The Writing Centre - GEMS World Academy, Dubai

Dearest Friends,
GWA…special memories. And you are all in them. We will carry them with us to Singapore and on...The world is a small place....who knows, I may pull you in to another Writing Centre somewhere in the future!

And now…I hand you over to exciting new adventures in 2013-2014with our WONDERFUL Ms. Tina Evans.

Keep in touch: [email protected]

Self Evaluation for Writing Centre Peer Tutors 2012-2013


Peer Tutors - we need your help!

Please take five minutes to complete this brief questionnaire on your experience as Writing Centre Peer tutor this year.

Thank you :)

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1EshV8UJ14Ecgb0UM_MkeX5pnYZf_ZPJE5aqADmsA0kk/viewform

Self Evaluation for Writing Centre Peer Tutors 2012-2013

As we get to the end of the year at the Writing Centre – a year where YOUR contribution to student learning and achievement has been invaluable – we invite you to CELEBRATE our success and to meet our Writing Centre Coordinator for next year: Ms. Tina Evans

When?
On Wednesday, 29th May from 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Where?
At the Writing Centre, of course!

Who’s invited?
All Peer tutors, past and present, seniors, juniors and all the others, AND all the students who have been coming in to work with our peer tutors regularly through the year!

Please collect your personal invitation which have been given to your Homeroom Teachers.

IF YOU ARE A PEER TUTOR, PLEASE BRING IN A HOME-BAKED GOODY TO SHARE AT THE PARTY...OR PICK UP A DOZEN YUMMY COOKIES TO ADD TO OUR TABLE. :)

Writing Centre BOOK DRIVE for CHARITY Launched TODAY!

Sunday, May 26th – Sunday, June 16th

The Writing Centre invites your support for its Annual BOOK DRIVE for CHARITY.

All students/ parents and staff are requested to bring in at least one book to donate to the Writing Centre Book Drive for “Room to Read” which aims to bring education to millions of children in the developing world.

Books for all age-groups, in English, Arabic, French, Farsi, Russian, Hindi, Urdu - any language - will be welcomed.

Donation DROP BOXES will be placed at the FRONT and CAFETERIA entrances to the school, outside the Writing Centre, and at the entrance to the Secondary school elevators.



Questions?
Contact the GWA Writing Centre [email protected]

And the Winners are.....

Grade 6 : Jasmine Sanau
• “Blind Love”
The old man who could not love walked down the road. Passing houses in the neighborhood, he scowled and cursed at the laughter of children and playful barks of dogs. The old man whose heart was as black as the night sky ignored the friendly ‘hello’s he received. He held the same expression he always had; a look of disgust and agony. The man who was forbidden to be content stepped into the Cemetery. He staggered slowly to a woman’s tombstone. Kneeling before it, he wiped a tear with his leather jacket. The old man who could not love, once loved.

Grade 7: Amely Fuller
• The water was the same icy blue it always was. At least that was familiar, I thought, glancing at the five Olympic rings painted on the wall. The pool ahead of me reflected everything; crowds of people on the grandstand, the vast stadium around me, an excited face staring back at me.
Her expression showed concentration, calculating every stroke she was about to do. She wanted to win. A vein at the side of her neck was pulsing quickly; she loved the burst of adrenaline before a race. But this race was different, I thought, stepping back while the reflection disappeared.

Grade 8: Isabel Nelson
• I wave goodbye, as tears stream down my parent’s faces. They mouth the words, “We’re proud of you” one last time. I'll miss them.
I get on the train as I look back on my old life and prepare myself for the one that awaits me.
The train comes to a stop, my stop.
I’m ready. I think.
I walk in and I notice all the people who are like me. I walk over to the receptionist; she smiles and says “Are you ready to go on your journey to recovery?”
I nod as I tell myself, I'm ready.

Grade 9: Victoria Canal
• “Eternity”
I took a stroll with eternity this morning. We glided along a pathway that led to nothing but a bench. As we sat down, my surroundings began to alter around me. Blank space became fields full of happiness and simple pleasures such as butterflies enjoying the nectar from a lily. Sounds of a guitar and gentle singing beamed across the scene. Suddenly, a dark cloud emerged from the left corner of my eye. Devouring everything in sight, what turned out to be a mob of civilization trudged across, taking every beautiful work of God. “Will you let this happen?” Eternity said.

