High School English

Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in an Excellence in Literature course?
The center of the course is the college-style syllabus, which provides a complete course outline. For each unit, the focus work and context readings are listed, followed by a week-by-week overview of the assignments for the class. The last half of the book is a student/mentor handbook that includes:

• How to use the syllabus, including the online resources
• A Q&A on how to succeed at self-directed literature study
• An article on 'How to Read a Book'
• Instructions and sample for approach papers
• Instructions and sample for essays
• Evaluation Rubric
• Semester Evaluation form (for personal records, high-school portfolio, or for obtaining advanced placement from a college)
• * 2008 Update: Courses will be available as e-books or spiral-bound p-books for self-directed study, beginning 2009.

How can I prepare my younger students to take Everyday Education Excellence in Literature classes?
Many of my best-prepared students have used materials from the Institute for Excellence in Writing for elementary and middle school writing instruction. Andrew Pudewa has created DVD-based instructional materials for both parent and student, and these provide a solid foundation for achievement in high-school literature. Students who follow a classical, Latin-based curriculum, such as that outlined in The Latin Centered Curriculum by Andrew Campbell, also tend to be well prepared for college-prep literature study.

Can I use Excellence in Literature courses to prepare for AP, CLEP, or other exams?
Students who choose the Honors Track in EiL should plan to take AP and/or CLEP exams. (You can read more about these on the Doing College Your Way pages, and in the Get a Jump Start on College! book.) Appropriate exams include:

• AP- English Language
• AP- English Literature (Counter-intuitively, this is not British Literature, but "Literature in English." Take it after you have taken EiL's English III and English IV.)
• CLEP- Analyzing and Interpreting Literature
• CLEP- English Composition with Essay OR Freshman College Composition (Take the one accepted by your local community college or the four-year college you wish to attend.)
• CLEP- American Literature
• CLEP- English Literature
• Optional CLEP- Humanities (includes literature and fine arts)
• SAT Subject Test- English (Skills test, similar to AP English Language or CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Literature.)

What is a 6-Traits evaluation?
This is an assessment model developed in the 1980's to provide a more specific form of feedback on writing than the usual letter grade. The six traits, as identified by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory and examined in the assessment, are Ideas (details, development, focus), Organization (internal structure), Voice (tone, style, purpose, audience), Word Choice (precise language and phrasing), Sentence Fluency (correctness, rhythm, and cadence), and Conventions (mechanical correctness). A seventh trait, Presentation (handwriting/computer text readability, formatting, layout), may be added, making the 6 Traits + 1 model.

As you can see, this type of feedback pinpoints areas of strength and weakness, so that the student understands the skill areas he or she needs to work on. You can read more about the 6 Traits and download a free information packet at http://www.nwrel.org/assessment/toolkit98/traits/index.html.

Why "Zeitgeist"?

(2008: The series was formerly called Zeitgeist Literature, but many people found it difficult to pronounce, spell, and remember, so it's now Excellence in Literature. The focus remains the same, though, so I've left this question for you, so that you'll have an even better idea of what the series is about.)
According to the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (my favorite), 'zeitgeist' is "The spirit of the age; the trend of thought or feeling in a period, especially as reflected in its literature, art, etc." I've carefully chosen literature, from ancient to modern, that I believe best reflects the spirit of the age in which it was created. The context resources that support each focus text offer additional insight into the art and music of author's world. Understanding the zeitgeist that shaped the ideas you are reading ensures that you will better understand the text. Ideas that you understand are more easily recalled, and the knowledge you gain through literature can seep into many other areas of study. Zeitgeist is simply part of the context of literature's creation, and because these courses study literature in context, the name, Zeitgeist Literature, seemed appropriate.

You don't tell me how many pages to read each day. How will I know?
Time management! This is a college-prep class, so you will be learning to look ahead and pace yourself. For units based upon a novel-length work, you have a couple of options: 1) Sit down the first day and read the whole book in several hours, then use the rest of the time to gather supporting information, read another book by the author, and write your essay; or 2) Divide the book into three equal parts and read one part per week, leaving the last week to write and polish your essay. I prefer the first method, as the story is usually more interesting if it is not read in tiny fragments over a long period of time, and I prefer to have plenty of time to draft, revise, and polish the essay. Whatever you do, start reading the first day of the unit, and read every day until the book is finished. Don't procrastinate! And don't forget your context reading!

