All of my English students are reading and writing up a storm! Classes have been full of thoughtful discussions, inspiring authors, and story, essay and poem construction. If that doesn’t sound like paradise, bear in mind that all this occurs outdoors, perhaps under a shady tree, with a breathtaking view of the volcano.
Our daily schedule begins with Taylor and I furiously scribbling sentences in Creative Writing; currently, we are dissecting Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”. Taylor’s passion for words makes her a delight to have in class! My AP English seniors, Stephen, Matti and Tracy, are analyzing their opinions on the effects of war and the possibility of peace as we read Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut. Zoe and Kyle are busy discussing Alice in Wonderland as an allegory for adolescence, and writing endlessly, developing skills to construct the perfect essay. In World Literature, Eric, Alex and Clay just finished essays on the importance of freedom after reading Ayn Rand’s Anthem. Now we are studying Chilean history as we embark on The House of the Spirits, a political, semi-autobiographical novel by Isabel Allende, one of Chile’s best-known authors. My British Lit students, Jessica and Chase, are reading poetry by Chaucer and Shakespeare as they dream up sonnets and soliloquys of their own.
Student dynamics are great in all of my classes, and I am thrilled with the level of cooperation and the willingness to discuss.
Callie Morgigno
Tags: Academic Report, Academics, Go Huge Experiences, go huge kayaking, high school, kayak high school, study abroad programs
