FAQ for Parents
Who will be teaching my child?
The lead coach for every session is a certified educator with many years of classroom experience who loves to write herself. Our coaches have been chosen for their innovative ideas and their great rapport with young people. They teach the Creative Writing Camps because they love sharing their passion for writing with their students. Our assistants also have strong backgrounds in both writing and education. (Note: the writing coach to young writer ratio is 1:7)
What will my child be doing? Will s/he be writing ALL day?!?
Each day, the young writers will participate in a variety of activities to spark their creativity and hone their writing skills. From structured exercises and sharing indoors to “sacred” writing time outdoors, days are filled with variety and purpose. At the end of the day, participants and teachers alike are amazed at how fast the day has gone and wish aloud for a little more time together.
Who will be learning with my child?
Participants in Creative Writing Camps come from far and near, and write at a variety of levels. They are not necessarily writing prodigies, but they do display a love of writing and a strong respect for others who do, too. Becoming a part of a writing community of their peers is an affirming experience for young people who might not have writing friends at school or in their neighborhood.
How do the coaches address the wide age-range in the Gr. 7-12 group?
In a sense, middle- and high-school camps are two camps running concurrently with some shared writing activities each day. For whole-group collaboration, we choose exercises that appeal to a broad range of writers and that can challenge them regardless of their chosen genre or level of expertise. When we break into our smaller Writers’ Circles, however, participants are grouped by grade and experience level to increase their level of comfort with each other. Coaches are ever-mindful of age-appropriateness and do a fantastic job of creating an environment of respect, support and fun.
What about “the basics”?
While fundamental skills are necessary to good writing, ours is not a grammar or remedial course. Our focus is on helping young writers find their voice and use it effectively in whatever genre they choose.
