The following is a redraft of a scene from a Goosebumps story written for a young audience. The challenge for students to rewrite short excerpts of scenes from stories they are reading (and enjoying!) allows them to match their writing skills to a high standard, to engage with generic elements, and also to realise the […]
I’ve written before about the desire and method for achieving an original response to a prompt. In this example, I took the image of a robber/thief and composed the following creative response. . INTRUDER Like a thief in the dead of night I came. Silent and dangerous; deadly and burning with malice. I stole into […]
In the tests they might give you an image to write creatively about. Sometimes it’s good to consider how the image can be considered metaphorically or symbolically. I looked at the image of a mouse, and wrote the short narrative below: I deliberately tried to give it an interesting title and to use dialogue. What […]
I’ve stated in another blog that after reading a good book the practice of my business in tuition is to create and write a personal response. A personal response to John Wyndham’s Day of the Triffids is presented, for it is an appropriate text to challenge readers and students in secondary schools, and has worked […]
Several students in Years 7 and 8 that I’ve tutored have told me that John Wyndham’s Day of the Triffids is the best book they have ever read. Whilst I’m always pleased when students really enjoy the studies we do, in such situations I smile to the students and curse to myself that they have […]
The same persuasive essay is presented below, twice! Persuasive Writing: TV In the modern days now, more and more people start to watch TV, and the television becomes an essential equipment in all families. But TV is not actually a positive thing for us to use. For most of us, watching TV is a waste […]
The history of Malcolm X is very sad, for he was a greatly talented individual denied care and education. The essay below is a reflection on his auto-biography, and presents how improved education and experiences can produce great changes. It also demonstrates how giftedness denied can be perceived as destructive. I have a word document […]
We can all make a difference. In 2010 Simon McKeon was recognised as Australian of the Year for “his efforts to support multiple Australian and international charities” (from www.australianoftheyear.org.au/recipients/?m=simon-mckeon-2011). Philanthropy, humanitariansm, and social enterprise deserve and demand attention. I wondered how I might pursue my interests and skills through a social enterprise, and so developed […]
Recent discussions in my course with GERRIC prompted/inspired me to develop an activity that directly addressed and invoked the creative and intellectual skills of gifted students. The activity is similar to one that I’ve used in many classrooms and demands a developed (or developing) capacity for higher-order thinking skills. It is particularly appropriate for Philosophy classes, yet […]
The study of English in classes all over Melbourne includes the ability to write persuasive pieces. Persuasive writing is tested in scholarship and SEAL exams, and through Outcome 3 and often Outcome 2 in VCE English. As an English tutor and mentor to gifted students in Melbourne I have developed with dozens of young minds […]
