English Department: A Team Approach to Critical Thinking, Writing and Literary Analysis

The English department kicked off the new school year with a flurry of cooperative learning and team teaching approaches across the curriculum. On September 13th, English and History classes produced a moving morning assembly program, held outside around the flagpole, to commemorate the victims of 9/11. Later in the day students gathered in the theater to view an HBO documentary production, featuring eyewitness accounts of the tragedy with special insights from then NYC Mayor Rudi Giuliani. Later, the senior Contemporary Literature and College Writing classes joined to analyze the song lyrics of Bruce Springsteen and Simon and Garfunkel in relation to our current understanding of American tragedies.

 

All senior English classes met on September 16th for a College Essay Writing seminar led by Department Chair Mr. Michael Bruner and attended by College and Guidance Counselor Mrs. Jeannie Ginsberg as well as senior English teachers, Mr. Elden Schneider, Mr. David Green and Mrs. Halaine Steinberg. Students gained valuable insights and tips on writing effective college essays and had an opportunity to ask questions of each teacher. Senior English teachers will also assist Mrs. Susan Sless, Senior Internship Coordinator, as she instructs students on the proper form of a resume.

All ninth grade English classes are reading the acclaimed novel, The Kite Runner, as part of their World Literature curriculum. Newspaper Advisor Mrs. Steinberg will “guest teach” a journalism unit in conjunction with the novel to promote good, concise writing as well as encourage students to write for Insight, our school newspaper. All English teachers – Mr. Bruner, Mr. Schneider, Mrs. Steinberg, Mr. Green, and Mr. Gary Pedroni, have introduced literature and writing assignments to their classes, after having made a productive start to the school year with the review and evaluation of the students’ summer reading assignments.

 

In the true spirit of “sharing the wealth,” Mr. Bruner and Mr. Schneider will “tag team” the teaching of their ninth, tenth and eleventh grade classes. Starting January 18th, Mr. Bruner will teach Mr. Schneider’s 10B Honors American Literature class while Mr. Schneider teaches Mr. Bruner’s 9B College Prep World Literature class. In addition Mr. Bruner will present Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, Hamlet, to Mr. Schneider’s 11B Honors English Literature class while Mr. Schneider offers his rendition of the Bard to Mr. Bruner’s 11A AP English Literature class. Such collaboration encourages team planning and program implementation within the English department, allowing students to benefit from exposure to individual teaching styles and perspectives.

 

Throughout this school year, all English teachers will continue to look for ways to team teach with their colleagues not only in the English department but also in other departments to encourage critical reading and writing skills across the curriculum.