Time Commitment

Most learners can expect to spend 5-7 hours per week (including the live meeting) working on class materials. 

(This class will meet or exceed 60 hours of coursework to count as 0.5 credits of high school ELA).

Live Sessions Meet on Thursdays

Class is weekly from September 5-December 18, 2022 with a fall break from October 17-23. There is no meeting on Thursday, October 20. There are 13 total live meetings.

We’ll meet via Zoom for a live discussion session each Thursday at 11-11:45am Eastern/10-10:45am Central/9-9:45am Mountain/8-8:45am Pacific

If a learner cannot attend a session due to illness or a schedule conflict, they will still have access to all class materials and can check in with the instructor with any questions. 

Assignments Open Each Week

In order to allow for learners and their families to have the flexibility they need, assignments open by Monday of each week and are due by the following Sunday. Learners can complete work at whatever time works best for them throughout the week.

Skills Needed

Learners will be most successful in this class if they have the following skills/experiences: 

• The ability to read around 150-200 pages a week at a high school level. (It’s okay to struggle with maintaining focus and note-taking. We’ll be working on those skills!)
• The ability to meet challenging texts with a sense of perseverance (these are not easy reads for most modern readers, and struggling with the texts is an accepted part of the experience).
• The ability to work independently on assignments between class meetings with focused time management.
• The ability to participate maturely in online discussions and disagree respectfully. 

Finding the Right Challenge

This is a challenging class. It is among the most demanding in terms of time, reading expectations, and content. 

Learners who are uncomfortable with lengthy reading assignments may find a better fit with a less demanding class.

Learners who are looking for a challenge to stretch strong reading skills and prepare for college-level literary analysis will find this class a good fit.

Skills Gained

This class is designed with three main goals in mind: 

• Introduce students to “canonical” literature that has a lasting, ongoing impact on contemporary culture
• Provide students with opportunities to question, analyze, and draw connections between classic and contemporary messaging in literature
• Encourage students to develop meaningful, personalized writing processes to express ideas about literature

Common Core Standards Alignment

For those who are using Common Core standards, this course meets the following: 

Common Core Standards  

• ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.1- Use textual evidence to support analysis
• ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.2- Analyze development of two or more themes over the course of a text; provide objective summary
• ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.3- Analyze impact of author’s development choices
• ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.4-Determine meaning of words and phrases in use
• ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.5-Analyze author’s structural choices
• ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.6-Analyze point of view through indirect statement
• ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.7-Analyze multiple interpretations of a text
• ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.10-Read and comprehend complex literature

Upon successful completion of class, instructor provides detailed exit letter suitable for inclusion in portfolio. Families may request numerical grade at beginning of class for a detailed course grade summary, but it is optional. 

Individual Support

All students will receive individualized feedback on assignments. 

My teaching philosophy very much focuses on starting with students’ strengths to build confidence and using them to work on improvements over time.

Feedback is tailored to each student’s individual needs and goals. I also encourage a lot of self-reflection and provide opportunities for students to directly communicate their challenges so that facing them with strategies becomes a normal part of the writing process.

Content Note

Mature themes may appear in canonical texts. Families are encouraged to screen content in advance if they have concerns/sensitivities. 

The films that we are watching are all rated PG-13 and may contain profanity, references to sex, alcohol, drugs, and other mature themes.

Every effort will be made to discuss mature content with respect, academic purpose, and contextual understanding.

To participate successfully in class, learners will need the following:

• Copies of the following books:
  • Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand
  • Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
  • Emma by Jane Austen
    (Note: There are many, many editions of these books. Any reputable publisher’s version is fine.)
• Access to the following movies:
  • The Half of It (2020) (Currently streaming on Netflix)
  • Romeo and Juliet (1996) (available for rent on many platforms)
  • Clueless (1995) (Streaming on HBO Max or available for rent)
    (Note: You don’t need access to the films for the entire duration of class, so you can rent or borrow them from the library for the times we need them.) 
• Microphone and camera for in-class participation
• PDF Reader
• Zoom (free account)
• Learners will submit work through Google Drive (a Google (Gmail) account can be acquired for free)

Dr. Michelle Parrinello-Cason

Dr. Michelle Parrinello-Cason has a Ph.D. in English with an emphasis on rhetoric and composition. She has more than a decade of teaching experience including six years of full-time college experience

See Dr. Parrinello-Cason’s Profile & Policies