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AP
ENGLISH |
We have four sections, a new section this year taught by Lili Serbicki, and sections taught by our experienced teachers Molly Richman Inspektor, Debra Bell, and Ruth Green. Space in all sections is limited.
Instructor: Lili Serbicki (LSerbickiAP@gmail.com)
Course fee: $550.
Suggested
Summer Reading:
Required
Texts:
Much
Persuasion
by Jane Austen
The
Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde
Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
Brave New
World by Aldous Huxley
A Room
with a View by
E.M. Forster
A Good Man
is Hard to Find
by Flannery O'Connor
The Short
Stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald
Selected
short stories by Kurt Vonnegut (all available online)
Various poems
by T.S. Eliot, Margaret Atwood, Robert Browning, William Shakespeare, Dylan
Thomas, W. B. Yeats, Samuel Taylor
Coleridge, Matthew Arnold, and others (all available online)
Suggested
Tech requirements: High speed internet, Microsoft Office (or equivalent
word processing capabilities), and Adobe Reader.
Length of course:
Course
Description:
This class is
intended for 11th and 12th graders with a love of story
and energetic discussion. While this course is designed to prepare students for
success in the Advanced Placement English Lit exam, the material is structured
to encourage an ongoing love of composition through story. I believe the best
way to develop writing structure and style is through narrative. Humanity
connects and communicates through stories, characters, and worlds (be they
fiction or nonfiction). The pieces chosen for the course reflect a wide variety
of tastes and themes; there is something here for a lover of any genre and
style.
This class is
designed to be rigorous and exciting academically, while still flexible.
Students will be able to design their own schedule and complete assignments on
their own time.
·
Weekly short essays and multiple choice quizzes will be mandatory
in preparation for the AP exam in May.
·
Students will be expected to read 50-80 pages a week.
·
A “bonus” short story
assignment will be available each week for extra credit opportunities.
·
Students will also have the opportunity to write a short piece of
fiction for extra credit once a month. The chosen themes for these short
fiction pieces will be related to the historical context and thematic elements
of that week's reading. This will be an exercise in producing a passage which
shares elements with excerpts they will encounter in the actual AP Lit exam.
Hours of study each week:
8-12 hours,
depending on the week and the amount of bonus material the student chooses to
cover. This includes reading required and bonus texts, group discussion, short
essays and multiple choice questions, and bonus writing.
Instructor Qualifications:
I am a
2009 graduate (Magna Cum Laude) of Franciscan University of Steubenville with a
BA in Communication Arts and a Minor in Philosophy. My last two years of
school, I served as the Editor-in-Chief of Lumen
Vincens student literary magazine. I'm currently the Web/Sales Coordinator
at WTOV9 News in Steubenville, OH, where my work includes managing web traffic,
designing and writing copy for web ads and creating effective, memorable
commercial scripts. I have experience in writing, editing, and proofreading
both fiction and nonfiction, including creative fiction, non-fiction articles,
commercial scripts, and ad copy. My
other current creative projects include managing an online writing forum and
editing a collection of short stories in preparation for seeking publication.
Beginning this fall, I will be teaching full-time and working on freelance
writing projects.
Instructor:
Course Description:
This highly-interactive class is designed for 11th and 12th graders who demonstrate an interest and aptitude for literature study. In my course students learn to appreciate and articulate the subtleties and complexities of language through close readings of poetry, drama, short stories, novels, and essays of the English canon.
Our class has avid readers and competent writers — courageous enough to share their opinions and writings with classmates, and courteous enough to respond to others in a manner which fosters intellectual exploration and debate. We enjoy a lively discussion of ideas, and work towards the effective formulation of those ideas in written form. In this community of scholars, students find not only literature, but also friendship — we even have our own alumni Facebook group!
Assignments are given out weekly. Students do not need to be available at any particular time, and can arrange their work around other responsibilities. However, the commitment is significant. A student who can not easily read eighty pages a week will struggle to keep up with the assignments. Plan to allow 2 hours per day for this subject.
Although the focus of this class is the study of literature, we also prepare for the challenging AP exam. Students can expect to gain a vocabulary of literary terms as well as a familiarity with test-taking tips and tricks (skills and strategies!).
Through this course, students
develop independence of judgment, a capacity for critical reading, and a
strong, clear voice as writers. They participate in reading that fully engages
both the intellect and the imagination. By the end of the course, the quality
and depth of students’ writing has increased and is typified by confidence and
insight.
Course Texts:
·
The
· Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
· The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
· The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain
· The Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro
· Hamlet, William Shakespeare
·
· Cliffs AP Literature and Composition Exam, 2nd edition, Allan Casson (optional)
Class Fee: $550 for registrations received by June 30th; $575 after June. This price includes enrollment in WordMasters Challenge (a national competition of AP Lit students), three released exams, a student handbook, and other materials. Purchase of novel texts is recommended but not required.
