structure narrative stories.
Learn to organize stories with each of the requisite story elements in its proper place. - Follow a three-step method.
This simple blueprint, which includes determining a tangible objective, some obstacles, and the outcome, shapes story ideas into finished narratives. - Captivate their audience in fiction writing.
Discover strategies for captivating and maintaining the reader’s attention. - Conduct peer reviews.
Practice thoughtfully critiquing stories and gracefully delivering feedback to peers. - Employ IEW decorations.
Incorporate literary devices including alliteration, similes, and metaphors.
Class Size
6 students maximum
Dates
- Schedule: Fridays 2:00-3:00 PM EST
- Duration: 8 weeks
- First Class: July 9, 2021
- Last Class: August 27, 2021
Creative Writing Lab
Students may enroll in the optional “Creative Writing Lab,” which will be held on Tuesdays from 6:00-7:00 PM EST. During lab, students will brainstorm ideas, compose and revise drafts, conduct peer reviews, and share their writing in a setting that provides for real-time guidance and feedback from RWC instructors.
Enrollment Fees
- Weekly Writing Lessons: $400 for 8 60-minute classes
- Optional Weekly Writing Lab: $200 for 8 60-minute labs
>Instructor
Ms. Sydney Hoff is the founder of Rose Writing Center. While pursuing her bachelor’s degree from Emory University, Ms. Sydney served as a writing tutor in the Emory Writing Center. There, she underwent rigorous training led by world-class Emory instructors and tutored hundreds of university-level students. Ms. Sydney holds her accreditation from The Institute for Excellence in Writing. She has taught dozens of students the art of writing according to IEW’s Structure and Style methodology.
>Required Materials
- 2″ binder with dividers and lined paper
- Materials to print will be distributed throughout the summer
>Homework
Students will compose rough and final drafts of each assignment. Ms. Sydney provides detailed feedback and corrections on all drafts.
>Technology Requirements
Learning Management System:
Google Classroom
Students must have either their own email address or access to a parent’s email address in order to join Google Classroom.
Online Class Platform:
Zoom
Students can follow Zoom’s hardware and software guidelines to prepare their environment.
Students should be familiar with how to scan, save, and submit their work. Although most assignments will be handwritten, students should also have access to Microsoft Word (or an equivalent program).
>Pre-Requisites
Students are expected to have exposure to Units 1, 2, and 3 of the IEW method. If your child is new to IEW but interested in this course, you may schedule 3-4 private classes for your child can learn the foundational units necessary for success.
>Continuing Education
This is an enrichment course for current RWC students to continue their writing education during the summer. Students can resume formal writing lessons at the appropriate level in the fall.
Well-told stories, from the Bible to the literary classics to comic books, all have the same invisible three-part structure with specific elements within each of those parts. Without this structure, the story will collapse.
-Lee Roddy
In 2013, Ms. Lauren Bridgeford graduated with a BA in Languages, Literature, and Criticism from Hunter College. She has also obtained her DELTA (Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification from Cambridge University. Currently, Ms. Bridgeford is a Registered Instructor accredited by the Institute for Excellence in Writing, and she is pursuing her master’s degree in Secondary Education.
Deanna Heikkinen has been privately teaching writing as well as history, literature, and art history to students grades 2-12 for over six years. Prior to that, she was a tenured professor of humanities at Los Angeles Valley College with a focus on teaching the Great Books of Western Civilization. Additionally, she taught world history, western civilization, Native American history, and anthropology at the college level. Whether teaching elementary, middle, or high schoolers for Rose Writing Center, Deanna's diverse background allows her to serve as our test prep, academic support, and custom lesson specialist.
