Creative Escape & Connection

Expressive writing program for 6th - 8th grade girls*

Middle school brings unique challenges, and our middle school program meets the needs of students in the midst of this formative time. TIWP creates a supportive environment for students to escape into the creative writing process, where they can be playful and find joy in the stories and worlds they create. We also provide a safe space for students to address the challenges they may be facing through the writing process. Teachers encourage and model authenticity, peer support, and self confidence. Each session involves an inspirational reading, a writing prompt, and time to share and receive feedback.

As with all our programs, we use the Amherst Writing Method, a methodology rooted in the belief that everyone is a writer, that all feedback be positive, and that our writing voice will continually grow clearer and stronger, the more it is validated and encouraged.

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Instructors, depending on class time:  Melissa Quiter, Gretchen Cion or Anne Marie Feld Lowell

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• Class size is 4-6. Each class is an hour and half at $70/class. Enrollment occurs quarterly (our schedule is based on the Acalanes District academic calendar) but tuition is pro-rated depending on the day you register. If your child doesn’t absolutely love their first class, we will provide a full refund. We want your child to choose writing purely for the joy of it!

• *Girls includes all gender-expansive youth.

• Private and homeschooling classes available upon request.

• For questions or to talk in more depth, contact our Director of Programs, Melissa Quiter.

REGISTER FOR
WINTER QUARTER

Writers United
Creative writing program for 5th - 7th grade girls*

This class is for the kids with ink-stained fingers, the ones who are frantically typing, even though it’s long past time to go to bed. It’s for the kids who have to be reminded to look up from their books as they walk out of the library, the ones who dress as fictional characters for Halloween. 

We'll use mentor texts as a way in to character, plot, world-building and a wide variety of genres. The class is designed to build confidence and community among bibliophiles, bolstering storytelling chops while blurring the lines between writing and play. We’ll use traditional prompts as well as video, photography and illustration to spark writing, and play games to strengthen the writers' voices and build community. 

As with all our programs, we use the Amherst Writing Method, a methodology rooted in the belief that everyone is a writer, that spoken and written voices can only grow clearer and stronger with practice and validation and that positive feedback and encouragement are pathways to lifelong creative freedom.

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Instructor:  Anne Marie Feld Lowell

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• Class size is 4-6. Each class is an hour and half at $70/class. Enrollment occurs quarterly (our schedule is based on the Acalanes District academic calendar) but tuition is pro-rated depending on the day you register. If your child doesn’t absolutely love their first class, we will provide a full refund. We want your child to choose writing purely for the joy of it!

• *Girls includes all gender-expansive youth.

• Private and homeschooling classes available upon request.

• For questions or to talk in more depth, contact our Director of Programs, Melissa Quiter.

REGISTER FOR
WINTER QUARTER

Poetic Playlist
The Poetry and Insights of Female Songwriters for 7-9th grade girls

In this program, girls will explore the lyrics of celebrated female songwriters who have used their voices and their words as a means to challenge, inspire and comfort us. We will touch on story and song structure through a diverse catalogue of artists. As writers, we will be seeking the music of our lives, channeling our inner poetess and lyricist. Each writer will curate their own compilation of work influenced by music from the course collection and their own life’s playlist.

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As with all our programs, we use the Amherst Writing Method, a methodology rooted in the belief that everyone is a writer, that all feedback be positive, and that our writing voice will continually grow clearer and stronger, the more it is validated and encouraged.
 

Instructor: Gretchen Cion

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• Class size at 4-6. Each class is two hours at $90/class. Enrollment occurs quarterly (we base our schedule on the Acalanes District academic calendar) but tuition is pro-rated depending on the day you register. If your child doesn’t absolutely love their first class, we will provide a full refund. We want your child to choose this class because purely for the joy of it!

• *Girls includes all gender-expansive youth.

• Private and homeschooling classes available upon request.

• For questions or to talk in more depth, contact our Director of Programs, Melissa Quiter.

REGISTER FOR WINTER QUARTER

From Fantasy to Mystery
Exploring the world of fiction for 6th-8th graders, all genders

Did you know there are 144 genres and sub-genres in fiction? There are so many ways to tell a story, and in this class, we'll dive into a diverse collection of fiction—everything from fantasy and historical fiction to mythic adventure and sci-fi. Every week we'll experiment with a different sub-genre of storytelling, supporting each writer in crafting distinctly original works—and maybe discover a new favorite genre in the process!

As with all our programs, we use the Amherst Writing Method, a methodology rooted in the belief that everyone is a writer, that all feedback be positive, and that our writing voice will continually grow clearer and stronger, the more it is validated and encouraged.

​

Instructor: Gretchen Cion

​

• Class size at 4-6. Each class is an hour and half at $70/class. Enrollment occurs quarterly (we base our schedule on the Acalanes District academic calendar) but tuition is pro-rated depending on the day you register. If your child doesn’t absolutely love their first class, we will provide a full refund. We want your child to choose this class because purely for the joy of it!

• Private and homeschooling classes available upon request.

• For questions or to talk in more depth, contact our Director of Programs, Melissa Quiter.

REGISTER FOR
WINTER QUARTER