Curriculum Detail

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English

DEPARTMENT PHILOSOPHY

In Episcopal’s English Department, one encounters a variety of teaching and learning styles. Through formal Harkness discussion and informal class conversations, small group work and lectures, Socratic question-answer and silent meditation with self-reflection, as well as individual podcast walks and public performances, students and teachers engage and challenge each other. We embrace a diversity of places and spaces, just as we invite students to experience a diversity of authors and styles through our curriculum, one that provides, to paraphrase diversity practitioner Peggy McIntosh, both windows and mirrors to our students, allowing them to see themselves reflected in texts and experience the lives of others. We believe in a curriculum that embodies and builds compassion, curiosity and critical thinking.

Walking through the halls on a given day, one might see a ninth-grade class of eleven students working with a visiting local graphic novelist to delve into the vocabulary of the graphic form and to create their own panels under his tutelage. Later in the week, they will research a moment in history that they remember and create a graphic short story around that event. Next door, members of a Writing Workshop quietly edit their papers, waiting to meet outside in the hallway for individual revision conferences with their teacher. From the window, one can see tenth grade Genre Studies students performing a scene from Antigone on the brick patio. Later in the day, twelfth grade students will venture into Washington, D.C. to attend a Shakespeare play, and ninth graders will gather in a restaurant honoring Zora Neal Hurston to observe professional actors interpret scenes from one of our common ninth grade texts, Their Eyes Were Watching God.
 
The English Department prides itself on the rigor, breadth and depth with which we teach writing. Students author texts across genres, creating personal narratives, formal analytic essays, graphic novels or short stories, and practicing short timed exposition or persuasive writing. They identify and explicate significant quotations across works and analyze the stylistic choices of diverse authors. Additionally, they write research papers, poetry, letters to representatives, and every student also composes several formal essays and paragraphs on a Shakespeare exam in the senior year.

REQUIREMENTS

Four credits are required in English. Students must be enrolled in English every semester at Episcopal, and they must complete one elective that fulfills a writing requirement and one elective that fulfills an American literature requirement. The English Department recommends students for advanced English electives in the 11th and 12th grade. All incoming eleventh graders will enroll in Writing Workshop in their first semester. 

  • Adv English Seminar: American Protest Literature

    Throughout American history writers have lamented, excoriated, rebelled, celebrated, and prophesied, challenging audiences to examine their own beliefs and actions. Beginning with the American Revolution and continuing to the present, we’ll immerse ourselves in this rich literary tradition. Our discussions will be grounded in both history and literature, but they will go beyond that, drawing on film, art, and music and will be organized into three broad categories: race, gender and sexuality, and environment. In each of these categories, we will consider how the protest of thought and behavior shapes the course of our collective, national lives, as well as our own individual lives. We will take advantage of museums, organizations and individuals in the D.C. metro area, and students will delve into a personal interest through an intensive individual research project and educate their peers about their findings. Students will also write personal responses and analytical reflections on the reading throughout the course, and the major writing assessments will be numerous and varied--creative writing, close-reading analysis, and compare and contrast. Students in advanced courses should be prepared to write with clarity and technical proficiency and to display critical and creative thought in extended arguments. Advanced second semester classes will continue through the end of May, culminating with a final exam. One week will be given in May to instruction of the college essay. This course fulfills the American Literature requirement. (One-half credit)

  • Adv English Seminar: Chekhov

    This course focuses on the work of Russian author Anton Chekhov (1861-1905), whose short stories and plays are foundational texts in modern literature.  Beginning by placing Chekhov in the context of late 19th century Russian literature, the course will examine his work as it increases in insight and subtlety across his short career, culminating in the extraordinary pieces produced in the last years of his life.  The course will also consider at least one of Chekhov's four major plays: The Seagull, Three Sisters, Uncle Vanya and The Cherry Orchard.  The course is discussion-based, and assessments will include essays, creative writing, graded discussions, acting, and a culminating project focused on independent reading. (One-half credit)