How much time will this take each day?
I anticipate you will spend a minimum of one hour per day reading and/or responding to the literature. Your vocabulary work may add an additional 20 minutes per day. This will vary according to how fast you read and write.

I haven't done a lot of writing, so how will I know what to do?
There is only one way to learn to write, and that is simply to begin with the assignment and write. The syllabus provides assigned reading plus a very specific essay question. This gives you the topic and thesis of your essay, so that you can focus on organizing supporting points and presenting evidence from the text to support your thesis.

The assigned handbook (Writers Inc. for E1 and E2; and Write for College for E3-5) provides a detailed introduction to the writing process, and an overview of how to approach each type of paper you will encounter. If you need detailed instruction in essay writing, my favorite resource is The Elegant Essay by Lesha Myers. It's a wonderful introduction to essays! In addition, you may consult your parent, writing coach, or teacher for clarification and additional help.

I have never done a self-directed class before. How is it different from a regular class?
A self-directed class will help help you develop the skills you need to succeed in college and business. First, you will learn to use a syllabus, which is similar to those you will encounter in college. Second, you will learn to manage your time in order to meet assignment deadlines. Third, you will learn to use the assigned resources and other reference materials to answer basic questions. Fourth, you will learn when and how it's appropriate to contact your writing mentor (parent or teacher) for further information. Finally, self-directed classes will help you learn how to apply your own knowledge and learning experiences to new and challenging assignments so that you can tackle any new subject with confidence.

Why so many essays?
We focus on essay writing because it is an ideal vehicle for practicing writing skills. Essays, like most non-fiction and fiction writing, are written in three distinct stages: planning, drafting, and revising. As the three-stage process becomes automatic through practice, the writer can focus on the most important parts of writing; content and style. There are a variety of shorter writing exercises included in the syllabi, but essays are the primary type of writing practice.

Can I use library books, or do I have to buy the the focus works?
I encourage active reading, especially of the focus works. This means underlining and notes in the margin, and librarians really hate that. So I recommend that, if possible, you buy the Norton anthologies and focus books. You can probably find used copies quite cheaply (if you follow the links from the booklists to Amazon.com, you'll often find reasonably priced used copies of the recommended texts). * 2008 Update: I am compiling e-book anthologies for some of the harder-to-find readings in each class. These should be ready in the autumn of 2009.

My last teacher/mentor never/always commented on this?
Use of the English language is ultimately an art, not a science. Although basic things like subject-verb agreement are not usually questioned, style is subjective. I'll always remember one essay I wrote in college that was lavishly praised by one professor as having "marvelous voice" and "wonderful style," and was roundly criticized by another professor as being "imprecise" and "impressionistic." It was the same essay, same information, but differing tastes and expectations on the part of the readers. Every instructor brings a different background and taste to the job of teaching, so an English teacher with a journalism background will most likely have different standards than an English teacher with a creative writing background. My goal is to encourage you to develop or refine your own writing voice as you learn to think clearly and accurately on paper. For writing is, after all, just thoughts in print.

How should I determine placement in Excellence in Literature?
Students who are ready for Excellence in Literature should be reading at high-school level, and have adequate skills in grammar, spelling, and language mechanics. I expect students to grammar- and spell-check all papers before turning them in, as learning to self-edit is part of the writing process (and this is something that is always required in college and in real life). Students should be willing to follow the syllabus; to ask questions anytime they need help; and read evaluations when they are returned.

The five levels of Excellence in Literature increase gradually in difficulty. This is measured both by the level of challenge in the reading assignments, and in the length and subject matter of the writing assignments. An eighth-grader may begin with English I or II, but so may a tenth-grader who has little or no previous writing experience. A student who is comfortable with writing, and is ready for a more challenging study, may wish to begin with English III, IV, or IV. Finally, you may choose placement based on literature you want to read. After all, you tend to remember well the things you enjoy!

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