Class Size: The class is limited to 21 students for greater collegiality and feedback.
Course
Schedule: Class begins Monday, August 29th and runs to the AP
Lit exam on
Summer Reading: Reading the following books will give you a head start on the school year: make you smarter and your life easier. They are not required, but strongly recommended (as well as entertaining).
· How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Thomas C. Foster
· Eats, Shoots & Leaves, Lynne Truss
Questions? I answer all questions! Just e-mail me at mrsgreenap@gmail.com. I am also available through Skype.
Instructor
Qualifications: I hold a B.A. in English Literature (High Honors) from
Click here to read
class reviews from former participants in Ruth Green's class
Click
here to download an application for Mrs. Green’s AP Literature class.
Instructor: Maya Inspektor (minspektor AT pahomeschoolers D0t com)
Course fee: $550 if payment is received by June 1st; $575 if payment is received afterwards.
Note: this
course is open to 11th and 12th graders as well as 10th
graders who can present excellent credentials, such as previous AP exam or
Required Texts:
· Summer Reading: How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Thomas C. Foster. ISBN: 006000942X
·
· CliffsAP English Literature and Composition, third edition, Alan Casson.
· Frankenstein, Mary Shelley (any edition; free e-texts are available online)
·
· The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald (any edition)
·
Othello, the
Moor of Venice, by William Shakespeare No
need to purchase! This play should be included in the drama section of
·
The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee
Williams-- No need to purchase! This
play should be included in the drama section of
· Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad (any edition; free e-texts are available online.)
Suggested Text:
·
Grammar
Smart: A Guide to Perfect usage http://pahomeschoolers.c2.ixwebhosting.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=32&products_id=48 (While I will not assign
work from this text, I strongly recommend it to students who need to brush up
on the finer points of grammatical writing. It's excellent prep for the writing
section of the
Registration deadline: Applications will be accepted through August 1st, though the class may fill up sooner.
Tech needs: Full web and printer access (broadband Internet recommended but not required). Students must be able to view Adobe PDF files. It is useful but not essential for students to own a digital camera or scanner.
Length of course:
Hours of study each
week: Approximately 10-12 hours. We don't meet at set class times; rather,
you will have assignments due by
Who should apply: Students with a love for literature who would like to invest time and energy into pondering the deeper meaning and construction of the texts they read. Students should come in with the ability to write with few grammatical errors, but they do not need to have had extensive prior formal literature study or extensive experience writing formal essays. They should, however, come in with extensive experience as avid readers!
Course description: This highly interactive, college-level course is designed to prepare students for the AP English Literature and Composition exam in May. It will push students to read imaginative literature (novels, poetry, and plays) closely and deeply. We will explore the way that writers manipulate their readers and seek to recognize the way that historical and social context impacts writing. We will actively engage with literature on every level and tease apart its complexity, considering (for example) diction, style, theme, imagery, symbolism, and tone.
I have selected books that I feel can be enjoyed even more upon rereading and that can be used fruitfully in open-response questions on the AP exam. These range from 16th century to 20th century works and involve some mature situations and themes, although I have tried to avoid works with strong sexual content or vulgarity. We will also study a range of poetry and short stories, using Perrine's Literature as well as online sources. In addition, students will form independent book clubs to discuss high-quality literature they select in informal discussion groups.
Students should anticipate reading 40-70 pages each week and writing one essay (or the equivalent) weekly. Students will also pose and respond to critical questions about the weekly readings on our online discussion board and will thoughtfully critique their classmates' writing. Finally, they will engage in targeted test preparation for the AP English Literature and Composition exam.
The writing assignments students will complete during this course will vary. They will include informal journal entries, discussion question responses, formal analytical essays, poetry, and perhaps even a fun round robin story or parody! I will also emphasize peer review and the writing process, as students bring their essays through multiple drafts and hone their ability to write organized, creative analysis. Students will write two short (first 3-5 pages, second 7-10 pages) papers in response to literature and literary criticism that they will read independently. If they wish, students can extend one of these papers beyond ten pages to meet the requirement of some diploma programs. Students will also have the option of sharing their creative writing for peer review under the Writer's corner portion of the web site.
While our primary focus will be on the analysis of literature, this course is well suited to students who also love to write creatively. Throughout the year, I will draw connections to creative writing and help students come to understand the process of professional writers.
Ultimately, I hope students leave this course with a zest for uncovering the many layers of meaning in the fiction they read and an appreciation for the music and meaning of poetry. They will gain not only an arsenal of literary terms, but also a sense for the patterns that underlie the books they read. Literature throughout the ages is an interwoven web, and I look forward to exploring this web with my students.