  • Adv English Seminar: Classics of American Literature

    In this spring semester course students will return to a number of authors and works that used to make up the established American Literature canon. We’ll proceed chronologically from as early as the late 18th century through the current day. The pace of the class will be fast as daily readings will be short and numerous–poems and short stories only with one play, Miller’s Death of a Salesman, the exception; in addition students will choose a course-appropriate novel and write their culminating project on said book. Otherwise shorter texts will largely be online, daily class will be discussion-based, and assessments will include a number of shorter essays in addition to the noted final independent project and paper. Students in advanced courses should be prepared to write with clarity and technical proficiency and to display critical and creative thought in extended arguments. Advanced second semester classes will continue through the end of May, culminating with a final exam. One week will be given in May to instruction of the college essay. This course fulfills the American Literature requirement. (One-half credit)

  • Adv English Seminar: Contemporary Global Literature

    This discussion and reading-based semester course will examine literature published in the current millennium. By digesting literature from around the world, students will be exposed to various cultural, political, and social platforms, thereby engaging with various perspectives. A variety of writing exercises, both creative and analytical, will supplement students’ understanding and discussion of the text. In addition to in class work, students will complete two asynchronous choice novel projects over the course of the semester. Authors encountered in the course include, but are not limited to, Adichie, McEwan, Nazemian, Jones, Madden, Woodrell, Khalifa, and Kay. (One-half credit)

  • Adv English Seminar: Creative Writing

    This second semester course is designed to briefly refamiliarize students with fundamentals of writing fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, using classic and contemporary works as models that afford students a better understanding of the creative process. Throughout the semester, students will complete week-long focused studies on the elements of the short story, including plot development, setting, character, dialogue, and point of view. For assessments, students will begin to either craft a longer piece of fiction, whether through chapters, or a collection of short stories linked by character or theme. In addition to biweekly check-ins regarding progress on the final portfolio/product, students will complete self-reflective writing to showcase their process and plans. Through daily and nightly writing assignments, students can demonstrate their writing skills as well as experiment with various strategies. Students in advanced courses should be prepared to write with clarity and technical proficiency and to display critical and creative thought in extended arguments. Advanced second semester classes will continue through the end of May, culminating with a final exam. One week will be given in May to instruction of the college essay. This course fulfills the writing requirement.  (One-half credit)

  • Adv English Seminar: Detective Fiction

    This elective will examine the development of the detective story into a legitimate and mature literary type. Focus of lectures and discussions will be less on plot and actual solution of given crimes, and more on the authors’ unique rendering of character—the crime solvers themselves—and their psyches. We’ll pay particular attention to these writers’ fascination with the detective as ‘anti-hero.’ We’ll begin with the early practitioners (Poe and Holmes), spend time with the British legend Agatha Christie, move to an American hardboiled master like Hammett or Chandler, and wrap with a contemporary author. Assessments include weekly reading quizzes, and several in-class essays. In addition, students will be writing a final critical analysis of a detective novel read independently. Students in advanced courses should be prepared to write with clarity and technical proficiency and to display critical and creative thought in extended arguments. Advanced second semester classes will continue through the end of May, culminating with a final exam. One week will be given in May to instruction of the college essay. (One-Half Credit)

  • Adv English Seminar: Individualism in American Literature

    Since its inception, America has been a place where the spirit of individuality has flourished, and Americans, as a people, have long believed that independence and self-reliance are an integral part of our national character. Throughout our history, we have shown special regard for people and characters who follow their own ideals and beliefs rather than accepting the values of the masses. Over the course of the semester, we will follow those characters who stepped off the well-worn path to chart their own unique trail through the American landscape and we will examine the complex interplay between the individual and the collective. Possible texts for the course include the following: Into the Wild, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Crucible, My Antonia, and Walden. Students will be asked to write personal responses and reflections on the reading throughout the course, and the major writing assessments will be varied--creative writing, close-reading analysis, and compare and contrast. This course fulfills the American Literature requirement. (One-half Credit)

