TY PROGRAMMES
SOCIAL CONVERSATIONS: TOPICS THAT MATTER
The workshops are structured, topic focussed and will initiate conversations on topics that matter in our society including politics, religion, morality, the environment etc. The workshops will teach the students how to develop their thinking on specific issues and how to present their point of view to each other and to the world.
Our Town
“Our Town” is a creative writing project that allows students to embark on a journey of discovery about the world around them. By creating fictional characters, based on people in their lives, school or town they can explore the different perspectives of others. This project will ask the students to create 3 dimensional characters and investigate how they navigate the world.
The project is interactive and imaginative and will look at the different personalities and problems young people face in their daily lives through the device of fiction.
Creative Writing
Creative expressive writing serves the imagination and creativity of the individual. Writing fosters self-expression and allows students to communicate their feelings and experiences on topics that matter to them through the medium of the fictional character. The act of writing focuses the curator of ideas to think deeper and confront conflicts and solve problems on behalf of their fictional characters.
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This course allows the student’s creative voice to be expressed outside of the rigidly of exam preparation. The freedom to express creatively fosters emotional intelligence while honing writing skills that will serve the student across all careers.
The opportunity to be creative, to create something from the well of the imagination, can reflect and nurture emotional health.
TESTIMONIAL
To Whom It May Concern,
I was lucky enough to observe Sheila's lessons with the TY class this year. Sheila did a great job of engaging the students and the topics she introduced for discussion were very relevant to the student's lives and interests.
Sheila brought great energy and examples to the lessons. The students were very comfortable and supported to contribute without judgement or pressure. All contributions were welcomed and the students were very passionate about the topics being discussed.
The students appeared to be a little inconsistent with their written contributions, so Sheila adapted her approach to voice notes which was something the students responded well to.
The course was extremely beneficial for the students, it taught them to consider things from other perspectives and to be patient and tolerant of different opinions. The limitations placed on the course due to COVID were a little frustrating as I feel the face-to-face element would have been very useful to the students and should definitely be reintroduced when the guidelines allow.
I feel there is scope and potential for the course to be extended if the funds were available. I feel that the 12ish weeks of the course allows the student's voice to grow, develop and to be heard but an extension of the course would provide the students with the opportunity to put shape and structure to their thoughts as well as learning to temper those opinions.
I hope that this has been helpful. I feel very privileged to have been a small part of these classes and want to thank Sheila for the hard work she has put in over the last number of weeks.
Kind regards,
Callie Casey
TY English Teacher.