Our Spring Camp will be starting in a few weeks’ time! To see what classes we will be offering throughout March, please take a look at the timetables below. Early Bird registration is still open, so be sure to sign up soon if you’d like to enjoy a discount on our courses! Feel free to send us an email or give us a call at 604-279-6889 if you have any questions.
Writing Showcase
At Quantum, we provide both creative and analytical writing courses for students of all ages. This month, we’d like to showcase a couple pieces that were written in class by two of our students! The first is by Tiana, who was in Grade 11 when she wrote the sample below, and the second is by Ivy, who was in Grade 10 when she wrote hers.
These passages are part of a larger analysis that discusses how the American Dream is presented as an almost dangerous ideal, a fantasy that lulls people into a false sense of security in Arthur Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman.
First, it is important to take note of the opening sentence, which introduces the topic at hand in a way that is clear and concise. In between this and the concluding sentence are three main points of evidence that back up the central argument. In our writing courses, students are taught to construct their points using the SEE method, which involves leading with an opening statement, providing evidence (usually a quote from the text), then rounding off with an explanation. Following this method ensures that the essay is not only thoroughly argued, but also well structured and easy to read. We encourage students to use this framework in their essays knowing that they will be able to apply it to their writing in post-secondary and beyond; after all, even longer and more detailed papers require a strong basis to act as a starting point.
This next sample by Ivy is a piece of creative writing that follows a character living in a disoriented state of mind. What makes the prose in this passage so interesting to read is the unique word choice that is scattered throughout the text; the streets are not just fading into the background, but eating away completely, and the night is more than quiet—it’s dead. One of the most important but difficult aspects of creative writing is making sure the writing sounds smooth, and this piece does an excellent job of achieving that flow with its varying sentence lengths and strong selection of verbs.
