Class Descriptions
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NOW ENROLLING for LIVE ONLINE CLASSES!
Before enrolling in Outschool or Advanced Life Education courses, please contact me!
Self-guided video course available in select courses and essay writing!
Contact me for more information.
On this page you will find:
- Release the Novel in You
- Strong Sentences & the Spectacular Parts of Speech
- Exceptionally Excellent Essays
- Perfectly Powerful Paragraphs
- P.A.I.N.T. with Your Words
- Why be a Goop? Character study and Beginning story writing
- Writing the Tall Tale
- Spy Kids
- Be an Animal & Discover Your Temperament
- Express Yourself
- Traveling Suitcase
- Discounted Classes and Special Offers
Spy Kids
Through role-playing, games, & good old-fashioned sleuthing your child will heighten his/her power of observation using the five senses, unlock his/her lateral thinking skills, & decipher codes & clues to become a junior spy.
Release the Novel in You
online or in person
Is there a Novel Inside of You?
- 4 elements of a story: Character, Plot, Setting, Theme
- Advanced plotting using original curriculum geared to preteens and teens
- Hooking your reader by the end of the first page
- Common writing mistakes and mechanics of good writing
- Showing vs. telling, POV, character voice, avoiding backstory, passive/active words, writing dialogue, varying sentence structure¸ descriptive writing
What students are saying:
“If you are thinking about publishing a book, she’s amazing. If you just want to write a story, she’s amazing. I highly recommend her classes.” – Katherine, 11 yrs old
“I took a novel writing class with Ms Conroy last semester. I was able to start with a concept and some scattered journal notes and take it through the rough draft of my first novel. Her pointers were very helpful. I don’t think I could have accomplished this without her direction. I enjoyed the work and am pleased with the results. I give her and her teaching a two thumbs up.” Bill T., retired
“I enjoyed this class very much. This class is easy to understand because it goes at a perfect pace and is taken step by step. This was awesome and so much fun! I hope the book I’m writing gets published one day! –Casey, 14 yrs old
“I liked how Gina Conroy put the way of planning stories into different types of games and used P.L.A.Y. to bring home the points about Playmate, Location, Action, and Game. 🙂 It makes it fun to read and a more engaging way to think about plotting.” – Danielle, 14 yrs old
“I’ve known Gina for years—watching her learn these very techniques, put them into action in her novels, and help teenagers dive into the world of storycrafting. Her techniques are guaranteed to put the fun back into learning how to write and to release the budding novelist in you!”- Susan May Warren, RITA and Christy award-winning, best-selling novelist and nationally acclaimed writing coach
Listen to my Writes Publish podcast with co-host Ron Estrada
Youtube Channel coming soon!
Don’t see a time or place that works?
Put together a class of 6 students (and get $10 off tuition) and let’s talk, I love road trips!
For questions put “Release the Novel” in the subject line of the contact me here.
P.A.I.N.T. with Your Words
Using words instead of paint and a brush,
your student’s writing will come alive in bursts of color and texture
as he or she learns to create a picture in the reader’s mind.
Recommended ages: 7 – 11 yrs. , 10-13 yrs., 15- 18 yrs (ages may vary according to skill level)
For more information or questions contact me here.
Description:
- Using words instead of paint and a brush, the student’s writing will come alive in bursts of color and texture as he or she learns to create a picture in the reader’s mind.
- Students should have a grasp on the basic parts of speech, typing, and use of email.
Course Objectives:
- Poetry and Journaling: Descriptive writing using sensory words and strong verbs and adjective
- Creative Writing: Showing vs. telling, passive vs. active writing
- Creative Writing: Figurative language: hyperbole, personification, similes, metaphors, etc.
- Creative and Paragraph Writing: POV, character voice
- Paragraph and Essay Writing: Varying sentence structure, sequential and transitional words
“I learned how to paint a picture in the reader’s mind.” -7th grader
“Gina thank you so much for tutoring my son this past fall. He was really struggling with putting together his thoughts and getting them on paper. His sentences and paragraphs were very simple and basic. His writing was below grade level. Since your class, his writing has greatly improved! He feels much more confident and he uses your suggestions and techniques without any prompting from me. He said that he really enjoyed your class and I believe him because he retained info and uses it daily in his writing now. Thank you so much for offering your class to us and should we need more help in the future we will definitely be contacting you!” Jenny W.
“One of my teen daughters attended Gina’s Paragraph/Creative Writing course. Gina draws out the writer hiding within you…no matter how deep down that writer within is buried. I highly recommend Gina as a writing instructor.” -Ronee J.
“My middle child doesn’t like writing and it has been pretty painful for him. However, Gina Conroy’s writing class helped him become a better and more confident writer. It helped him to get his thoughts together without getting “stuck.” My oldest did the class too. She loves writing and improved as well. She said Ms. Conroy was her favorite teacher this year.” -Jyl, mom to two teenagers
“Yes! Get your kids signed up for one of Gina’s classes! My children haven’t actually taken any of her classes (I’m not in CHEER) but I’ve seen/edited her workbook. I’ve been writing for decades and this is the most easy-to-understand explanation about writing that I’ve ever seen. And it looks FUN! Seriously– check into her classes!” – Kelly Huckaby, homeschool mom, writer and editor
Don’t see a time or place that works?
Put together a class of 6 students (and get $10 off tuition) and let’s talk, I love road trips!
For more information or questions contact me here.
Why be a Goop?
