MIDDLE SCHOOL ENGLISH (GRADES 6-8)
Middle school is the perfect time to explore online learning. Students enjoy building community while strengthening the skills they need to succeed in high school. This full-year group tutorial has weekly 90-minute meetings over two 15-week semesters and includes grammar, vocabulary, composition, and literature studies. Whether they’ve had a little or a lot of previous experience, students make great strides using the Institute for Excellence in Writing Fix It! Grammar series along with theme-based history writing lesson books. Wonderful stories provide the basis for engaging discussions while learning about literary genres and techniques. Middle School English rotates its literary focus each year allowing students to jump in and out at any point. Click here for booklist, schedule, and registration.
INTRO TO LITERARY ANALYSIS (GRADES 8-11)
This full-year group tutorial is an excellent place to begin high school level English studies as it takes students step by step through crafting a strong thesis, selecting key evidence, and honing insightful analysis. During weekly 90-minute meetings over two 15-week semesters, students will learn how to read a text and understand the elements of great writing. In addition to many short stories, students will read core works of English literature. A study of Latin and Greek roots will help students improve their vocabulary. The tutorial also includes a systematic exploration of study skills to help students succeed throughout their high school years. Click here for booklist, schedule, and registration.
WORLD LITERATURE (GRADES 9-12)
World Literature explores how stories shape humanity and how humanity has shaped our stories. This full-year group tutorial has weekly 90-minute meetings over two 15-week semesters and covers time-honored classics of world literature. Each text is broken down incrementally to ensure complete understanding. Highlights and key points for each work are discussed in class. Students should be proficient in basic essay writing as we will focus on polishing literary analysis skills and working with advanced style techniques. Grammar and vocabulary are discussed in context. Students who prefer audio versions of the books are welcome to use them. The tutorial requires weekly note taking. Click here for booklist, schedule, and registration.
CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE (GRADES 9-12)
Contemporary Literature asks students to address issues of both idealism and pragmatism. What does the best life in the best society look like? How can we achieve that? And what should we do when confronted by inevitable shortcomings? This full-year group tutorial has weekly 90-minute meetings over two 15-week semesters and covers texts published in the last one hundred years. Students should be proficient in basic essay writing as we will work with literary analysis, expository, analytical, descriptive, persuasive, narrative, and research-based papers. Grammar and vocabulary are discussed in context. Students who prefer audio versions of the books are welcome to use them. The tutorial requires weekly note taking. Assessment will be based on weekly assignments and process papers rather than traditional exams. Click here for booklist, schedule, and registration.
CREATIVE WRITING (GRADES 7-12)
Creative Writing provides an opportunity for students to follow this sage advice: “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot” (Stephen King). This full-year group tutorial has weekly 60-minute meetings over two 15-week semesters and provides dedicated time for writers to work on their craft. Between meetings, students must read diligently from books of their choosing and write frequently on assigned topics. In addition, there will be four writing projects, covering the primary areas of creative writing: poetry, short stories, novels, and creative nonfiction. Students must be willing to share their writing with their peers and be comfortable giving and receiving constructive criticism. Students will choose a track to follow: Creative Writing: Build the Narrative, which will focus on characters and setting, or Creative Writing: Elevate the Narrative, which will focus on themes and devices. Students will commit to a track after the third meeting. *Note: To protect the safety of the creative space, meetings will not be recorded; however, a weekly handout describing the topics and writing exercises covered will be available if a student is absent. Click here for booklist, schedule, and registration.
GUIDED INDEPENDENT STUDY (GRADES 10-12)
Motivated students with good essay writing skills, excellent time management, and the desire for a more personalized approach are a good fit for Guided Independent Study. The student and Mrs. Craven will collaborate on a reading list of eight texts centered around the student’s interests. Monthly one-on-one meetings will include discussion of key themes and elements in each literary selection as well as agreement on essay/project topics and deadlines. Between meetings, the student will be responsible for reading assigned texts, preparing for discussion, and completing essays/projects; Mrs. Craven will be available to answer questions via email. There will be process essays, timed essays, and project options throughout the year. This tutorial is flexible but requires one-hour monthly meetings scheduled from August to May. Click here for booklist, schedule, and registration.