Grade 10 : Sarah Alley
• “Death’s Door Ajar”
Clouds block the sun, preventing its golden rays from illuminating, leaving the world a grey, gloomy place. Winter’s chill biting at my skin, distracting me from my task at hand. “Stop it from happening” the words echo in mind.
The remains of last night’s rain splash under my feet as I run down the desolate street. Quickening my pace, I round the corner, nearing the entrance of the bridge. In the middle of the haze is the figure of the boy. He slowly climbs onto the railing.
“Don’t do it Damien!” and just as the words leave my mouth, he’s gone.

Grade 11 : Katharine Young
• "Holly!" I yelled as we came running up the lawn. A summers day, grass stuck to our feet, the sun tangled in our hair. The watermelon matched our sunburns and our bright pink nail polish, six years old. "Holly!" I yelled as she changed my song, a summers day but no grass or sun. Locked in her room dancing till our feet went numb, thirteen years old. "Holly!" I yelled as her parents told me the news no sunlight or dancing, just numb with flashbacks. "Holly I'll call you later." "But wait..." The last two words my best friend ever said.

CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ALL. Keep writing :)

Writing Centre Peer Tutor Recognition at Assembly this Day 6 (Wednesday)

Peer Tutors,

After all the incredible work you have done this year...and are still doing... you need to be recognized! Please sit in the front of the auditorium at the MYP assembly at 2:00 PM on Wednesday. We will be asking you to stand up so we can cheer for all of you. :)

I believe many of our Grade 11 tutors may not be present due to the Group 4 project; I have asked Mr Roti if you can be spared from 2:00-2:15 pm only. I'm hoping he will agree...if not, we'll just make do with your pictures!

Thanks for all you've done. We will be having a Peer tutor group celebration before the end of the year... how about our very own Writing Centre "Scoop" - just for our Peer tutors?!

Mrs. Sandhu

101-Word Student Survey Poll Results out now!
Whose 101-Word Story did YOU vote for??

Congratulations to the writers of our hot favorites as per the student survey! Now let's wait and hear the final verdict of our JUDGES. Announcements of WINNERS will be made at the next Assembly on May 15th, Wednesday. Our winners will awarded with a personalized Parker Pen - names will be engraved on the pens so they can be saved as a record of our writers' talents for ever, and ever, and ever...!

Grade 6 :
WINNER OF MOST SURVEY VOTES: Jasmine Sanau

The old man who could not love walked down ...45%

It was a late,misty winter night, and a...19%

I fumbled with the chains. The noise echoed...15%

On a walked on pavement, he sits waiting...11%

I look down on them showing no mercy as the...10%

Grade 7
WINNER OF MOST SURVEY VOTES: Alex Hupe

Why can’t I sleep? It’s 10:52 pm; it’...26%

The water was the same icy blue it always...19%

Inside our house there lays a box,...19%

Feeling lightheaded, I gazed outside...18%

As she looked up at the beautiful ...18%

Grade 8
WINNER OF MOST SURVEY VOTES: Yuxuan (May) Xue

Through the window’s tiny gaps, he saw...28.00%

I wave goodbye,as tears stream down my...27%

In the dark everything seems so quiet...18%

A strong woman is one who is able to smile...15%

I put my headphones in and nodded...12%

Grade 9
WINNER OF MOST SURVEY VOTES: Fatina Hilal

“I wonder…?” those were the words that had...32%

Have you ever considered the amount of times...29.00%

“Jack, come over here!” “Come on man"...16%

I took a stroll with eternity this morning...12%

The day was young and the night was far...11%

Grade 10
WINNER OF MOST SURVEY VOTES: Marvin Arnold

He walks along the road, the trees skipping by...27%

As the soft murmur slowly dies down in...23%

It always begins with a stare. ...18%

The ringing continued as Audrey hastily...17%

Clouds block the sun, preventing...15%

Grade 11
WINNER OF MOST SURVEY VOTES: Lucas Campos

And for one last time, she looked at me...38%

"Holly!" I yelled as we came running...28.00%

The final battle. My greatest friend...23%

I sit here,staring at the words of my...11%

!01 Word Pig - out on Pizza with the Principal

EXCITING NEWS!
We now have the votes in from our student survey of the top 101-Words and the most popular stories according to our internal poll are:

