Welcome to your last high school English class! In this class, we'll study how modern writers use the elements of literature, discourse, and rhetoric to entertain, inform, and persuade readers.

     Did you know that modern English and literature begins around the time of Shakespeare and encompasses literature from different cultures and in different mediums? It's such an exciting time to a young writer. You have so many different forums in which to express your point of view: blogs, tweets, texts, VOX, Instagram, etc. Seriously, why not write your novel on your cell phone? That's what one young woman in Japan recently accomplished: (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/20/world/asia/20japan.html)    

     Tweeting seems perfect for the Haiku writer. No matter what your medium, I hope you'll take the opportunity to explore your own literary ideas and thoughts during the time you spend in my class. Just don't write your novel on your cell phone in my class! So, how do you pass this class? It's easy. There is a simple rubric: be present daily, turn in assignments on-time, and participate. You'll really have to work hard to earn the A's and B's, but you'll be glad you did. Failure is an option based on choices YOU make. Please make the right choices in this class so that you may graduate.

     Here is some background information about how our current curriculum was developed and shaped. It's a solid method for preparing you to be successful in college and in the work place: "ERWC was created by a collaborative group of California State University and high school faculty to help prepare students for the reading and writing demands of their first year of college. The course is (required) at high schools throughout California. Each assignment is a sequence of integrated reading and writing experiences that move from pre-reading activities, through reading and post-reading activities, to formal writing assignments.

     Along the way, students learn to analyze both the content and rhetorical structure of texts and to properly use materials from texts in supporting their own written arguments. The goal is to help students not only with reading and understanding but also with producing complex written texts of their own that include analysis, synthesis, hypothesis formulation, and argument. In addition to various articles and essays, we will be reading and responding to Jon Krakauer’s non-fiction work Into the Wild..." (Gladden)

     Please note that you may also be assigned to work on projects and read selected modern authors. Writing reflective journals and presenting your writing to the class will also take place frequently. Furthermore, a senior project and major research paper may also be part of the course, depending on furlough days. These major projects should be taken seriously, especially by those students heading directly into the work force as they are designed to help students focus on post high school career choices through research, writing, project planning and implementation, and an optional project presentation. Again, welcome to the class. Plan to refer to this page and to the homework pages from time to time for important updates and information.