I also hope my students do well on the AP exam, and in the past this has certainly been the case-- in 2009-2010, for example, fully 90% of my students earned top grades of 4 or 5 on the exam.
Instructor Qualifications: This is my
fourth year teaching online AP English Literature and AP English Language, and
I feel I improve every year. I graduated summa cum laude from the
Details: I am happy to respond to any and all questions about the class; my e-mail is minspektor AT pahomeschoolers D0T com. (Note: for certain addresses, my spam filter automatically diverts e-mails coming to this account. If you don't hear back from me within a few days, you can contact me at yiyehtov AT gmail D0T com or contact PA Homeschoolers directly.)
Click here to read letters from Mrs. Inspektor's students during the 2007-2008 school year.
Click here to read
class reviews from former participants in Mrs. Inspektor’s
AP Literature class
Click here to download an application for Mrs. Inspektor's AP Literature class (WORD document).
Instructor: Debra Bell debrabell2000@yahoo.com
Teaching Assistant:
Rebekah
Aligned with: AP
English Literature Exam
Test Readiness: Following this course, students will be well prepared to succeed on the AP English Literature Exam.
Prerequisites: At least one high school level literature course. At least one high school level composition course.
Student Readiness:
As a quick rule of thumb, students are reading on the college level if they
have scored 600 or above on the
Tuition: $550 early bird special
Collaborative Groups: Students are encouraged to work collaboratively on many assignments. This strategy has helped prior students make significant gains in their critical reading scores and essay writing, plus it is fun. Groups will be determined shortly after the class begins, and students have input into their group assignment.
Communications: Course instruction occurs through e-mail, the website and my contribution to the forums. I also have a collection of recorded Web-ex lectures available for viewing ( these are between 30-60 minutes). I am available to students through g-chat and Skype, and I do one-on-one tutorials at student’s request.
Technical needs: Google Account – I use Google
applications extensively in this course. The course website is a
password-protected Google Site. Broadband, high speed Internet and an e-mail
account that accepts large files a must. Weekly assignments are downloaded as
PDF files from the website.
Here are details about Web-ex. All students in both classes this past year
had no difficulty using this technology, even students overseas. It is the industry standard in
web-conferencing and used widely by businesses worldwide.
Time Commitment: The qualified student will spend 5-10 hours per week on this class. This accounts for reading the assigned texts, answering multiple-choice questions, writing short essays and discussing class work and reading assignments with others in the forums.
Class Meeting Time: Students do not "meet" at a scheduled time, but all
homework is due via e-mail by Friday evenings,
Qualifications: Currently, I am completing my
dissertation for a PhD in Educational Psychology at
Class Description: The number one priority of this
course is to prepare you to nail the AP English Literature exam in May. (More
than 80% of prior students earn a 4 or 5 on the test). But transcending that
noble goal, I aim to deepen and broaden your love for literature and the arts
and improve your ability to write analytically and elegantly about it. You will
do a lot of reading and a lot of writing. And you will receive a lot of
feedback from your peers and from me.
Representative Assignments: Some of
the things we have done in the past that I will likely use again include
working on our Great English Literature Timeline Wiki,
individual author projects, poetry writing contests and movie week. If an appropriate movie is released, then we
make it a class field trip to see it and discuss it. Students who wish to improve their grade in
this course are always free to keep working on major assignments and projects
and resubmitting for additional points.
As long as the effort is producing student learning, I’m game.
Required Texts: I realize many students have probably studied some of these texts before, and I am frequently asked to consider different texts for that reason. However, that’s missing the point of studying literature. I’ve purposely chosen several books I hope many students have read previously. Great literature bears increase pleasure and understanding with every re-reading. And most students are yet inexperienced at reading critically, which only begins once we are beyond reading for plot alone. So, if you have read some of these books, all the more reason to consider the class.
(We may not discuss all of these texts, but they are what I recommend in preparation for the AP exam.)
·
Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte
· The Road¸ Cormac McCarthy
· The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain
· The Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad
· Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe
· Hamlet, Shakespeare
·
·
5 Steps to A 5: AP English Literature by
Estelle Rankin & Barbara Murphy
Optional Summer Reading and Activities:
To apply or ask a question regarding this class, e-mail
Debra Bell at
Who should apply: Students should be in 10th, 11th or 12th grade and have some experience writing analytically (creative writing does not apply). The well-prepared applicant also has completed a noteworthy reading list of classics and modern titles of literary merit. Also, online learning requires a great degree of organizational and time management skills from the student. So, are you ready to improve in this area and/or take responsibility for initiating interaction with me if you are confused or discouraged? Then ask for an application and let’s get started.
Click here to read class reviews from former participants in Mrs. Bell’s AP Literature class
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