Grade 6: Jasmine Sanau

The old man who could not love walked down the road. Passing houses in the neighborhood, he scowled and cursed at the laughter of children and playful barks of dogs. The old man whose heart was as black as the night sky ignored the friendly ‘hello’s he received. He held the same expression he always had; a look of disgust and agony. The man who was forbidden to be content stepped into the Cemetery. He staggered slowly to a woman’s tombstone. Kneeling before it, he wiped a tear with his leather jacket. The old man who could not love, once loved.


Grade 7: Amely Fuller

The water was the same icy blue it always was. At least that was familiar, I thought, glancing at the five Olympic rings painted on the wall. The pool ahead of me reflected everything; crowds of people on the grandstand, the vast stadium around me, an excited face staring back at me.Her expression showed concentration, calculating every stroke she was about to do. She wanted to win. A vein at the side of her neck was pulsing quickly; she loved the burst of adrenaline before a race. But this race was different, I thought, stepping back while the reflection disappeared.


Grade 8: Yuxuan (May) Xue

Through the window’s tiny gaps, he saw the sky. It was blue, deep but clean. The moon was an unclear circle. It was a foggy night. There were no stars on the sky- not shiny, not glorious anymore. He sighed softly; it was his fault that he had lost his golden time. “I’ll tell her I love her,” he said to himself, “I’ll promise that I’ll never do it again.” There was silence around the jail. For a moment, he thought she’ll never come to see him. But of course she came. “Mom…” The tears finally came out from his eyes.



Grade 9: Lowis Fritchley

Have you ever considered the amount of times you've been affected by the negativity that strains us, feeling vulnerable as we enable silly things to regulate our minds and impact our personal state. Then suddenly, a vision of beauty blurs your thought process, and you realize, at that particular moment, you in fact determine your own life, you are in fact the victim of your own actions and thoughts. Then you acknowledge the world, and allow happiness in, you realize how much you appreciate the life you have, and adapt to the worst moments, turning a bad into a good, and perceiving everything in a way that captures your heart and reacquaints the positivity in your soul, allowing you to once again, establish yourself, be content with all you are, do and have, which announces the arrival of strength.



Grade 10: Latheefa AP

It always begins with a stare. That stare later turns into a smile and well so on and so forth. But if you think about it, we have the freedom to choose the so on and so forth. You are capable of understanding that the so on and so forth may be your greatest mistake, a life lesson or the best thing that happened to you. You can’t exactly be careful or blameful, for that matter, when you make a decision about the so on and so forth. You just have to go with your instincts and hope for the best.



Grade 11: Lucas Campos

And for one last time, she looked at me. She looked at me with passion, with emotion, with the type of eyes that you thought you knew so well. It was noisy when I saw her, she was ready to go, but she looked at me before and those eyes silenced everything. The deep blue and the golden specks in her eyes just looked straight into me, into my soul. Then her dark red lips moved, "Goodbye". And with one last step she disappeared into the darkness, I heard a loud splash, and that was the last noise she ever made.


WILL THESE 101- WORDS BE THE WINNERS??

Our Judges, Ms. Faith Ansell and Mr. Andrew McGavin are still making their final selections. Wait for the announcements at our Assembly on May 15th! Keep your fingers crossed...

Congratulations to our semi-finalists...
Read their short stories here:

Grade 6
• The old man who could not love walked down the road. Passing houses in the neighborhood, he scowled and cursed at the laughter of children and playful barks of dogs. The old man whose heart was as black as the night sky ignored the friendly ‘hello’s he received. He held the same expression he always had; a look of disgust and agony. The man who was forbidden to be content stepped into the Cemetery. He staggered slowly to a woman’s tombstone. Kneeling before it, he wiped a tear with his leather jacket. The old man who could not love, once loved.

