One of the biggest challenges for teens in their English classes is transitioning from reading comprehension to literary analysis. The fact that most classes rely on traditional methods and classical texts that most modern youths find "boring" makes it even more difficult.  Don't get me wrong, I love classic literature, but I also know there are better ways of teaching the skillset and developing the knowledge than just relying on a bunch of old books written by a lot of dead white guys.  This isn't a summer school course designed to make up for a previously failed class.  This is a class designed for students that are either advanced eighth graders, incoming freshman, or struggling sophomores. I am a little crazy, constantly living in organized chaos, and finding engaging sources to work with in an effort to teach students the higher-level thinking skills they need for their high school English classes and beyond.

It all starts with me, the odd-ball, overly caffeinated, and under slept teacher that is really good at building relationships with students, which in-turn, produces work ethic and results.  But the second difference is almost just as important.  I select texts and works that or of interest to the students.  Some they are familiar with, some they have never seen before, but either way, I inspire them to look at the works differently than they ever have. "From Seuss to Shakespeare" is this course's motto, and we will cover both and a lot of the in between. Poetry will be a big part of this class, but it is more about personal experience with a poem, so we will watch more poetry than we read, and then, talk about our experience.  We will read a handful of short works, but it is summer, so nothing too long or heavy.  We will watch movies that seem like they are just fun to watch, but have layers of characterization, symbolism, and life-long lessons that few ever manage to notice. This weird summer class is going to feel a little more like a strange summer club, but when your students leave, they will have an understanding that is far different than you or they will expect.  They will look at everything in the world a bit differently than they ever have before.  And, as one of my former students used to always tell me, I will trick them into learning by making it fun.


About the class:

We'll start off the course with the basics.   A simple introduction to literary analysis with a few fun activities, some boring literary vocabulary, and Dr. Seuss. We will talk about superheroes, and The Hero's Journey, along the way as we delve into character archetypes, story structure, and symbolism.  We will dig into various genres and classic themes, discovering what makes a story great no matter how that story is told, be it a short story, novel, or film. We will talk about these stories, what makes them great, and why we can relate to them.  

A typical day:

Each day we will start with a poetry warm-up.  We will watch 1-2 spoken word poems, take a moment to write a brief reflection of "our" individual experience with the poem, then talk a bit.  From there, we will dive into our major work discussion.  This could be a film, short story, or novel.  Depending on the day, but at least once a week, we will conclude with a critical thinking and creative writing assignment.  These are not high-stake writing assignments, I care more about effort and writing fluency, but they are fun and engaging while at the same time teaching far more skills than just writing fluency.

Grading:

This is a short course, designed more as a prep-class or a supplemental class for those needing extra help.  Still, I believe grades of some kind are important; so, students will be evaluated on a 3-point scale in three equally weighted categories: engagement, classwork/homework, and final project. At the end of the course, they will receive a certificate of completion that reflects the scores in each category and an overall score. (Please see the "Grading Policy" section for further information.)

Final Project:

The final project for this course is a fun and creative project that will provide students with the opportunity to show what they have learned and how they can apply those skills and knowledge.  Students will be given a few options to choose from or may come up with a project of their own (with teacher approval).