St. Mary’s English department offers an academically rigorous curriculum that allows students to further their knowledge and understanding of English. With an emphasis on strengthening critical thinking skills, writing, and vocabulary, the courses offered in this department allow students to take a variety of classes that expose them to many different genres of literature. In the Loretto tradition, all English courses include women writers, writers of varying ethnic backgrounds, as well as underrepresented authors. Additionally, students read and explore many of the classics. Summer reading is required in all English courses. The 9th grade curriculum starts students in their college preparations with an intensive exposure to genres and a heavy focus on organization in writing. The 10th grade English course, World Visions, centers on world literature, with cross-curriculum bridges to history and religion. Students in this course work to further their critical thinking skills, while also working on building independent theses. Students in grades 11 and 12 may choose from the full block electives to complete the required four credits in English. Students may also take creative writing courses, which count as elective credit.
Building American Identity: A Survey of History and Literature from 1877–Present
There are two sections of this course that students will take during the same semester: United States History and American Literature. Together, these classes are designed to help students build a framework for understanding the complexity of the American identity. Throughout the course, the connections between historical events and the literary and artistic movements that emerged in response to social and political shifts will be highlighted. Major assessments will be collaborative and will be designed to reflect the connections made between the literary and historical content.
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World Visions: Literature (1 credit; part of two-block, 1 semester WV course)
This course will cover the entire span of written communication from the ancient epic of Gilgamesh to Ursula K. LeGuin’s science fiction masterpiece, The Left Hand of Darkness. The titles read and the analysis taken on will coincide with the progression of humanity from pre-history to the present day. We will not study any one genre or time period for any length of time, but rather we will study the nature of written and spoken communication as it documented and changed our lives and the lives of our ancestors—as well as how it will affect those to come. Academic writing skills will be worked on extensively throughout the semester.
World Visions: History
World Visions: Religion
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The following courses earn credit toward the English credit requirement. Seniors must take one of these courses.
Introduction to College Writing
Prerequisite: Seniors only.
Introduction to College Writing is a course where students develop the skills necessary to excel in the college writing arena. Every paper assigned is drawn from a correspondence with a college professor, assuring the tasks are preparing students for college writing. Through writing such papers as personal narratives (suitable for use as a college essay), journal article reviews, creative writing assignments, and research papers, students will have the confidence, experience, practice, and tools needed to make a fluid transition from high school to college writing.
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AP English Literature and Composition (1.5 English credits; full block fall, half block spring)
Prerequisite: Recommendation from junior English teacher.
Advanced Placement English is reserved for the stronger English students in the senior class. The first semester requires students to delve into serious and complex literature that spans 2400 years of literary tradition and history. In the second semester the focus is on preparation for the exam. Students complete a challenging study of poetry and write on AP English prompts every week. The spring session of the course is titled AP English II.
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British Literature
British Literature deals with a broad range of English and Irish literature—from Shakespeare to Virginia Woolf. It is not a survey course, but does address the strength and merit of the accepted canon. Each work will, in essence, be considered contextually. It is the job of the class to investigate and discuss the important themes of these works. It is the job of each student to write in-depth essays expressing the ideas and themes brought up in class. It should be noted that this is a class wherein strength in academic writing is stressed to a great degree.
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African Literature
In this course we will look at a number of African authors and their works from around the continent. The students will learn about the different regions and cultures that generated the works as well as the general themes which are common to all African literature. These themes include but are not limited to: The individual versus the community, the issue of education, post-colonial African on African oppression, and the legacy of European colonialism on the continent. All students within the course will be required to write a number of academic essays and demonstrate knowledge of the texts read.
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Multicultural Literature
Multicultural Literature examines the work of American writers whose cultural heritage originates in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The immigrant experience, as well as themes of self/identity, other, place, race and gender, will be examined. The course will extend students’ knowledge about parallel cultures by exposing them to the differences and similarities between their culture and that of other groups. Multicultural lit will present students with clear contrasts in perspectives that can help them better understand their own cultural heritages and as well those of other groups.
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Southern Literature
This is an advanced course for students interested in writing research and analytical papers on Twentieth Century American Southern writers. In particular, we will study Southern writers in context with history, so that students will analyze not only literary devices, but also their connection to race, class, and gender in a particular time and place. Students should have a strong grasp of analytical essay writing and American History to enroll in this course.
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Dramatic Literature
This course is for theater lovers! The major objectives of this course are to expose students to the major components of theater, to encourage students consider dramatic works as both literary and performance-based mediums, and to introduce students to relevant theory and terminology related to theatrical performance. In addition to reading plays, we will watch performances (both live and recorded) and write about our conclusions regularly.
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Modernism
This is an advanced course for students interested in writing research and analytical papers that will explore experimentation in language and content, based upon the experience of European and American writers during, between, and just after the two World Wars. This course will study experimental poets, dramatists, and novelists who were influenced by the advances in studies of history, psychology, and philosophy, in order to examine how form relates to ideas. Students should have a strong grasp of analytical essay writing, as well as World History, to enroll in this course.
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Magical Realism
Magical Realism transgresses boundaries, where the real is transformed into the fantastic and the improbable into the possible, through the looking glass and back again. We will explore the works of authors such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Isabel Allende, Laura Esquivel, Louise Erdrich. We will also consider the works of other writers including Haruki Murakami and Jorge Louis Borges, as well as films such as Pan’s Labyrinth.
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The following courses do not earn credit toward the English credit requirement.
Academic Writing (0.5 credit)
Prerequisite: Not for seniors.
In Academic Writing, 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students will have the opportunity to improve and enrich their academic writing skills in a variety of contexts. Emphasis and focus will be placed on the structuring and organization of compositions. Writing in-class and SAT practice essays will further strengthen students’ approaches to writing. Students will gain proficiency, confidence, and the tools to apply these skills to their other classes as well.
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Creative Writing (0.5 credit; half block, 1 semester)
The goal of this course is to introduce students to the three central genres of creative writing: fiction, theatre, and poetry. We will read a variety of work in each of the genres as a springboard to doing our own work as writers. We will also do some work with personal essays or “creative nonfiction,” and will read several works by other authors about their craft. This class is only for those students who are truly interested in writing; you will be creating your own creative work on a daily basis, and you will be expected to be willing to challenge yourself and be a participating member of a group of serious writers. You will also develop your critical skills through reading and critiquing the work of your peers, and are expected to be mature about the constructive criticism you provide.
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Advanced Creative Writing (0.5 credit; half block, 1 semester)
Prerequisite: Creative Writing or Instructor approval.
This course will provide a conceptual framework for analyzing creative writing genres, offer models, immerse students in practice, invite them to join a community of writers, and engage them in all facets of the writing process, including prewriting, drafting, response, editing, revision, and publication for peers. Only students with a strong grasp of the basics of creative writing and the genres of poetry, fiction, drama, and creative non-fiction should enroll in this course.
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Literary Magazine Production (0.5 credit; half block, spring semester)
Students in this class partake in the production process of the annual SMA literary magazine, The Burning Page. Students execute most of the production aspects of the magazine, which include working with art and literature. Students gain excellent technical skills and knowledge about the production process.
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Publications (A and B) (0.5 credit; half block; offered each semester)
Students publish the High School Yearbook. They conduct interviews, write copy and captions, take pictures, and prepare all of these for publication. Students gain excellent working knowledge of Adobe PageMaker. This class can also provide leadership opportunities as students assume editorial roles. The Fall class is Publications A, the Spring class Publications B. The class may be taken in both semesters.
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