Students will learn how to properly analyze a text by examining the "four pillars" of style analysis: diction, imagery, language, and syntax.  Students will also learn how writers uses various literary techniques — such as point of view, characterization, and setting — to establish tone and convey theme.  In addition to analyzing and discussing literature, students will also have the option of writing supplemental essays that reflect the three essays found on the AP Literature Exam: a poetry analysis, a passage analysis, and a literary argument.  Our emphasis in the writing process is for students to write clear, coherent arguments that provide ample and compelling evidence from the text to support their claims.  To receive guidance during the writing process, students are encouraged to schedule 15-minute individual writing conferences every week to organize their thoughts, structure their arguments, and receive feedback on their drafts.

I have a B.A. in English from Dartmouth College and an M.A. in Education from Stanford University.  For the past thirty years, I have taught English in a wide variety of educational settings — from a private school on Maui, Hawaii, to a Catholic school in Portland, Oregon, to an inner-city charter school in Springfield, Massachusetts.  Most recently, I taught freshman and senior English at the Winter Sports School in Park City, Utah, where I also served as the school's Director of Curriculum and Instruction.  In 2021, I started an online academic enrichment / professional development nonprofit organization — Literary Focus, Inc. — and offer classes on Outschool in the winter and summer months to continue teaching on a part-time basis.

Students are required to have their own copy of the novel or play, but all other material will be provided on the course homepage on our website.  We will direct students to the website — www.literaryfocus.org — and give them instructions on how to access the course homepage on the first day of class.  For a sample daily agenda of one of our classes, please visit the following link on our website — www.literaryfocus.org/agenda — to see the types of PowerPoint slides we use in class with descriptions of the activities, assignments, and assessments in a typical four-week course.