Course Descriptions & Schedules
The Writing Process
| 3000.1 | Kevin Morris, Jr. | 5 units | $530 | M | Th | 8:30 - 12:00 | |||
| 3000.3 | Dan Guerrero | 5 units | $530 | M | Th | 8:30 - 12:00 | |||
| 3000.4 | Dan Guerrero | 5 units | $530 | M | Th | 1:00 - 4:30 | |||
| 3000.5 | Lisa Griffin | 5 units | $530 | Tu | F | 8:30 - 12:00 | |||
| 3000.6 | Lisa Griffin | 5 units | $530 | Tu | F | 1:00 - 4:30 | |||
| 3000.7 | Kevin Morris, Jr. | 5 units | $530 | Tu | F | 8:30 - 12:00 |
For students who have completed grade 7 or 8.
This course will explore the purposes for which authors write and will ask students to become purposeful readers and writers. Lessons and activities will focus on the process of writing—pre-writing, drafting, editing, and revising. Students will work in editing groups, help each other revise drafts, and learn the qualities of good writing. They will learn techniques for crafting well-written sentences, logical paragraphs, and coherent essays. Students will read, study, and discuss writing styles, and they will practice what they have learned in numerous writing assignments.
Homework per class meeting: 3-5 hours.
Reading for Creative Writing
| 3002.1 | Paul Heller | 5 units | $530 | Tu | F | 8:30 - 12:00 | |||
| 3002.2 | Paul Heller | 5 units | $530 | Tu | F | 1:00 - 4:30 |
For students who have completed grade 7 or 8.
This class will focus on reading critically and passionately, and on fostering creative writing skills. Students will read poetry, short stories and other works of literature, and write responses to the readings. They will visualize the imagery and explore the themes of literature in relation to their own lives. For more inspiration, class activities may include drawing and art, campus explorations, and a visit to a local museum. Students will share their insights into the mind of the author and seek to understand their own writing processes. Through improvisation, class discussion, and writing exercises, students will learn to identify and experiment with various narrative techniques. They will develop a portfolio of their own creative writing and will also write one analytic essay that will reflect their growing expertise as readers and writers.
Homework per class meeting: 3-5 hours.
Writing for High School
| 3003.1 | Hillary Walker | 5 units | $530 | Tu | F | 8:30 - 12:00 | |||
| 3003.2 | Hillary Walker | 5 units | $530 | Tu | F | 1:00 - 4:30 | |||
| 3003.3 | Matthew Amaral | 5 units | $530 | M | Th | 8:30 - 12:00 | |||
| 3003.4 | Matthew Amaral | 5 units | $530 | M | Th | 1:00 - 4:30 | |||
| 3003.5 | Julia Daniels | 5 units | $530 | Tu | F | 8:30 - 12:00 | |||
| 3003.6 | Julia Daniels | 5 units | $530 | Tu | F | 1:00 - 4:30 |
This class will provide a vehicle for students to learn to mold facts, speculations, beliefs, and opinions into cogent, powerful statements. Through reading, class discussions, and group work, students will investigate different styles and forms of writing that provide a range of models for approaching thinking and writing. Emphasis will be on learning to refine thinking and on improving writing through editing and rewriting. Students will be assigned approximately 2-4 pages of writing, in addition to regular reading assignments, per class.
Homework per class meeting: 3-5 hours.
Public Speaking and Writing
| 3004.1 | Cathy Berman | 5 units | $530 | Tu | F | 8:30 - 12:00 | |||
| 3004.2 | Cathy Berman | 5 units | $530 | Tu | F | 1:00 - 4:30 |
Prerequisite: completion of the 8th grade for 3004.1 and completion of the 7th grade for 3004.2.
3004.1 FOR STUDENTS COMPLETING GRADE 8 AND UP
3004.2 FOR STUDENTS COMPLETING GRADE 7 AND UP
According to the Book of Lists, the fear of public speaking ranks number one in the minds of the majority of people. Google "the fear of public speaking" and you will get 70 plus pages of links, not including the related searches. Whether you fear or fancy being in front of an audience, this course will teach you the skills and give you the practice you need to become a confident public speaker. For the speech to persuade, students will take what they have learned and then devote time to the art of argumentation. What is my purpose? How can I move the members of my audience to my point of view? In addition to the formal presentations, the class will require each student's active participation in a variety of activities: discussion, debate, and impromptu presentations. You gain the confidence you need to speak in front of an audience only by speaking in front of an audience. But think what fun you will all have as you exchange ideas—ideas about yourself and your world.
Homework per class meeting: 3-5 hours.
Writing for College
| 3005.1 | Stevie Jeung & Shawn McDonald | 5 units | $530 | M | Th | 8:30 - 12:00 | |||
| 3005.2 | Michael Glaser | 5 units | $530 | M | Th | 1:00 - 4:30 | |||
| 3005.3 | Page McBee | 5 units | $530 | Tu | F | 8:30 - 12:00 | |||
| 3005.4 | Alex Franklin | 5 units | $530 | Tu | F | 1:00 - 4:30 |
In this course students will become better prepared for college work by developing their critical reading, thinking, speaking, listening, and writing skills. They will learn the process of producing well-organized, well-written, well-developed, and intellectually complex essays. They will perform the stages of writing from clarification of the assignment to final revision, working on grammar, composition, and editing. In addition to learning how to organize and present their ideas persuasively, students will also develop their time-management skills. They will study a wide range of engaging fiction and nonfiction texts on a range of issues.
Homework per class meeting: 4-6 hours.
Advanced Reading and Writing
| 3008.2 | Kelly Mogilefsky | 5 units | $530 | M | Th | 1:00 - 4:30 | |||
| 3008.4 | Christina Buchmann | 5 units | $530 | Tu | F | 1:00 - 4:30 |
Prerequisite: students must have completed grade 10 or 11.
In this course, which prepares students for college-level work, students will advance their reading and writing skills by thinking about and responding to rich and complex works of literature. They will learn to explore the meanings of a literary work: what the author says and how she or he uses effective and powerful language to say it. In preparation for reading literature in college, students will study styles, voices, points of view, and narrative strategies. As students strengthen their composition and editing skills, as well as deepen their understanding of grammar, their own writing will emerge more fluidly, with greater clarity and impact. By reading literature, writing essays and engaging in intense discussions, students will receive practice in skills needed for the Advanced Placement exams as well as writing papers for any of their academic subjects.
Homework per class meeting: 3-5 hours