In this class, students will learn:

--Basic analysis techniques for literature
--Identifying figurative language
--How to compare literary elements
--Thesis statement development
--MLA citations for literature
--Primary source analysis
--Working with groups/peers successfully
--Presentation skills

I have been teaching at the university level for nearly four years, and have graded and edited hundreds of papers from college freshmen in those years. I hope to help develop writing skills in high school-aged children in this class to prevent many of the common errors I see in university papers! 

Homework Offered
Students are expected to participate in weekly assignments that will be submitted to the instructor and feedback will be given for each and every assignment. Each assignment is submitted to the instructor and feedback is personalized based on the student's strengths and weaknesses. Each week students will get suggestions on how to further improve and be told what they are doing well. Parents can request grades at any time. Additionally, due to the nature of the course, students will be expected to read their selected novels on their own. Reading 30-70 pages per week may be necessary depending on the novel selected. 
2 - 4 hours per week outside of class
Assessments Offered
At the end of the course, parents are welcome to request a full assessment of the student's progress over the twelve weeks if they would like. Further, grades are optional but available. Students will be assessed based on how they have grown as writers in the course and assessments will include what they have done well with end areas that need improving. For those receiving grades, a rubric will be distributed to parents so they can see where all of the points are coming from in the final grade.
Grades Offered

Students will be expected to acquire their own copies of their selected novels for their paper project after our first meeting.