  • Adv English Seminar: Shakespeare 1: Page, Stage, Screen

    This course offers students the opportunity to dig deeply into Shakespeare’s genius using the many resources available in the Washington area. Students start with close textual analysis of the playwright’s works, augmented by film and/or live performances. Works being studied might include Part I of Henry IV, Henry V, The Merchant of Venice, Hamlet, and selected Shakespearean sonnets, as well as other plays depending on offerings at local Shakespeare Theaters. Students will respond to the plays in journals, write theater reviews and analytical papers, and even flex their creative muscles with a sonnet of their own. Discussions will also include modern adaptations and their themes as set in a more contemporary context. Students may take both this course and Shakespeare 2 during their time at EHS. (One-half credit)

  • Adv English Seminar: Shakespeare 2: Page, Stage, Screen

    Like the fall’s Shakespeare 1, this course offers students the opportunity to dig deeply into Shakespeare’s genius using the many resources available in the Washington area. Students start with close textual analysis of the playwright’s works, augmented by film and/or live performances. Works being studied will not overlap with plays from the fall, and might include King Lear, Much Ado About Nothing, Measure for Measure, Twelfth Night, and selected Shakespearean sonnets, as well as other plays depending on offerings at local Shakespeare Theaters. Additionally, the course will look at various critical responses to Shakespeare’s works–some old, some new. Advanced students will also choose a play from Shakespeare’s canon to read, write about and present on to their peers. Students will respond to the plays in journals, write theater reviews and analytical papers, and even flex their creative muscles with a sonnet of their own. Discussions will also include modern adaptations and their themes as set in a more contemporary context. Students may take both this course and Shakespeare 2 during their time at EHS. Students in advanced courses should be prepared to write with clarity and technical proficiency and to display critical and creative thought in extended arguments. Advanced second semester classes will continue through the end of May, culminating with a final exam. One week will be given in May to instruction of the college essay. (One-Half Credit)

  • Adv English Seminar: The Irish Influence: Short Story Writing Workshop

    This Short Story Writing Workshop introduces students to classic and contemporary literature from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, and course texts are diverse in both form and perspective. Irish writers are often grouped within the context of a British discussion of the Western literary canon, a mistake that has been slowly rectified in the post-colonial discussion, and students will examine how the Irish literary tradition has been shaped by factors such as colonization, immigration, religion, and nationalism as they workshop their own prose pieces. Specifically, students investigate the need of human beings to storytell–and how stories can be the voice of a larger movement–as they examine the short story as an essential but unique literary form. Within the traditional writing workshop setting, students learn to read as writers, provide critical analyses of their peers’ work, and filter feedback constructively in the editing process. Assessments may also include graded discussions, analytical responses, a semester-long independent project and a final analytical exam. Students in advanced courses should be prepared to write with clarity and technical proficiency and to display critical and creative thought in extended arguments. Advanced second semester classes will continue through the end of May, culminating with a final exam. One week will be given in May to instruction of the college essay. This course fulfills the writing requirement. (One-half credit)

  • Adv English Seminar: Victorian Literature

    Queen Victoria’s reign began two years before Episcopal High School was founded and ended with her death in 1901. During Victoria’s time on the throne, Britain and the world underwent a remarkable series of political, scientific, social, and aesthetic shifts. Meanwhile, writers and poets mined this continuous upheaval for their material, reflecting on, engaging with, and even shaping the changes. In this course, we will encounter the work of some of the better-known writers from this time period, while also exploring the voices of those on the margins of Victorian society. We will consider why Victorians wrote and what they wrote about, with an emphasis on their development of imagery and language of social criticism. We will examine the parallels between the Victorian age and today. Though we won’t read the longest novels of the 19th century, the reading load will be substantial in order that we may encounter more beloved and insightful authors from this time period. (One-half credit)

