The goals of the class are:

to expose students to great writing from different times and places so they can see how humans and societies are similar and different,

to think critically about what we read and what constitutes great writing,

to explore ideas that are raised in literature and relate them to our own experience, 

to understand and empathize with people who are different from ourselves,

to learn the different techniques by which authors express their ideas,

to "read between the lines," or make inferences from a text,

to express our own ideas precisely and vividly, both orally and in writing,

to learn, practice and improve different types of writing, and

to have fun reading and discussing literature.

I have a permanent license from New York State to teach English Language Arts, and did so in New York City public high schools for over 20 years.  I have taught online private classes for three years.

Homework Offered
Students can usually expect to spend 2 - 3 hours per week reading and sometimes writing at home.  It's the quality of the work that's important, not the quantity!  The number of pages will depend on the book.  Students will work do most of their work individually.  There may be a group project or two if feasible.
2 - 4 hours per week outside of class
Assessments Offered
I give numerous detailed comments on each piece of writing.  In addition, I give numeric grades on writing, and numeric and letter grades at the end of the semester if parents would like me to.  I'm also available for parent/teacher conferences.
Grades Offered

In addition to the books listed, I may provide stories, poetry and background information on historical periods or authors.