• Blind Love
On a walked on pavement, he sits waiting for his pennies. Forgotten times of innocence and crayons. Now he sits, on an old newspaper article and a muddy cardboard box. Times of a loving family were now dissolved into the busy air. He is left to fend for himself. Old age has gotten to him. It has left him blind. There he sits, still waiting for his pennies. All he wants is love, because that’s what everyone wants isn’t it? There he lies, cold with feeling, eyes shot open. He should be happier up there, because there is love.

• I fumbled with the chains. The noise echoed through the empty cell. The dim light the moon emitted shone through the only window. Tonight I would escape. I braced myself for the effect. The glass shattered & the shards flew across the cell. I had done it but I knew they would be coming. I had to act quickly. I pushed away the remaining glass and leaped out. I was free. After four years in hell I was free. I heard the noises and chaos I had left behind as I fled from the scene. It was over. I was free.

• I look down on them showing no mercy as the whip cracks on their frail backs. The noise of the whip echoes through the room, as do the collective gasps of the other children. “This will be an example to anyone here who dares disobey me!” I bellow. With that I exit the room although it’s impossible to block out the sounds of panic and whimpering coming from the now bloodstained room. I look at the scar on my right hand as I walk down the hall. I am unforgiving.

• It was a late, misty winter night, and a pair of twins was searching for their lost parents. Suddenly, a man appears through the mist, holding a handful of chocolate. “Take some,” he begs. “No thank you,” the twins answer frightened. “Please, come home with me and we will eat them together,” he begs again. “No thank you we do not want your chocolate!” the twins answer again, becoming even more frightened. “Well if you insist, I’ll just have to …” before he can finish, the kids run off, and disappear into the mist. “… eat it myself,” he finishes, lonely.

Grade 7
• The water was the same icy blue it always was. At least that was familiar, I thought, glancing at the five Olympic rings painted on the wall. The pool ahead of me reflected everything; crowds of people on the grandstand, the vast stadium around me, an excited face staring back at me.
Her expression showed concentration, calculating every stroke she was about to do. She wanted to win. A vein at the side of her neck was pulsing quickly; she loved the burst of adrenaline before a race. But this race was different, I thought, stepping back while the reflection disappeared.

• Inside our house there lays a box, that's hidden deep inside; it has all of my precious secrets, memories, and certain lies. This box is a part of me, which could expose anything and everything about my life. Whenever I am feeling down I can always take a look inside. Then remember all the wonderful things that happened in this life. All the fun and crazy times spent with my friends, the hilarious embarrassing stories told about my siblings by grandparents, uncles, and aunts. Though at times I forget that it’s just a box, not a person, not my friend.

• Feeling lightheaded, I gazed outside the window at the bare pavement, catching a glimpse of the clear, white, snowflake falling from the sky. I rushed outside, a frosty, chilly, breeze sending icy shivers up my spine. I stuck my tongue out and inhaled a breathtaking quantity of crisp air. I shut my eyes, waves of joy running through me as snowflakes began to drop faster surrounding me with thick layers of tiny white specks. Finally, I thought. The corners of my mouth twitched into a smile. It was winter again at last.

• The Man with the Sword
As she looked up at the beautiful blue sky, she saw something, something in the clouds. It was the form of an elephant. He was so free and happy. Then out of nowhere another cloud came into her view. It was a man with a sword. He crept up on the elephant and dug his sword into the animal’s side. She watched with shock as the poor animal died slowly, it bought tears to her eyes. As she watched she heard a sound from near her. She sat up and looked around. The man with the sword was next to her...

• What was Out There?
Why can’t I sleep? It’s 10:52pm; it’s 10:57pm; it’s 11:04pm.
What is that red flying object outside? Let me get my binoculars, now I can see. It’s moving around, so it’s not a star, it’s not blinking, so it’s not a plane; what is it?
I go to my Mom’s room, and I ask “Mom, there is something outside,”
“Go to sleep!” she replies,
I say “Mom, please,” she declines, I walk back to my room, and it’s not in the sky anymore.
“Mom the trees are on fire!”

Grade 8
• I WILL
Through the window’s tiny gaps, he saw the sky. It was blue, deep but clean. The moon was an unclear circle. It was a foggy night. There were no stars on the sky- not shiny, not glorious anymore. He sighed softly; it was his fault that he had lost his golden time.
“I’ll tell her I love her,” he said to himself, “I’ll promise that I’ll never do it again.”
There was silence around the jail. For a moment, he thought she’ll never come to see him. But of course she came.
“Mom…” The tears finally came out from his eyes.

