High School English--A Rhetorical Approach
Thursdays from 9-10:50$400 per semester
$150 non-refundable enrollment fee ($100 of which is deducted from first semester tuition)
Class requires 8 students to go forward. Maximum of 16 students.
Description
This year-long high school English course combines direct instruction, in-class practice, and meaningful independent work between classes. We'll learn to read and write rhetorically, considering audience, purpose, and exigence of fiction and non-fiction texts. I'm currently working through professional teacher training in the Expository Reading and Writing Curriculum (ERWC) if you are curious to learn more about this approach. I believe it's a great way to teach students how to become well-rounded, thoughtful readers and writers.
Non-fiction pieces will include both traditional and non-traditional media--some classic and some contemporary so that we can think about all the ways that people communicate in our increasingly complex and often digitial world. I'm considering Animal Farm, To Kill A Mockingbird, and/or A Separate Peace for our fiction texts and will firm up the list closer in.
I primarily communicate weekly assignments through a class blog, so students must be able to access it regularly, read carefully, and follow directions. This typically includes 3–4 hours of outside work each week, with the ability to print materials at home, view assigned components, annotate readings, and complete assignments independently.
Mature listening, writing, speaking, and thoughtful class discussion will be a regular part of our class time, so students should be able to handwrite legibly and be willing to share their writing with others. This is how writers, readers, and thinkers grow—by looking at and talking about texts and writing with others. Students will be expected to arrive to class on time, well-rested, and prepared with each week's independent work. That said, we will also have a lot of fun along the way--I like to teach through a variety of activities, games, art, projects, and other methods that keep things interesting.
I view my role more as mentor and coach, although I will hold students accountable through a variety of methods. I prefer systems of checks, checklists, and rubrics over grades because they make the skills we are working toward accessible and achievable. I will offer feedback verbally and sometimes in writing as we work toward our goals.
About Me
I love the language arts and working with teenagers. I've been teaching English—both professionally and within the homeschool community—for over 30 years. I set high standards for myself and my students, but I also consider myself an approachable and compassionate teacher.
Please note that I will be teaching around a few family trips this year. I will communicate those dates clearly on the class blog, and our work and assignments will proceed as planned to ensure we stay on track. At times I may provide a substitute; at other times, I may pre-record a lesson.
I look forward to getting to know you and your student next year. If there is enough interest, I’m happy to host a meet-and-greet closer to the start of the course. Feel free to reach out with questions: elizabethjprice@gmail.com
Registration Information
Register for this class via Google form here:
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