English

The English program at Sofos Preparatory Academy concentrates on the development of four integral skills, which are key to succeeding across the curriculum: reading, written communication, oral communication, and critical thinking. In this class, students will be introduced to literary movements and how they are characterized (typically, we begin with the Gothic, reading poems, short stories, and a novel). This year, we will read We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. We also cover Greek mythology and drama, which introduces students to key concepts in Western culture and literature.

The English program at Sofos Preparatory Academy concentrates on the development of four integral skills, which are key to succeeding across the curriculum: reading, written communication, oral communication, and critical thinking. In this class, students will read a variety of literary genres with a focus on the theme of Imperialism. We read a variety of short texts, poems, nonfiction, and a novel, typically Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe.

The goal of this class is to read fiction, poetry, and essays that will be challenging but not overwhelming to the average high school junior. These works will come from a range of countries and cultures and will be very different in style and content. In addition to a literary approach, some works will be examined in a historical and social context to shed light on the author’s ideas. Students will also write several papers, each completed only after it has gone through multiple drafts. Students will be expected to participate in discussions regardless of their level of spoken English.

The goal of this class is to read fiction, poetry, and essays that will be challenging but not overwhelming to the average high school senior. These works will come from a range of countries and will be very different in style and content. In addition to a literary approach, some works will be examined in a historical and social context to shed light on the author’s ideas. Students will also write several papers, each completed only after it has gone through multiple drafts. Students will be expected to participate in discussions regardless of their level of spoken English.

This course is designed to reinforce cross-­‐disciplinary standards and to provide the tools necessary for student success through a well-­‐developed curriculum. The focus will be on key cognitive skills, foundational skills, organizational skills, and time-­‐management. Students will learn several strategies to improve reading, writing, mathematics, test-­‐taking, note-­‐making, research, computer, and study skills.

This class is by invitation of the teacher. Students who take this class must be willing to work hard, keep to deadlines, and be open to difficult texts that even college students would find challenging. Students who do not meet the requirements will be swiftly transferred to English IV.

The purpose of this course is to teach students how they can use literature to think about ethics, justice, morality, and mortality. We will look at literary characters and societies as they make moral and ethical choices. The job of the student will be to understand the philosophical and religious basis of morality and use that as a tool to evaluate the literature they read, their own actions and ideas, and the make-­‐up of Western society in which they live. In this course, we will examine the worldviews of various authors to begin to comprehend the choices and dialogue of their characters. We will also study how the characters’ actions affect family and society at large.