• I wave goodbye, as tears stream down my parent’s faces. They mouth the words, “We’re proud of you” one last time. I'll miss them.
I get on the train as I look back on my old life and prepare myself for the one that awaits me.
The train comes to a stop, my stop.
I’m ready. I think.
I walk in and I notice all the people who are like me. I walk over to the receptionist; she smiles and says “Are you ready to go on your journey to recovery?”
I nod as I tell myself, I'm ready.
• How It Is
I put my headphones in and nodded slowly to the music. Our plan was in action. We looked fancy, real fancy; After all, we needed to look the part. Dean and I strode into the large ballroom, knowing we weren’t welcome; the atmosphere turned sour immediately. Seconds after entry we were attacked, vamps came down on us in large numbers; pulling out our daggers to fight the oncoming traffic, we slashed their heads off by the dozen. We fought our way down the vast corridor and into the ‘father’s’ chambers. One bullet through his jaw and we’d had our revenge.

• In the dark
In the dark everything seems so quiet and peaceful; if you look deeper into the darkness it drags you into the danger. It was a quiet night in the national park, and everything seemed so calm and beautiful. But once I had stepped out and l looked around I saw something black, it was a person. “Come here little child” he told me to come, so I lurked in closer and closer to the man in black. But once I got close he had vanished. Then I heard the mysterious voice again “come here to me my little child” “to me”.

• A strong woman is one who is able to smile this morning like she wasn’t crying last night. She was very smart; she knew that she shouldn’t run for a bus, train, or a man because when one leaves, another arrives. She knew that they would only care when you’re gone. She knew that you never know what you have until you lose it, and once you lose it you can never get it back. She knew that love would eventually turn into hate, and hate could turn into love, but most importantly she knew it was time to start anew.

Grade 9

• “Jack, come over here!”
“Come on man…” replied Jack as he rubbed his sore feet. He’d been exploring the forest with his friend, Andrew, for the past several hours. All of that walking was taking its toll on Jack, who was used to playing computer games or reading in his spare time.
“Shut up and hurry!” Andrew hissed.
Sensing something eerie in his voice, Jack quickened his snail pace. When he reached Andrew, all he could say was, “Oh my God…”
Bodies. The crudely dug grave was full of them.
Jack jumped as he heard a gunshot, followed by Andrew’s scream.

• Darkness
The day was young and the night was far away. The other kids were still playing, unknowing of what was to come. They one by one went home until the five bravest and oldest kids were left. The last bit of sunlight slipped past the mountains and our world was covered in darkness. The weather was becoming chilly and all the kids’ skin was full of Goosebumps. Suddenly a quiet, more quiet than all quiets before it, fell upon us. A kid screamed. It was the youngest of the lot “YES!! A FOUR LEAF CLOVER!!! FINALLY, WE CAN RETURN HOME”

• “I wonder…?” those were the words that had gotten me into trouble. Had curiosity really killed the cat? I had searched in a trance of my sadness, for the answers. Because that’s all that mattered… nothing would bring her back but answers would bring me closure, or so they said. I mean, honestly, what is closure? Is it a great and wonderful feeling that makes us realize that the death was really the right path for her all along? That I should forgive whoever chose the end of her life like this? I will never forget and I will never forgive.

• STRENGTH
Have you ever considered the amount of times you’ve been affected by the negativity that strains us, feeling vulnerable as we enable silly things to regulate our minds and impact our personal state. Then suddenly, a vision of beauty blurs your thought process, and you realize, at that particular moment, you in fact determine your own life, you are in fact the victim of your own actions and thoughts. Then you acknowledge the world, and allow happiness in, you realize how much you appreciate the life you have, and adapt to the worst moments, turning a bad into a good, and perceiving everything in a way that captures your heart and reacquaints the positivity in your soul, allowing you to once again, establish yourself, be content with all you are, do and have, which announces the arrival of strength.

