Client Showcase
We here at High Performance Learning are committed to helping our clients overcome any educational difficulties they may have so that they are able to excel at school and beyond. This part of our website will enable you to share in some of their achievements.
Non-Fiction Writing
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An Exploration of War and Conflict by Phoebe Murray
Phoebe Murray wrote this essay at 13 during a Year 7 unit of work entitled ‘War and Conflict’.
She first became a client of High Performance Learning as she suffered from very poor reading, writing and maths skills. Phoebe lives in Western Australia so all her lessons with us are done in her home live in our online meeting rooms. After completing our Basic Language and Phonics Program and Primary School Maths Program Phoebe is now academically capable across the full range of subjects as this project she has done demonstrates.
Phoebe was required to interview someone who had memory of what life was like living through a conflict such as a war. As Phoebe said in her essay she was totally naive about the nature of war and completely unaware of conscription and the cold war.
Click here to read ‘Mr Brooks’s War Experience Unlocked’ by Phoebe Murray.
The second part of Phoebe Murray’s assignment required her to tell a story through war time correspondence. Specifically, she needed to write three letters: the first letter from a soldier to someone at home; the second letter from the someone at home to the soldier; and the final letter from a superior officer notifying the people at home of the soldier’s death.
Fiction Writing
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Two Poems by Alexandra Kelly
Here at High Performance Learning we run a monthly Literary Club for clients and friends where we discuss novels, plays, poetry and all sorts of other writing. We also do writing workshops and discuss literary techniques and interesting words.
Alexandra Kelly shared these two poems at our meeting – the first on the carnage in Syria, and the second on a memory of the Mitcham Library. Alex is a published poet and author so we are lucky to have her in our group.
Click here to read ‘Shrouds/Syria/Sheets’ by Alexandra Kelly
Click here to read ‘The Library at Night’ by Alexandra Kelly -
St. John’s Joggers by Alexandra Kelly
Alexandra Kelly and her three children have all used the services of High Performance Learning. Now her children are all grown up, she has developed a keen interest in writing. She has published a book of poetry entitled Landscape of the Missing .
Alexandra joined the High Performance Learning Literature Club to develop and share her reading and writing skills. Below is a poem she wrote at a Literature Club meeting which captures the energy of some local school boys on their morning jog.
At the time of writing, Alexandra is working on a book of historical fiction. It is about the ship called the Coromandel which sailed between England and Adelaide in the mid-1800s.
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Nature’s Gift by Chris Wolverson
Chris Wolverson went through the High Performance Learning English Language and Learning Skills Program with her two sons so she could improve her reading and writing skills. Since then they have all been working on developing their maths skills.
Chris joined the High Performance Literary Club to take her language skills to a new level. The poem below is the first poem she has ever written in her life. It is written in a pastoral style celebrating her love of the natural environment. Chris is active in wildlife rescue as well as a keen camper.
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Winning At Any Cost by David Harkins
David Harkins struggled with reading right through school and his working life. He tried a number of literacy programs but to no avail. In his late thirties, he and his wife Andrea began the High Performance Learning English Language and Learning Skills Program. Before finishing the Program David was able to read his first full length novel. This got him so excited he joined the High Performance Literary Club.
The poem below is the first poem he has ever written in his life. It cleverly captures what goes through his mind at the start of a motor bike race.
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The Book by Deanne Fraser
Deanne Fraser and her three daughters did the High Performance Learning English Language and Learning Skills Program a few years ago. Deanne’s daughters are now avid readers and excel at school as a result.
Deanne joined the High Performance Learning Literature Club to develop her reading and writing skills. She has since embarked on writing a children’s book. Here is a poem she wrote at a Literature Club meeting which captures her changed perception of reading.
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Writing A Limerick
The High Performance Learning Literary Club ran a poetry writing workshop. As a warm up exercise to learn about rhyme and rhythm the group had the task of writing the last line for a Limerick. They only had 10 minutes to do it and you can see their attempts and learn more about Limericks by clicking here. Why don’t you try to do it yourself and share it by writing it in the box at the bottom of this page.
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He Says … I Say by Robert Green
Robert Green wrote the poem ‘He Says … I Say’ in 2011 when he was in his late 20s.
At the time he was working through the High Performance Learning Basic Language and Learning Skills Course to overcome his dyslexia and improve his reading. He was also in the middle of the Advanced Study Skills Program to help him with his university studies in Psychology.
‘He Says … I Say’ was the first poem Robert ever wrote! He got inspired to write it by the following line from a Bob Seger song called ‘Against the Wind’:
‘I wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then.’
As you will see, that line prompted Robert to think very deeply about his Mind Set and changing his whole approach to life now he had such vastly improved language and comprehension skills. This is, something that frequently happens during the courses we run at High Performance Learning.
‘He Says … I Say’ is a very deep poem – so do it justice by reading it a number of times – you won’t be disappointed.