What is English for?
Can you escape guilt if no one knows you've done something wrong? Is there such a thing as love at first sight? Why is it so hard to put yourself in another person's shoes, especially when you are feeling angry or defensive? English class is a space to explore interesting ideas.
However, if you look at the Ontario English curriculum (which you can access here) you will notice that there isn't really anything about content. (For example, there's nothing that says you have to read book X in grade Y.) Notice too that the expectations are similar in each grade. The idea is that as you progress through high school you hone the skills you've been learning since middle school. The English curriculum is essentially about skills, not content. In 15 years are you really going to remember the name of Hamlet's mother or the exact definition of iambic pentameter? Probably not. But hopefully you will be writing clear, clean sentences, editing your work with a critical eye, evaluating the logic of people's arguments and speaking comfortably and effectively in front of large groups. These skills are not intuitive. They become ingrained through sustained practice and English class is where you practice them.
What is this website for?
Hopefully this website will be a useful resource for you in my English class and beyond.
However, if you look at the Ontario English curriculum (which you can access here) you will notice that there isn't really anything about content. (For example, there's nothing that says you have to read book X in grade Y.) Notice too that the expectations are similar in each grade. The idea is that as you progress through high school you hone the skills you've been learning since middle school. The English curriculum is essentially about skills, not content. In 15 years are you really going to remember the name of Hamlet's mother or the exact definition of iambic pentameter? Probably not. But hopefully you will be writing clear, clean sentences, editing your work with a critical eye, evaluating the logic of people's arguments and speaking comfortably and effectively in front of large groups. These skills are not intuitive. They become ingrained through sustained practice and English class is where you practice them.
What is this website for?
Hopefully this website will be a useful resource for you in my English class and beyond.
- The Home tab contains information about what to expect in my class regarding classroom routines, class discussion, homework, plus insider tips like my top pet peeves!
- The Course information tab contains resources for each grade, some of which you'll need for assignments and some of which you can check out to broaden your understanding of various class texts.
- The Learning Resources tab contains more general information about English and links to exercises to practice various skills like critical reading, academic writing, effective teamwork etc.