Young Adult Book Club: A Wrinkle in Time
In this 8-week course, we will be reading the novel "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle, and during our journey through the story, we will discuss themes and opinions about the story and content. I have a 15% off coupon available!
What's included
8 live meetings
8 in-class hoursHomework
1-2 hours per week. Students will be given a couple of questions to think about while reading, and the time outside of class depends on their reading speed, but shouldn't be longer than 2 hours, given the length of the novel.Class Experience
US Grade 5 - 8
[For a limited time, please use this coupon for 15% off until April 14: https://outschool.com/classes/young-adult-book-club-a-wrinkle-in-time-uEX58Yfi with code BURGE99VOG3] In our Young Adult (YA) Book Club, we will be reading one book over 8 weeks, with discussion about the book occurring during the sessions themselves. The students will be responsible for having their reading assignment completed to the best of their ability before the next class. It is advised that they not fall behind, as that will create more work later, creating a less pleasant experience. The book chosen (A Wrinkle in Time) explores themes of loss, discovery, the powers that humans contain in fantastical situations, and follows the "hero's quest" format of storytelling. We will divide the book into sections, and a small assigned section will be given before the first class as a starting block and an adjustment to discussion with others, particularly if a student is not accustomed to it. Cause, effect, consequence, and reward will be four major themes discussed, as the story has many twists and turns that are choice-based. How will those choices affect the story in the future? How have past choices led to the current situation? Do characters handle these changes well? Class participation will be discussion-based, with questions explored during the session about the section the students just read. These questions will be given to the student at the end of the previous section so they can watch out for those themes and specific situations that may or may not lead to a big impact later in the story. Class 1: Our first class will consist of discussing the first chapter, the characters, the plot, and our first impressions. 2 - 7: The second through 7th sessions will see the book divided into approximately 2 chapters per session. There are a total of 12 chapters, so these 6 sessions will serve as our main literature discussion points. The 8th and final class will be a discussion on the book as a whole. How did the readers like it? Did they have a good time, or did they find themselves struggling? What themes have we all found, and how do they differ from one another? I would also like to have a short, fun quiz game with teams, time-permitting. Sometimes students are so eager to keep discussing that we run out of time, but that's definitely not a bad thing!
Learning Goals
Students will learn to speak on a common topic with respect to the thoughts and time of others, even if they do not agree with an interpretation. They will learn time management and reading comprehension beyond simple facts and questions. My hope is that this will lead to them being able to participate in conversations in other areas of life with the same amount of respect regardless of the topic.
This class should serve as a tool to help them in cooperative classroom reading, as well, which is a large part of ELA in middle and high school.
Other Details
Learning Needs
Students with unique learning needs are welcome to join. However, due to the nature of the class, it's important that students be able to communicate their thoughts verbally based on their interpretations of the reading they've done.
Parental Guidance
Despair is a common theme, with discouragement brought up and encouraged by some of the antagonists. This will lead to a long-form payoff in the form of a positive resolution. If your child is extra sensitive to situations that may continue to be uncertain over at least one chapter, they may need help envisioning possible positive outcomes based on what they've read, thus far. The questions for the reading should serve as enough of a buffer, however.
Pre-Requisites
Students should be able to read at a 5th-grade level and be able to comprehend and interpret text in at least a factual manner. They must also be willing to participate in discussions with others cooperatively.
Joined February, 2024
Teacher expertise and credentials
I have been an avid reader and writer from a young age. This led to class-assigned books being an enjoyable part of school all the way through my undergraduate education.
For over 25 years, I have been a tutor, helping students to interpret many subjects, predict outcomes, speak about alternative theories and viewpoints, and work together to help create a group understanding of a topic. I have worked with children from many religious and cultural backgrounds, and have been able to facilitate learning in a secular manner even if the child has personal beliefs that they use to help them understand material in a familiar way.
I have led undergraduate classes where factual information was to be interpreted and applied to imaginary situations. My degree in psychology creates a unique viewpoint in terms of discussion and facilitating conversations with groups. I've worked with children with special needs at a local school, and have used my abilities there to great success: staying calm and patient while students think, being encouraging and giving positive feedback, and helping with reading comprehension for students aged 6 and up!Reviews
Live Group Class
$20
weekly or $160 for 8 classes1x per week, 8 weeks
60 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 11-14
4-10 learners per class
