College/High School Reading Techniques & Critical Analysis Class for Ages 14-18
What's included
8 live meetings
4 in-class hoursClass Experience
In this course, students will prepare for college or high-school by studying and practicing techniques for active reading. These techniques will deepen comprehension, and enable critical analysis, of difficult to read texts. Students will learn to read and analyze each individual piece of a sentence within a paragraph within a text, which will lead them to understand the macro ideas of the piece as a whole. They will also learn to identify what in the passage confuses them and how to clarify the meaning of that particular idea. Weekly breakdown of topics is as follows: Lesson 1 - What is active reading and why should we do it? Class time will be spent identifying examples of challenging texts, and then will emphasize the importance of and techniques for taking notes while reading. Identify words we don't understand and research their meanings, then apply our note-taking skills to increase our understanding of the text. Lesson 2 - Authors perspective and bias. Students will learn to question who the author is, what the purpose of their writing is, and who the intended audience is. They will then learn to apply these concepts to their understanding of the writing as a whole. Lesson 3 - Making personal connections. Students will learn to consider what they already know about the given subject and how what they are reading relates to their personal life experience. Lesson 4 - Identifying patterns in the text. Students will begin to seek out patterns in a given text - be it figurative language, thematic patterns, emphasis on a particular sound, etc., - and assess why the author chose to utilize them. What purpose do these patterns serve in the authors writing? Lesson 5 - Identify assumptions. Class time will be spent using critical analysis and discussion to validate the authors assumptions and relate them to our own assumptions. Lesson 6 - Search for underlying meaning. Students will identify examples of text that can be interpreted in multiple ways, then analyze it comparatively with the rest of the text to figure out what the author actually means. Lessons 7/8 - Reread and analyze the text. Utilizing all the techniques and skills of the preceding weeks, we will reread the passages to accurately interpret the authors purpose and meaning. Texts we may analyze will come from popular music, theater, and/or poetry, public domain, and historical texts. ** Class time of 30 minutes is an estimate and some classes may run a little late or end a little early **
Learning Goals
Critical analysis of difficult to read passages.
Other Details
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Teacher expertise and credentials
Bachelor's Degree in Graphic Design from Full Sail University
Hello everyone!
My name is Kim and I am thrilled to help your child study on Outschool! I have a Bachelors of Science degree in Graphic Design from Full Sail University with an emphasis on marketing and communication. Since obtaining my degree, I have been personally involved in the building of seven different companies ranging in topic from graphic design, video gaming, and hobby/tabletop gaming stores to horseback riding, handmade goods, sales, candle making at a Renaissance Festival artisan booths, and blogging. I have also had the good fortune to act as consultant to build, market and brand several small businesses over the past decade. I am also a classically trained vocalist and one of two singers in the band, Cicadas In The Snow.
After spending a few years traveling the country by RV with my family, my husband and I have decided to settle down in Arizona. We worked as volunteer camp hosts for a nearby National Forest and I became the Director of our local Boys and Girls Club.
I am excited to offer Outschool classes such as voice, web design, graphic design, and business development classes, as well as reading and comprehension for all ages, socialization groups, games and any other fun classes I come up with (or that you request)!
I believe that kids learn best when they are comfortable and having fun, so my teaching style is casual, adaptable, and engaging. I have been teaching kids for over fifteen years, using specialized skills to build confidence in learners through praise, patience, and encouragement. I love hearing the thoughts and inspirations of my students, and finding what we have in common from a world apart.
My experience includes fifteen years as a horse trainer and riding instructor of three different disciplines to children and adults of all ages and ability level all over the United States. In the past, I spent five years teaching English as a Second Language online, obtained my TESOL certification and taught over 800 classes to 150 students, most of whom returned to my classroom again and again. My experience singing began as a child who loved and learned by singing, and that skill developed and grew over my lifetime. I performed in recitals, sang for churches and in a band, give voice lessons in my local town, and am now ready to share what I know with students all over the world.
Additionally, volunteering at local schools has always been a passion of mine. In past years, I was given the responsibility of teaching advanced math classes to second graders, as well as working with students who were below grade level in reading or writing to catch up to their peers. However, my biggest passion became homeschooling my own sons, and watching them grow and learn through guided classwork, curiosity and life experience. They soon surpassed my knowledge in subjects like Chemistry and Japanese, and went on to attend college at the age of 13 and 14 years old.
I adore teaching, hanging out with my husband (a retired veteran) and three children, and as a family, we love traveling the country in our RV! Some of my favorite things are foraging wild foods, visiting national parks, staring at the night sky, finding waterfalls or natural swimming holes, hiking adventures, learning new languages/cultures, and getting to know new people. I also enjoy standard life stuff, like gardening, cooking, and reading. Now that you know a little (well actually, a lot!) about me, I am excited to get to know you and your family. I look forward to meeting you in the classroom!
- Ms. Kim
Reviews
Live Group Class
$32
weekly or $125 for 8 classes2x per week, 4 weeks
30 min
Completed by 4 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 14-18
2-8 learners per class