  • Adv English Seminar: Voices of the Harlem Renaissance

    This course examines the American literary era known as the Harlem Renaissance, a period in the 1920s and 1930s when urban centers of the United States experienced a vibrant outpouring of music, art, and literature. We will consider this outpouring as a chorus of sorts: Black Americans memorializing their varied perspectives and identities in a way that collectively forms an indelible, indispensable, and irrefutable part of American culture. In addition, we will seek to understand the Harlem Renaissance in context (it follows certain literary traditions while running alongside others), and to interpret the cultural significance that it continues to have to this day. Our reading, watching, and listening will include thought-provoking novels, nonfiction (including true account of a woman who escapes slavery), poetry, and essays, old-time and present-day music, and film. Assessments include occasional reflective writing assignments of one paragraph each, four short papers (one page), two longer papers (2-3 pages), and a final project. This course fulfills the American Literature requirement. (One-half credit)

  • Adv English Seminar: Whitman, Dickinson, and the American Voice

    The poetry of Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman will form the core reading for this semester elective. Students will examine the two poets’ original and distinctly American voices, both of which have reverberated through the last one hundred and fifty years of American Literature. Looking closely at Dickinson’s and Whitman’s unique poetic perspectives, stylistic innovations, and subject matter, students will read a diverse compilation of American poets whose ideas and styles were influenced by these two seminal bodies of work. Alongside the poetry, the class will also read two novels that reflect the divergent voices of Dickinson and Whitman. Through the combination of poetry and prose, students will practice a variety of approaches to analytical reading and writing. In addition, students will have an opportunity to write their own poetry and experiment with their own artistic styles and voices. This course fulfills the American Literature requirement. (One-half credit)

  • Adv English Seminar: Writing Workshop

    This elective will focus on the craft of writing, developing journals into drafts into polished persuasive pieces and personal essays. Weeks will comprise significant grammar and vocabulary work, required individual conferences, creative exercises and independent reading. In addition to weekly essay work, assessments will include one major literary analysis on a novel of the student’s choice, and a written exam. Students may not take both regular Writing Workshop and advanced Writing Workshop during their time at EHS. Students in advanced courses should be prepared to write with clarity and technical proficiency and to display critical and creative thought in extended arguments. Advanced second semester classes will continue through the end of May, culminating with a final exam. One week will be given in May to instruction of the college essay. This course fulfills the writing requirement. (One-half credit)

  • Adv English: Short Story Writing about Climate Change

    A writing workshop at its heart, this course aims to help students examine the existing literature of climate change and contribute to the growing body of work on this topic. Focusing particularly on short stories, we will read science fiction, dystopian fiction and the fiction of the here and now. Students will imitate the genres, and respond and create their own fiction on the topic of climate change. Designed to help students understand and process climate change, as well as familiarize them with the art of writing short fiction, the course will focus on the craft of writing with sophistication and creativity. Through numerous independent writing assignments, students can grow their writing skills as well as experiment with various sub-genres. The potential beauty of the course also lies in the innovation and hope possible when imaginations are free to roam and students feel encouraged to find their own voice. Students in advanced courses should be prepared to write with clarity and technical proficiency and to display critical and creative thought in extended arguments. Advanced second semester classes will continue through the end of May, culminating with a final exam. One week will be given in May to instruction of the college essay. This course fulfills the writing requirement. (One-half credit)

  • American Studies: English

    America as place, America as people, America as culture, America as an idea–in all its manifestations, America is complex, capacious, and changing. American Studies is for the student interested in exploring the complexities of what it is to be an American, by studying the experiences and values of the people of the United States as embodied in their history, literature, and culture, including art, music, politics, fashion, food, dance, religion, folklore, and media. By taking as our particular focus the place and people of Washington, D.C., this class seeks to empower students to confront with historical awareness the most pressing problems that face American society. American Studies will meet for two class periods each day, allowing time for an in-depth study of American history, literature, and culture, as well as for many off-campus experiences and alternative assessments, such oral history, performance, debates, and other forms of rigorous, creative expression. American Studies students can expect to read critically, and to work in and out of class on developing their technical and creative capacities as researchers and writers. This course fulfills both the U.S. History and English requirements, including the American Literature and writing requirement. (One Credit)

