AP English Literature

AP ENGLISH
LITERATURE & COMPOSITION

On-Line for 2010-2011 School Year

We have three sections, one taught by Molly Richman Inspektor, one taught by Debra Bell, and one taught by Ruth Green. Space in all sections is limited.

Section 1 (section full)

Instructor: Maya Inspektor (minspektor “at” pahomeschoolers “d0t” com)

Course fee: $550.

Note: this course is open to 11^th and 12^th graders as well as 10^th graders who can present excellent credentials, such as previous AP exam or SAT scores. I will not consider AP English Literature applications from 9^th grade students.

Required Texts:

· Summer Reading: How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Thomas C. Foster. ISBN: 006000942X

· Perrine's Literature: Structure, Sound and Sense. Essentially any edition will be fine, but all of the page numbers I supply will be from the 9^th edition. I also referred to the 4^th and 6^th editions in crafting my syllabus, but students using those editions may need to rely on web texts (which I provide) for more of the readings. Used editions are available for just a few dollars each!

· CliffsAP English Literature and Composition, second edition. ISBN: 978-0764586866

· Frankenstein, Mary Shelley (any edition; free e-texts are available online)

· Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte (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 Perrine's Literature.

· The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams-- No need to purchase! This play should be included in the drama section of Perrine's Literature.

· Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller– No need to purchase! This play should be included in the drama section of Perrine's Literature.

· Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad (any edition; free e-texts are available online.)

One text may be added to the syllabus at the end of the year.

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 SAT.)

Note: we will start the start the year with an intensive, month-long unit of short stories drawn from Perrine's Literature, so please buy it before the course begins.

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: Monday, August 30, 2010 to Friday, May 6, 2011, including a fall break and a spring break.

Hours of study each week: Approximately 10-12 hours. We don't meet at set class times; rather, you will have assignments due by midnight Eastern Standard Time on most days of the school week. I will also post an instructional message every weekday morning by 7 AM EST; usually this message involves a response. I do accommodate student travel plans and special events.

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 relatively 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 each other's 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 (3-5 page) papers in response to novels and literary criticism that they will read independently. If they wish, students can extend one of these papers to 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 ideally suited for 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 underly the books they read. Literature throughout the ages is an interwoven web, and I look forward to exploring this web with my students.

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 University of Pittsburgh in 2004, majoring in English nonfiction writing and Psychology. I obtained a Masters of Education in Secondary English from Carlow University, studying homeschooling English programs for my masters thesis. I taught at a private school in Pittsburgh for two years, taught creative writing classes at the School of Advanced Jewish Studies in Pittsburgh, and served as an SAT tutor for a major test preparation company. Now that I've moved to Israel, I can literally grade while you sleep, because I'm seven hours ahead of you. :) As a past participant in many online AP courses (including AP English Literature), I'm thrilled to have returned as a teacher!

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.

Section 2

Instructor: Debra Bell debrabell2000@yahoo.com

Open to students in 11th-12th grade
College-level class leading to AP testing in May
Students should be ready for college level work, reading and responsibility
Potential for 6 college credits based upon AP test score
Weekly assignments and class notes posted Thursdays.
34 weeks. Course begins August 26, 2010
To apply, request a student application from the instructor

Tuition: $550.

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 post podcasts and short video clips explain course concepts as needed. Each year more interactive technology is added. I am available to students through g-chat and Skype.

Technical needs: Broadband, high speed Internet and an e-mail account that accepts large files. Weekly assignments are downloaded as PDF files from the website.

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 Thursday evenings, midnight EST. I update the website syllabus and send out weekly class updates via e-mail on Thursdays.

Qualifications: Currently, I am completing my dissertation for a PhD in Educational Psychology at Temple University; I also have a Masters in English and Educational Psychology (2009). I am permanently certified to teach in PA, with experience at both the high school and community college level. From 1988-2008, I taught literature and composition classes at several home school co-ops. This will be my eighth year teaching for PA Homeschoolers.

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.

Major Project: Working individually or as a pair, students must complete a web-based, multi-media project about an author of literary merit. Previous students’ projects are available as exemplars. Students should read a representative sample of the author’s body of work and incorporate their analysis into their presentation.

Required/Recommended 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 Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne

· The Road¸ Cormac McCarthy

· The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain

· The Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad

· Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe

· Hamlet, Shakespeare

· Perrine's Literature: Structure, Sound and Sense, 8th edition or later.

· 5 Steps to A 5: AP English Literature by Estelle Rankin & Barbara Murphy

Optional Summer Reading and Activities:

How To Read Literature Like A Professor, Thomas Foster
Reading Like A Writer, Francine Prose
The Book Thief, Marcus Zusak
Peace Like a River, Leif Enger

Accepted students will have the option to engage in a discussion about these books and others they are reading for pleasure in the class forums over the summer.

To apply or ask a question regarding this class, e-mail Debra Bell at debrabell2000@yahoo.com

Who should apply: Students should be in 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

Section 3 (section full)

Instructor: Ruth M. Green (mrsgreenap@gmail.com)

Course Application: Click here for application.

Course Description:

This highly-interactive class is designed for 11^th and 12^th 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: