2025-2026 Class Location

[possible American Lit substitution]*

Learn about "Honors" option here: Honors Details

*Class may be renamed. Instructor can work with parents on requirements to fit transcript needs.

Grades: 9-12

One core credit

DOE course codes: 23.05100, 23.06100, 23.06200, 23.06400, 23.06600, 23.06700*

One 120-min class meets weekly and includes break times.

This is a great class for students who think they don't like English classes, and/or students who are up for learning a variety of college and life skills in addition to traditional writing and reading. ML is an active class that takes place in an encouraging environment. The skills of literary analysis, writing, and speech are taught simultaneously since much of the structure and style of oral and written communication are complementary.

Units of literature include short stories, poetry, drama, and visual media. Students investigate literary analysis skills one can build on for future college/AP classwork. Optional, extra-credit reading contributes to literature requirements if parents desire to start the course before school starts or fill in the school year with more reading during lengthy breaks in the calendar. This reading can continue throughout the year as extra credit, up to three books per semester, and could turn into "Honors" being added to the course name.

The composition aspect of the course covers organization and editing skills needed for ACT essays, college/scholarship applications, discussion/exam-style essays, speaker analyses, resumes, job application prep, and other practical writing. Targeted grammar study is included in editing workshops, useful for those who have a mind for grammar and/or those with an ear for error correction. Teacher feedback in writing and speaking focuses on encouragement and "next steps" rather than punitive or negative assessment. Having said that, there is accountability for each student to grow and work toward his or her writing being able to match up with and exceed standard written English expectations. Students often upload writing assignments during the week via the Eastside website, making this a part-online/part-classroom experience. Students practice meeting deadlines and assignment details, with penalties (and rewards!) increasing over the semesters. Graded work is promptly sent home or posted at the course website for parent perusal. Spring projects include an MLA-style research paper on a career chosen by the student and a formal, persuasive speech.

The oral communication aspect of ML starts with non-intimidating activities in an encouraging space nurtured carefully throughout the year. The goal is for students to have a supportive environment for exploring communication methods. The class progresses through gentle stages until basic solo speeches found in Speech 101 in most universities are presented, and life skills such as persuasive speaking and communicating in group settings are practiced. We also engage with job interview and nonverbal skill study culminating in time with visiting workplace professionals, as well as practicing small group roles and impromptu speaking. Students study design and use of various visual aids such as slides, posters, white board, and demonstration tools.

Optional reading can add extra credit and/or honors credit. See list and plan here: Reading List

Required Text: Perrine's Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense (ISBN 0155511084), available used online or from previous ML and AP Lit students

For information on prices and to enroll, visit the Eastside Website

Would you like to meet up and talk about this class? Contact Margaret at shumanhw@gmail.com or text at 678-772-1644. We can meet for a walk or for coffee/tea at a location that works for us both! You can also visit any Shuman class with or without your student, any time.

Grades: 10-12, 9 with permission

DOE course code: 23.06500

One core credit

One weekly class with two 90-min periods

Prerequisites: At least a B in two previous high-school-level English classes and motivation to do college-level work.

This seminar-style course provides an opportunity for students to dig into fiction in an analytical way, writing about and discussing the content and context of classic works. Through study of writing techniques, literary terms, and backgrounds of literature from various centuries and cultures, students investigate literary strategies and learn to navigate through some of the powerful worldviews of history, from Greek to African to European, and from existentialist to feminist to Christian. Students engage in discussion, research, and writing. Study of past AP exams makes the optional, national May exam more friendly to the student.

Despite this serious description, students actually enjoy the give and take in the discussions and the chance to dig deeply into interesting material. Much of the class is interactive and hands-on. Optional summer reading can add extra credit, starting in summer.

Texts: Perrine's Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense (ISBN 0155511084) and classic literature such as Othello*; Doll's House*; Cry, the Beloved Country; The Plague; One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich; Till We Have Faces; Death of a Salesman*. (*included in Perrine text, which is cheap to purchase used online or from previous Multicultural Lit students)

Want to visit a class? Please drop into any of Margaret's classes at any time.

For information on prices and to enroll, visit the Eastside Website

Learn about "Honors" option here: Honors Details

Grades: 10-12, 9 with permission of instructor

DOE course number: 23.05200

One core credit

One weekly class with two 90-min sections

This is a great class for those who normally don't enjoy literature: there is plenty of action in Anglo-Saxon, Medieval, and Renaissance works, for example. The lit survey covers historical works and authors that every student should be familiar with before graduation—from Beowulf to Canterbury Tales and Hamlet, and from Shakespeare to Moderns like Mary Shelley and T.S. Eliot.

Students learn to read, analyze, and write about various styles of great literature, all of which were hits in their time period and are still wonderful stories today. Class discussions often lead into the "great world of ideas," and on-our-feet activities keep the class time moving and interactive. Role playing, illustrating, expressive reading, informal debate, and many types of group work add variety to text study. A mock trial of Victor Frankenstein is often one of spring's activities.

Text: England in Literature, Scott Foresman, ISBN 0673129225. Digital copies are loaned out for the year in lieu of printed copies. Also, an unabridged copy of Frankenstein is needed in the spring.

Optional reading can add extra credit and/or honors credit. See list and plan here: Reading List

Would you like to meet up and talk about this class? Contact Margaret at shumanhw@gmail.com. We can meet for a walk or for coffee/tea at a location that works for us both! You can also visit any Shuman class with or without your student, any time.

For information on prices and to enroll, visit the Eastside Website

DOE course number: 52.06100

Grades: 10-12

One elective credit

One weekly 60-min class

We will all sharpen our creativity by playing theatre games and developing spontaneous scenes based on improvised situations. Viola Spolin's improvisation techniques will make us more sensitive to how our senses interact with our surroundings. Robert Cohen's acting theory will lead us through the foundational concepts of victory, obstacle, and tactics where we will utilize content-less lines as well as scenes from traditional theatre. In addition, we will investigate common theatre practices such as blocking, eating stage food, faking fights, and staying in character. To build a good space to do all of this, we will build an environment where the introvert (your teacher) and the extrovert (you or your friends!) will each have a safe place to try new things. This will take cooperation, leadership, and organization which can all transfer to real life.

Students will learn to work with a class contract to fulfill course objectives and determine the grade they want to achieve through not only attending classes regularly, but going to at least one professional production and reading two full-length play scripts per semester. Students will volunteer with set dressing, managing, or performing in the fall talent show as well as participating in another Eastside event in the spring.

Would you like to meet up and talk about this class? Contact Margaret at shumanhw@gmail.com or text at 678-772-1644. We can meet for a walk or for coffee/tea at a location that works for us both! You can also visit any Shuman class with or without your student, any time.

For information on prices and to enroll, visit the Eastside Website