  • English Seminar: American Drama

    In this course, we will examine what nearly three centuries of dramatic literature have had to say about this country and its people—through various lenses—and work to define the American experience for people from all walks of life. Particular attention will be paid to diverse voices within the American theatrical scene, and theatrical works that push the boundaries of form, message, and what is culturally “acceptable.” Assignments will range from traditional literary assessments like analytical essays to in-class, Harkness-style graded discussions to creative pieces such as planning directorial ideation and crafting American plays of our own. We will attend (and review!) at least one production in the D.C. area, but generally we will do everything we can to bring these plays from across dramatic history to life. This course fulfills the American Literature requirement. (One-half credit)

  • English Seminar: Nonfiction Writing for Publication

    This course offers students an exciting introduction to nonfiction writing centered on weekly reflection of all aspects of the Episcopal community. Through active investigation, teamwork, and careful thinking, students write fact and opinion pieces, ultimately publishing them in periodicals of their own with the possibility of distribution to Episcopal students, staff, and faculty. The semester begins with students reading a selection of award-winning journalistic pieces. These pieces serve as models for various journalistic forms and introduce the concepts of journalistic integrity, objectivity, and ethics. Shortly thereafter, we begin writing: each student takes responsibility for covering a part of our community and provides clear, concise, informative reflections of what they find. Students also have the opportunity to meet with and learn from professional journalists. Texts: The Elements of Journalism, selections from recent Pulitzer winners, major periodicals. Regular second semester classes will end when the seniors depart for their externships. For non-senior students, the month of May will be dedicated to studying the art of the personal essay, including specific instruction of the college essay. This course fulfills the writing requirement. (One-half credit)

  • English Seminar: Rhetoric: Persuasive Writing & Reading

    This course is designed to develop students' communication skills across various mediums. Through theoretical study, practical exercises, and real-world applications, students will dive into the principles of effective communication, mastering techniques for verbal, nonverbal, written, and visual expression. While incorporating elements of theater, the course places equal emphasis on public speaking and presentation skills. Students will practice rhetorical writing, and engage in activities that foster creativity, critical thinking, and self-awareness,  preparing them to communicate confidently and persuasively in diverse personal, academic, and professional contexts. (One-half credit)

  • English Seminar: Theater, from Page to Stage

    Drama is a unique genre of literature in which the words are not supposed to stay put on the page but are destined to be brought to life in the form of theatrical productions. This course will be constructed around the spring theater season in the Washington, D.C. area and will involve the study of four to six scripts paired with the experience of four to six stage productions encompassing diverse topics, scopes, and styles. Our emphasis will be on how theater artists (from playwrights to directors to performers to designers to stage crew) craft their embodied work out of language, and the challenges, opportunities, and meaning that come with that creative process. The practice of writing an informed, critical review will be central to written assessment in this course, but so will more traditional assignments like essays (both in-class and for homework) and more creative assignments like directorial vision projects and even mini-plays of our own. This course welcomes all comers, whether you are a tried-and-true theater nerd already or want to dip your toes into the medium for the first time. For non-senior students, the month of May will be dedicated to studying the art of the personal essay, including specific instruction geared towards the college essay. (One-half credit)

  • English Seminar: Unmute Yourself: A Poetry Workshop

    Whether rooted in our own experiences or observations of the world around us, one thing is certain: we all have stories to tell. In this workshop, we invite students to draw upon these experiences to craft original pieces of varying poetic forms and influences. This class will introduce poetic techniques, challenge writers to share their work with the community, and give space to reflect on the creative process. Exploring the beauty and flexibility of this literary genre breathes life into Rita Dove’s words: “Poetry is language at its most distilled and most powerful.” This course fulfills the writing requirement. (One-half credit)

