High School English: Read Literature Like a Professor
An engaging semester course of literary analysis and critical thinking that will prepare high school learners for college-level literature and university study. #academic
Kendra Fletcher
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(514)
Star Educator
What's included
12 live meetings
6 in-class hoursHomework
2-4 hours per week. Learners will need to read the assigned chapters each week so that we can discuss what we have read. Typically, we read 3-4 chapters per week.Assessment
includedClass Experience
US Grade 9 - 12
Whether you’re a high schooler preparing for college and university or someone who just wants to understand the deeper meaning behind great literature, this is the course for you! Using Thomas C. Foster’s classic guide, 𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒐 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒂 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒓, we will learn to read great books together with the eye of someone who has been trained to search for deeper literary meanings woven into texts. We’ll begin to recognize symbols, themes, and contexts and come away from the course with a keener understanding of some of the world’s greatest writing. Great “Aha!” moments can happen if we know what to look for, and together we’ll make connections to classical literature, modern writing, film, television, music, and even video games. Socratic discussion (questions to help you think critically about a topic) and weekly activities, such as creative writing and close reading assignments, will be the foundation of our in-class time together. We will also consider and analyze movies and other media forms of storytelling. At the end of our semester together, you will feel prepared to jump into a college-level literature course, equipped with analytical tools that will serve you well for the rest of your life. Here's what learners have to say about this course: "Just learning to think about reading through the “professor” lens has changed how I read literature. Reading between the lines and searching for possible symbolism changes not just how I see the story, but how I see the author. As a writer myself, I have great respect for those authors who are able to write a whole novel with plot, characters, etc., and then have a whole other layer of information hidden underneath it all. I also think that reading a book with this mindset can make some stories more enjoyable. So many of the books Mr. Foster discusses seem, frankly, a little or sometimes very strange. But when you read these stories with the intent of looking for and finding symbolism or deeper meanings, your perspective changes and you see the book in a different way then if you were reading it without the “professor” lens on." Elyse, 16 "After reading the chapter about seasons, a lot of things I've read in literature make more sense. Things like spring = birth/rebirth, winter = harshness/death, etc. seem so obvious now after reading the chapter, and it makes reading literature containing these metaphors more interesting and enjoyable." Emma, 17
Learning Goals
Students will learn to recognize symbols, themes, and contexts of world literature.
CCSS
RL.8.1
Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS
RL.8.10
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of grades 6–8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
CCSS
RL.9-10.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS
RL.9-10.10
By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 9-10 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the grades 9-10 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
CCSS
RL.11-12.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
CCSS
RL.11-12.10
By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 11-CCR text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the grades 11-CCR text complexity band independently and proficiently.
Syllabus
12 Lessons
over 12 WeeksLesson 1:
Intro Lecture and Discussion
You do not have to come to the first class having read any of the book yet. We’ll familiarize ourselves with the book’s layout and discuss the introduction. 30 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Discussion of Chapters 1-4
Lesson 2 breaks down the content of Chapters 1-4 and discusses Intertextuality. 30 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Discussion of Chapters 5-7
Lesson 3 breaks down the content of Chapters 5-7, discusses the influence of Shakespeare and the Bible in literature, and introduces a fairy tale writing project. 30 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Discussion of Chapters 8-10
Lesson 4 breaks down the content of Chapters 8-10 and discusses the use of weather in storytelling, Greek myths, and heroes. 30 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Parental Guidance
We will be watching brief scenes from a variety of movies, some of which contain language. I always communicate that the use of swear words is not appropriate in the classroom setting, but if you and your learner are sensitive to strong language, just note that it will sometimes appear in clips we watch together. There will NOT be overtly violent or sexual content in videos we view.
Chapter 17 (week 6) discusses the fact that authors of world literature often use sex as a theme. I will not be giving details but will instruct learners that as readers, we need to learn how to filter that content for ourselves and understand what the author is saying.
Please take the time to read the text for yourself if you have any concerns. While the text mentions books with difficult themes, we will not be discussing those themes specifically in class; rather, it is the broader concepts (quests like Lord of the Rings, dinner scenes like those in To Kill a Mockingbird, Biblical allegories like Steinbeck's East of Eden, etc) that will be discussed in class.
Supply List
You will need your own copy of Thomas C. Foster's 𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒐 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒂 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒓. There is a revised edition (2014) that is preferable, but either edition is fine. You will also need to print out the student note handout.
Language of Instruction
English
Joined April, 2019
5.0
514reviews
Star Educator
Teacher expertise and credentials
Bachelor's Degree in Music or Theatre or Arts from University of the Pacific
What happens when a learner is given the time and space to soak in a story and allow it to change their life? “Aha!” moments are my goal, and it’s why I adore leading worthwhile discussions about classic books. What good is it if we require a teen to read a book but our dry and uninteresting rendering makes them never want to pick up another book of note ever again?
Book clubs for kids who want an adventure, middle and high school literature studies, introductory writing, and engaging story times for the youngest of readers and story lovers are my passion here on Outschool. We can give our kids so much more than our own experiences when we open a book and the world to them!
I have a BA in Music/Opera Studies and am currently studying for an MSt Literature and Arts at Oxford University. I homeschooled our 8 children for 25 years in which we studied, read, and learned through nearly 500 great books together. That experience and literary knowledge have spilled out into the literature studies I lead with adult learners and kids alike.Reviews
Live Group Course
$195
for 12 classes1x per week, 12 weeks
30 min
Completed by 50 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 15-18
4-9 learners per class