Beginning Storytelling and Character Study
Recommended ages: 7 – 11 yrs. and 10-14 yrs. in two separate classes
Course Objectives:
- To introduce students to beginning storytelling using the Goop manner stories as a guide and to create original stories and poems.
- To introduce elements of storytelling such as setting, beginning, middle, and end
Class Description:
- This course is designed to foster a love of writing in each student whether they have difficulty writing of enjoy it.
- Through various Goop readings, children will hear stories and poems that will inspire and encourage their own creative writing.
- Finished product will be a completed story included in the class Goop book
Don’t see a time or place that works?
Put together a class of 6 students (and get $10 off tuition) and let’s talk, I love road trips!
For more information or questions contact me here.
Writing the Tall Tale
Beginning StoryTelling Using Figurative Language
Recommended ages: 8 – 11 yrs. and 10-14 yrs. in two separate classes
Whether students have difficulty writing or enjoy it, this storytelling class uses figurative language to create fun and over the top stories. Through various tall tale readings and videos, children will hear creative writings that will inspire and encourage their own storytelling. Finished product will be a completed story included in the class Tall Tales book.
Course Objectives:
- To introduce students to beginning storytelling and figurative language using the Tall Tale stories as a guide and to create original stories.
- To introduce elements of storytelling such as setting, beginning, middle, and end
Class Description:
In this course students will improve their writing and storytelling by learning:
- 4 elements of a story
- Basic plotting (beginning, middle, end) & intro advanced plotting
- Showing vs. telling, POV, character voice, passive/active words, writing dialogue, varying sentence structure, descriptive writing: 5 senses, adjectives, synonyms, etc.
- Figurative language: hyperbole, personification, similes, metaphors, onomatopoeia, etc.
**Online course coming soon and requires daily reading and homework assignments with assistance from parents
“If you are thinking about publishing a book, she’s amazing. If you just want to write a story, she’s amazing. I highly recommend her classes.” – Katherine, 11
“I am a much better writer. I learned how to do similes and metaphors.” – Bailey, 10
“This class helped me paint a picture in the reader’s mind.” – Brianna, 10
“I would tell my friends about this class because it really helps open your mind up.” – 7th grader
EXAMPLE of 3rd grade student:
Pecos Bill Tames the Sun
By Joel, 3rd grade
One day when the wild west was hot as burning lava a boy named Pecos Bill was slouching on a cactus using his hand as a fan. He could not stand how hot it was. It was about 11,000 F. It was crazy! People were dying by the second. Nobody could get a drink anymore because all the lakes were dried up because of the heat. Pecos Bill was drinking his own sweat when he heard the howl and a hiss of a coyote and a snake.
The snake had just eaten the baby coyote. Pecos Bill ran as fast as thunder to jump and land on the snake. It died. He kept the dead snake and made it as his whip. One day when Pecos was dropping sweat in gallons, he saw a toad as big as a buffalo jumping about a billion miles high.
Pecos hopped on him and went so high he could almost touch the sun. At the moment his head looked up, he had an idea. Pecos Bill sped across the world to the Mediterranean Sea. He ran around in circles so fast he could pick up the water. He picked up the water and ran back to the toad. The toad jumped when he was close enough to the sun, he tossed it, and it wasn’t so hot any more, finally.
Pecos Bill made history. When days aren’t ever a billion degrees, think of Pecos Bill.
Be an Animal and Discover Your Temperament!
Discover your personality using the animal temperaments (Lion, Beaver, Dog and Otter,) and learn your strengths and weaknesses, and practical personality tools to help at home and in school. Role playing, art, and stories will be used to help students become familiar with each temperament.
Fill out contact form at bottom of page for more information.
Express Yourself
Unlock your inner voice through writing and theatre games. This course is designed to help students become comfortable expressing their feelings, thoughts, and the world as they see it. Using journaling prompts, art, and improv theater games, students will explore their emotions and learn to express them in a variety of ways. Focus will be on writing and public speaking.
Fill out contact form at bottom of page for more information.
Traveling Suitcase
You don’t have to pack your bags to travel the world. Come explore the wonderful worlds of ancient and modern Rome and Greece as well as modern day India, Nigeria, etc. through art, music, multimedia presentations, dance, culture, clothing and more!
Calendar of 2022 Classes
NOW ENROLLING for ONLINE CLASSES! For more information or questions contact me here.
If an online classes doesn’t fit your schedule, then create a class of your own to fit your schedule. All you need is another 3-4 students and we can make it a go!
Don’t see a time or place that works?
Put together a class of 6 students (and get $10 off tuition) and let’s talk, I love road trips!
Special Offers for Students
If you’ve taken any one of my Teen Novel writing classes and feel you need a little more coaching here’s what I can do for you:
- One on One Brainstorming Session: 30 minutes phone/Zoom consultation/brainstorming session about your story structure or any other elements of the class. $30
- One on One Coaching: 30 minutes /$30 or 50 minutes/$50 If you need me to walk you through any part of your novel, one on one sessions are available.
- Fiction Tune Up: If at any time you’d like me to critique your short stories, for a contest or just to get some more hands on learning, I will offer you my Teen Critique Special $25 for the first ten pages. $1 per page after that.
- Mentor Program: Each month I invite dedicated and hardworking teens to be part of my mentoring program. This is an intensive critique and edit of your current WIP (work in progress)
- $100 a month for 20 pages a week
- $60 a months for 10 pages a week
- $30 a month for 5 pages a week
All submissions must be double spaced, 12pt in Times New Roman with a 1.5 inch margin on the side and 1 inch on top and bottom. which is the publishing industry standard. If you’d like to be considered for this program please contact me.