  • English Seminar: Writing Workshop

    This elective will focus on the craft of writing, progressing from the sentence to the paragraph to the polished essay–argumentative, analytical, creative, as well as the personal narrative. Weekly work will comprise grammar and vocabulary exercises, and developing journals into persuasive pieces. Weekly conferences are mandatory, and attention to developing the individual student’s voice will be emphasized through creative exercises and reading samples. Assessments include weekly essays and a writing portfolio in lieu of an exam. Students may not take both regular Writing Workshop and advanced Writing Workshop during their time at EHS. For non-senior students, the month of May will be dedicated to studying the art of the personal essay, including specific instruction of the college essay. This course fulfills the writing requirement. (One-half credit)

  • English: Genre Studies

    Students review fundamentals of the English language, including grammar, syntax and vocabulary, write essays of a personal and critical nature, craft creative fiction, and practice their public speaking. Students read and trace themes through broad divisions of drama, fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, augmenting their understanding of how authors create meaning in different genres, and substantiating and specifying this understanding. Through grade-level and individual class engagements in Washington, D.C. in the theater scene, museums, historical sites, monuments, and natural areas, students deepen their learning. Core texts may include Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Sophocles’ Antigone, a novel by Toni Morrison, and a work of nonfiction about the Holocaust. (One Credit)

  • Fundamentals in Literature & Composition

    This class seeks to expose students to a variety of literary voices and forms, and to encourage close, careful reading and well-structured, correct prose.  Fundamentals of grammar, syntax, and rhetoric, as well as several literary forms (drama, novel, and poetry) are covered. Students study texts to gain an understanding of how authors create meaning, and to substantiate and specify this understanding.  The class teaches and relies on discussion, and also dedicates lots of time to writing in various forms, including personal responses, formal analytical and persuasive essays, and creative pieces. Texts may include Beowulf or Homer’s Odyssey, Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God, as well as poetry, a graphic novel unit and a Shakespeare play. (One Credit)

  • GOA: Creative Nonfiction (Summer)

    Tell your own stories and the stories of the world around you! This course centers on the art of shaping real experiences into powerful narratives while growing foundational writing skills. Participants read, examine, and write diverse works of creative nonfiction including personal narratives, podcasts, opinion editorials, profile pieces, and more. Emphasizing process over product, this writing workshop provides opportunities to create in new ways. Students practice essential craft elements (e.g., voice, style, structure) while reflecting on stories from their own lives, communities, and interests. They also build a personalized library of inspiring mentor texts, consider opportunities for publication, and develop sustainable writing habits. Both in real-time video chats and online discussion spaces, students support one another intentionally. Feedback is an essential component of this course, and students gain experience in the workshop model, actively participating in a thriving, global writing community. Creative nonfiction has never been as popular as it is today; participants experience its relevance in their own lives as they collaboratively explore this dynamic genre. This fulfills the writing requirement. (One-half credit)

  • GOA: Fiction Writing (Summer Only)

    This course connects students interested in creative writing (primarily short fiction) and provides a space for supportive and constructive feedback. Students gain experience in the workshop model, learning how to effectively critique and discuss one another’s writing in an online environment. In addition to developing skills as readers within a workshop setting, students strive to develop their own writing identities through a variety of exercises.The course capitalizes on the geographic diversity of the students by eliciting stories that shed light on both the commonalities and differences of life experiences in different locations. Additionally, students read and discuss the work of authors from around the globe. Students’ essential responsibilities are twofold: to engage in the class as readers and writers and to focus on their development as readers and writers. Both require participation in discussions of various formats within the course’s online community, as well as dedicated time outside of class reading and providing feedback on one another’s work as well as writing original pieces for the workshop. This fulfills the writing requirement. (One-half credit)

Department Faculty

1200 North Quaker Lane
Alexandria, Virginia 22302
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