Upper School Literature Intensive

About the Workshop

This 6-week intensive workshop is designed for upper school teachers who are new to teaching or experienced teachers who would like to strengthen their understanding of literature instruction. We will discuss a variety of types of works commonly used in instruction in classical upper school classrooms, as well as best instructional practices for all levels of upper school instruction.

Meeting Dates and Times: Starting on September 15th, Thursdays, at 7 pm EST

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Meet Your Workshop Leaders

Rachel Greb has been involved in education for two decades as a homeschooling parent, teacher, and administrator, including helping launch and lead a JK-12 classical Christian school in Michigan. She credits Homer’s Odyssey for awakening her love of classic texts. Rachel holds a B.A. in Christian Studies from Hillsdale College, and an M.A. in Christian and Classical Studies from Knox Theological Seminary. She is currently pursuing an Ed.D. with an emphasis on the history of philosophy of education and the Great Books through Harrison-Middleton University. Rachel and her husband have 5 children (one of whom is married) and one grandbaby. The Grebs recently moved to Richmond, VA, with two of their children, two cats, and a Bernese Mountain Dog named for Thomas Hardy. When Rachel isn’t teaching upper school Humanities at the Veritas School, she enjoys reading, spending time with her family, cooking for friends, and talking about books with other people who also love books.
Rachel Greb
Upper School Humanities Teacher, Veritas School

Workshop Syllabus

Teaching great literature is more than reading good books with students. Story cultivates the moral imagination in our students and presents opportunities to plumb the depths of the human psyche and watch the consequences of actions or inaction unfold for better or worse. Understanding why we teach what we teach helps us welcome our students into the Great Conversation while helping them learn to read well. 

In this module, we will discuss common features of comedy, tragedy, and epic works and discuss ways to help students recognize these features and anticipate story development. Example texts: Oedipus Rex, Much Ado About Nothing, The Odyssey, Paradise Lost

Plato describes a soul as three parts, each possessing certain characteristics and virtues. In literature, we often find embodiments of these three parts in characters. We’ll discuss the parts of the soul and how this concept manifests in 3-4 different examples of literature. Example texts: The Scarlet Letter, The Iliad, The Odyssey, Oedipus Rex

We will be examining elements of basic landmarks found in many stories. Learning what to look for and teaching students how to recognize them for themselves is essential to teaching students how to navigate complex texts on their own. This week’s focus will be on the basic parts, specifically the chiasmus or “turn.” Example texts: Psalm 23, Crime and Punishment, Julius Caesar, Homer’s Odyssey, The Divine Comedy

This module will look at additional architectural features of story that are often hiding in plain sight but important to meaning. Example texts: King Lear, Jayber Crow, The Scarlet Letter, Frankenstein

Now what? How can we engage students with the texts and teach them to read deeply and well? This final week will be devoted to discussing pedagogy and practice of teaching Great Books and other literature to upper school students. 

TOTAL COST

Upper School Literature Intensive Workshop

$ 679
  • SCL Member Schools receive 10% discount

Questions?

Please reach out to Sarah Spencer at sarah@societyforclassicallearning.org