Propose a Class

       

The Story Circle Network is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to helping women explore the stories of their lives. We are looking for women teachers/writers who want to share their passion for lifewriting by working with women (SCN members and non-members) in classes carried out on the Internet and via email.

If you are a skilled writer with experience in teaching memoir, journaling, life-based fiction, and other lifewriting forms and are interested in joining our faculty, we'd like to hear from you. We give preference to instructors with online teaching experience, but will consider proposals from experienced teachers/writers who have not previously taught online, especially if they are active on the Internet (blogging, participating in listservs and online groups).

Proposals for Upcoming Class Terms

We are now accepting proposals for these classes:

  • May 17-July 12, 2010 (deadline March 31, 2010)
  • July 19-September 13, 2010 (deadline May 28, 2010)
  • September 20-November 15, 2010 (deadline July 30, 2010)
The class term covers an eight-week period, but your class should be no longer than seven units, to give everyone time to complete the assignments. You might also consider proposing a three-unit "mini-course" or a four- or five-unit "short course." In the current uncertain economic environment, some students are finding the shorter course (and the lower tuition) attractive.

For an idea of the kind of courses we're interested in, check out our classes. See "What we're looking for" for additional possibilities. If you think you might like to teach in the program but want to check out an idea before you submit a proposal, please .

What we're looking for

We have previously offered four, six, and eight-week courses at basic and advanced levels in editing and proofreading, memoir writing, and memoir-to-fiction. We are now looking for interesting, creative ways to teach and learn the art of personal story, and especially for classes for more advanced writers. We are also looking for classes in fiction and poetry, taught by women who have published in these areas. Here are some possibilities we've thought of. We're sure you can think of others.

  • Teach a class on writing family history. Each student chooses five or six family members, conducts interviews or writes from memory. Or your students write about places in their family's past, or family traditions. You offer guidance, tips, critique, help.
  • Recipe collections are fun! Offer a class that shows students how to gather, edit, assemble, and tell stories about their families' favorite recipes. In a second-level (advanced) course, help them learn how to publish their books.
  • Blogging is one way to publish the stories of our lives. Do you know quite a lot about blogging? Share that knowledge (and inspiration) with people who are just getting started.
  • Do your talents include proofreading and editing texts? Many people would like to brush up their editorial skills. You can help.
  • Do you teach lifewriting as a means of healing and a way to reframe experience? Share your knowledge and experience with students online.
  • Offer an intensive class on self-publishing, guiding students through the creation of an eBook or POD book.
  • Are you a published travel writer? A food writer? Teach a class on travel writing, food writing.
  • Do you write book reviews or how-to articles? These are also good subjects for a course.
  • Have you taught fiction or poetry classes? Design and offer a class on writing short stories or poems.

Instructor Compensation

Student tuition is set by SCN and scaled according to the length of the course, content, instructor expertise and experience, and special requirements. SCN collects and retains 25% of tuition and pays the instructor the remaining 75%, half when the class begins, half on completion. Upon arrangement with SCN, the instructor may charge additional fees for special materials or other requirements; this nonrefundable fee will be collected from the students at the time of registration and paid to the instructor when the class begins. SCN may charge additional administrative fees that are not paid through to the instructor.

Submitting a Proposal

Please fill out the form below and click "Submit Online Writing Class Proposal." We'll read it carefully and ask you for additional information. If you are proposing a class you've already taught for us, please do use this form. However, you may omit the biographical information (last three text boxes; just put "same as before" in those fields).

Don't forget to make a copy for yourself. You can also print the screen that you will see after you submit your form—it will contain all the information you type on this page. We will reply to you as soon as possible.

Deadlines:

  • March 15-May 10, 2010 classes: February 10, 2010 (***deadline has passed***)
  • May 17-July 12, 2010 classes: March 31, 2010
  • July 19-September 13, 2010 classes: May 28, 2010
  • September 20-November 15, 2010 classes: July 30, 2010

Name:
Street Address:
Phone Number:
City:
Email Address:
State/Province: (select "n/a" for non-US, non-Canadian residents)
Country:
Zip Code:

Website address:
http://
Blog address:
http://

Are you currently a dues-paying member of the Story Circle Network? Yes / No
(People subscribing to our e-letter sometimes believe they are members when they are not. Membership is not required for your proposal to be evaluated, although it does suggest a familiarity with and commitment to SCN's mission.)

Term for which you are proposing a class:

Title of my proposed class:

Synopsis (2-3 sentence summary of class content, to be posted on your class web page. Check current offerings for examples):

Class description (3-4 sentences offering specifics of content, instruction methods, to be posted on your class web page. Check current offerings for examples.)

Students who successfully complete this class will be able to:

Will your class involve students' group participation (reading/responding to each other's writing, sharing stories with fellow students, posting photos, etc)? If yes, we will set up a Yahoo Group site for your use. Yes / No

Instruction/communication methods. In the box below, describe the means by which you will deliver your instructional materials, receive students' written work, comment, and communicate. Please specify any materials you will require in addition to your instructional materials (i.e. books, printed matter, audio, or DVDs that the students must purchase).

Class outline, by unit.

  • A full-length class should be organized into 7 units of instruction, which you will teach over eight calendar weeks. The "extra" week gives you and your students time to get acquainted at the beginning and wrap things up at the end.
  • You may propose a shorter class of 6, 5, 4, or 3 units, depending on your topic and the way you intend to cover it.
  • Provide full details of each unit of material that you intend to offer and describe what will be expected from the students—writing, participation, sharing, etc.—for each unit: (A unit consists of instructional material you deliver to the students and your feedback/response to their work. To avoid rewriting, please do NOT use the term "lesson" in your proposal.) This information will be summarized on your class web page in just enough detail so that students can see what the class is to cover. You will provide them a detailed schedule when they have enrolled.

Class dates. Tell us when your class will begin and when it will end.(See "Deadlines" above, where we have listed the start/end dates of our terms.
Start Date: (mm/dd/yyyyy)
End Date: (mm/dd/yyyyy)

Time commitment required from students (e.g. number of hours per lesson or per week):

Student skill-sets and software/hardware required (beginning, intermediate, advanced writing or computer skills; Word, Internet, email, printer, fax, etc.):

Maximum/minimum number of students (minimum: number below which you won't teach the course):
Max: / Min:

My brief resume, focussing on relevant teaching and writing experience. Please tell us specifically about any online teaching experience you've had. If online teaching is new to you, please tell us that. Do NOT include your corporate/professional/publication experience unless it is relevant to the course you are proposing. (If you prefer to email this, please and note that below.) Note: you MUST put something into this text box, even if only the phrase "emailing resume."

My Internet experience, including classes taught, blogs, participation in listservs and email groups:

Brief bio that we may post on your class web page. See faculty listings for examples.

Questions about your proposal? .

We will review your proposal and get back to you as soon as possible.