• Eternity
I took a stroll with eternity this morning. We glided along a pathway that led to nothing but a bench. As we sat down, my surroundings began to alter around me. Blank space became fields full of happiness and simple pleasures such as butterflies enjoying the nectar from a lily. Sounds of a guitar and gentle singing beamed across the scene. Suddenly, a dark cloud emerged from the left corner of my eye. Devouring everything in sight, what turned out to be a mob of civilization trudged across, taking every beautiful work of God. “Will you let this happen?” Eternity said.

Grade 10
• Amnesia

He walks along the road, the trees skipping by as he turns his head. He doesn’t
know where he is heading, doesn’t know who he is. The light is fading, but he keeps on
walking. He reaches a city, with one street light.

Noise out of a tavern nearby. He enters, and finds himself in a hospital, he looks
back at where he came from, but it’s not the same, even the door is a different one.
“Where am I?” he asks. A voice behind him answers, but he can’t make out the language.

This is his daily life. Memory loss.

• So On And So Forth
It always begins with a stare. That stare later turns into a smile and well so on and so forth. But if you think about it, we have the freedom to choose the so on and so forth. You are capable of understanding that the so on and so forth may be your greatest mistake, a life lesson or the best thing that happened to you. You can’t exactly be careful or blameful, for that matter, when you make a decision about the so on and so forth. You just have to go with your instincts and hope for the best.

• Musical reassurance
As the soft murmur slowly dies down in the room, people start to listen.
“One, two, three, four,” he counts down in his head until the right time to start.
Then, the silence is broken and the music fills the room.
His fingers move across the strings, and his foot taps vigorously to the beat.
He and his guitar ease the crowd out of their everyday state of mind and bring them into something joyous that make them forget about their troubles and worries for a while.
He feels the energy his song creates and when the song is finished, carefree faces look back at him.

• The ringing continued as Audrey hastily threw her dirty clothes off of her bed. Not there. She snatched her school bag off the floor and immediately dumped everything inside it onto her carpeted bedroom floor.
“Where is it?”
The call she was expecting was extremely important and she couldn’t miss it. The ringing still continued and so did Audrey’s searching. All hope seemed lost after a few minutes and she sat down on the ground with a loud crack. Crack? The ringing had stopped. Audrey slowly reached in her back pocket and pulled out a very cracked and crumpled iPhone.

• Death’s Door Ajar

Clouds block the sun, preventing its golden rays from illuminating, leaving the world a grey, gloomy place. Winter’s chill biting at my skin, distracting me from my task at hand. “Stop it from happening” the words echo in mind.
The remains of last night’s rain splash under my feet as I run down the desolate street. Quickening my pace, I round the corner, nearing the entrance of the bridge. In the middle of the haze is the figure of the boy. He slowly climbs onto the railing.
“Don’t do it Damien!” and just as the words leave my mouth, he’s gone.

Grade 11
• The Bridge

And for one last time, she looked at me. She looked at me with passion, with emotion, with the type of eyes that you thought you knew so well. It was noisy when I saw her, she was ready to go, but she looked at me before and those eyes silenced everything. The deep blue and the golden specks in her eyes just looked straight into me, into my soul. Then her dark red lips moved, "Goodbye". And with one last step she disappeared into the darkness, I heard a loud splash, and that was the last noise she ever made.

• Darkness

The final battle. My greatest friend turned into my greatest enemy. I guess that's life. People change. I stare into his deadly stare, his eyes dark as the night sky, his dark hair reaching the middle of his back. His green robe flying in the wind hiding his dark attire.

"Please Allen. Please don't do this. I need you" I said with tears in my eyes
"No one needs me. I'm alone in this world" he yelled.
He pulled his gun and pulled the trigger.

Last thing I saw was darkness in his eyes. Then I saw darkness in mine.

PLUS: late submission...

The Night
I sit here, staring at the words of my notebook. Nothing is running through my mind. No hamster turning the cogs in my brain. Just a blank stare is all I can muster. I look up at the time, and the minutes just fell away like sand falling from an interested tourist’s hand. I have nothing to gain from my void of behavior , yet everything to lose. I know what I must do, but I cannot do it, try as I may. All the breaks I've taken before this point, and throwing off the inevitable...
I am going to fail my test tomorrow.