Zing Stories for Schools
Teenagers are sometimes accused of being self-centred - but a focus on the self can be an asset. As nature lover Thoreau declared on the opening page of his account about living in the wild at Walden Pond: ‘I should not talk so much about myself if there were anybody else whom I knew as well.' Walden became an American classic because Henry David Thoreau shared his subjective experience and achieved something magical - a world for others to learn from.
Personal reflective writing is part of the Year 11/12 English syllabus. Not only that - it's an option in the Queensland Studies Authority (QSA) compulsory Year 12 Queensland Core Skills (QCS) Writing Task. Luckily
personal reflective writing is easy to master as everybody can write about lived experience.
The ‘All About Me' Writing Workshop helps you to:
• gain confidence
• achieve - Year 12 results can decide the path your future life will take
• benefit from techniques passsed on by an expert
• enjoy creative writing - yes - it's fun
• gain in self-knowledge and understanding.
Individual tutoring sessions work best for students who need:
• ESL help
• Gifted & Talented recognition
• intensive assistance
• individual attention.
The Zing Stories Introductory Offer for the one-day workshop (large or small school groups) is $600/day. Or, invite me to run a session outside school for a small group of friends. Individual tutoring sessions are $60/hour. Do Contact Me.
More info?
Take a look at the more well-known work Lesley Synge does with adult Clients in Writing Workshops like Real Life Stories.
Lesley's Books are for the adult market but the short works in Writing Samples can be enjoyed by adults and teenagers alike.
• ‘Life Roles' in Organic Sister is a poem about teaching.
• ‘First Love' is an unpublished teenage love story.
NOTE: Poetry is not an accepted genre in the QCS Writing Test and short stories are not recommended, and are included for your enjoyment - not as models.
To thine own self be true.
I am a registered teacher with Queensland College of Teachers and a marker for the QCS Writing Task. I also work regularly with English classes through Education Queensland. My full-time secondary teaching career has benefited from stints in UK and South Korea. As both a successful writer and a teacher, I guarantee inspiration and practical help. I enjoy engaging with young people and their writing and recently contributed to the Queensland Writers Centre Youth Advisory Committee.
Two tips:
- enter the QCS Writing Test aiming for a top score of 1+
- when writing, think of yourself as communicating a view from a window. It's this view that you're inviting the reader to share in.
