English

The English department is proud to offer classes that reflect the diverse literary landscape of our country and our world. In our quest to open our students’ hearts and minds to perspectives and viewpoints beyond their own, we provide a curriculum that draws from varied canons so that many voices are heard and appreciated. To that end, we utilize Harkness tables, wooden oval tables that allow discussion to be the primary method of learning. The US English program follows a developmental progression of increasing sophistication in grammar, vocabulary, discussion skills, writing, and reading in each 9th-11th grade classroom. AP English Literature is offered to 11th grade students with solid skills in critical reading and writing. In 12th grade, students are provided with an opportunity to choose their English class from three offerings that vary each year based on teacher and student interest. Senior English will only be a one-semester course, as the student will pursue research writing, reading, and reflection in their second semester Senior Project and their Humanities Capstone Course.

English Courses Offered in 2024-2025

English 9: Foundations

Open to: 9th grade
Meetings per ten day rotation: Five 80 minute periods
Prerequisites: None

This is a required yearlong course for all freshmen, which focuses on the study of diverse texts both modern and classic that allow for a wide variety of perspectives. We will put social justice into context by reading novels, short stories, poetry and essays that inform our students of the relevance of other people’s experiences. The content of the class allows students to focus on varied points of view in order to better acknowledge differences and similarities between themselves and the characters. We also strive to establish the foundation necessary for upper-level skill progression in English. Skills are based in analysis, discussion, writing, and creative projects. A heavy emphasis on grammar and structured writing skills pervades all that we do in 9th grade so that students are practicing skills that will aid them through the rest of their academic careers. The Harkness table provides students with opportunities to hone listening and speaking skills and allows them to cultivate their own voices and opinions in discussion.

English 10: Identity

Open to: 10th grade
Meetings per two week rotation: Five 80 minute periods
Prerequisites: None

This is a required yearlong course for all sophomores. The 10th grade year in English focuses on the study of texts both modern and classic that highlight an awareness of the relationship and balance between the individual and society. The content of the class allows students to explore their own identities by examining characters regardless of differences in time, culture, race, and language. Skills are based in analysis, discussion, writing, and creative projects. Students learn and use grammar skills and a sophisticated vocabulary in order to speak and write articulately, as well as to prepare for standardized tests. Students leave this course with the ability to participate effectively in discussion, critically examine texts, write interesting and analytical papers, and use correct mechanics to communicate.

English 11: Journeys

Open to: 11th grade
Meetings per two week rotation: Five 80 minute periods
Prerequisites: None

This course is one of two offered to juniors, and it will focus on texts that highlight the concept of different types of journeys, both literal and metaphorical. We expect our students to learn to independently evaluate texts for theme, characterization, craft, and context. To that end, we will investigate novels, poems, short stories, essays, and personal narratives. Student-led discussion constitutes the primary method of learning in order to carry on the Harkness tradition of strong speaking and listening skills. Students hone their skills in writing personal narratives, comparing and contrasting essays, and literary analyses with the goal of practicing different organizational structures to advance effective communication. Vocabulary and grammar are regular components of the daily work in this class.

AP English Literature

Open to: 11th grade
Meetings per two week rotation: Five 80 minute periods
Prerequisites: High A- or higher in English 10, current teacher and Department Chair signature upon consideration of application form, and completion of a summer assignment

This is an optional, yearlong course open to 11th grade students who have achieved a high level of success and sophistication in their English skills. Prerequisites must be met for admission into this course. Attendance in this class guarantees a student’s commitment to taking the AP English Literature exam in May. This class will provide a typical VMS experience in English, with seminar discussions and in-depth conversations about literature, but will also focus on AP specific skills like multiple choice tests and essay responses. The AP English Literature course title also demands a close attention to grammar, vocabulary, rhetoric, writing skills, and a focus on nonfiction texts, in addition to the typical study of literature found in VMS English classes.

Senior Seminar: Meaning of Life: Literary Exploration

Open to: 12th grade
Meetings per two week rotation: Five 80 minute periods
Prerequisites: None

Meaning of Life: Literary Exploration seeks to push students to evaluate literary texts and the ways that they add value to our lives. We will work through thematic units on the topics of Meaningful Work; Pain, Suffering, and Loss; Relationships; Awe, Wonder, and Joy. Independent and group exploration of each theme will encourage students to build an awareness of and empathy for others and themselves through literary texts. Texts may include short readings– poems, speeches, short stories, and essays– provided by Ms. Rhodes. Authors will include Martin Luther King Jr., Annie Dillard, Walt Whitman, Rupi Kaur, Frederick Buechner, Mary Oliver, Leslie Jamison, and more.

Senior Seminar: Writing from Within: Creative Nonfiction

Open to: 12th grade
Meetings per two week rotation: Five 80 minute periods
Prerequisites: None

When you hear the word "essay," does your heart sink while your brain feverishly starts organizing a f ive-paragraph paper about a book? Well, this course will provide an entirely new definition of what an essay actually can be. This course will predominantly use texts such as “The New Yorker,” Desert Solitaire, and selections from Pamela Houston, Barry Lopez, and Terry Tempest Williams as models for developing your own voice in writing. Expect to write and revise regularly throughout the semester in order to explore what is ambiguously known as "creative nonfiction," essentially a form of reflection that incorporates your own experiences into crafted, well-told, and inherently truthful stories. Rubrics and clear expectations will be provided for each assignment so that grading will be as objective as it is for analytical writing. At the culmination of the semester, you will have compiled an impressive portfolio of your own creative nonfiction with the potential to submit to a variety of magazines and publications.

Senior Seminar: Novel Adaptations

Open to: 12th grade
Meetings per two week rotation: Five 80 minute periods
Prerequisites: None

We often hear, “the book is better than the movie,” and yet, producers and artists continue to reimagine novels in different mediums. This course will challenge students to delve into the processes and techniques involved in adapting literary works into movies, graphic novels, poems, and visual art. By examining a diverse range of adaptations, students will gain a deeper understanding of how stories transform and evolve across different cultural and artistic landscapes while evaluating their effectiveness in capturing the essence of the original work. Texts may include If Beale Street Could Talk, James Baldwin; Orchid Fever, Susan Orleans; Station Eleven, Emily St. John Mandel; Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen; Atonement, Ian McEwan.

Humanities Capstone Seminar

Open to: 12th grade
Meetings per ten-day rotation: Varies
Prerequisites: History 9-12, English 9-12

In the 12th grade Humanities Capstone Seminar, students will explore essential questions that are at the core of the human condition through an interdisciplinary lens. This course will help students explore core topics related to happiness, ethics, and purpose. Diverse and interdisciplinary sources will be used to explore questions including but not limited to: What is truth? Is there such a thing as right and wrong? What is our duty to others? Where do we derive purpose, meaning, happiness, and well-being? Students will explore these questions through literature, psychology, sociology, and philosophy. Students will learn through a combination of seminar style discussions, lectures, primary and secondary source readings, films, and literature. Students will be assessed through regular response papers, analytical essays, and facilitation of group discussions.