English
Media and Literature explores '1984', the Red Scare, and Chinese censorship
When reading George Orwell's 1984, seniors in the English elective "Media and Literature" often begin noticing connections between the text's plot and themes and historical events or movements. Their teacher, Ms. Virchow, called in staff experts to help lead lessons on the Red Scare, Chinese censorship, and Nazi propaganda during WWII.
The Language Arts/English program at The Potomac School focuses on creating an understanding and appreciation of the richness and complexity of language through the integration of reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
In all grades, students are exposed to and analyze quality literature and learn to communicate their ideas in a written and spoken form.
- We encourage reading both in and outside of the classroom and strive to create a community of proficient readers who engage with both fictional and expository material, thinking critically as they construct meaning and interpret a text.
- Oral language is developed in all grades, and we encourage the students to communicate effectively through speech, debate, and classroom conversations.
- As the students progress through the grades, they are exposed to content and skills that build on their prior knowledge and move them from concrete to abstract thinkers.
Writing Process
Understanding that writing is a process, the students build on the skills learned in the lower grades as they write for a variety of purposes and audiences. We invite each student to experiment with language to develop a unique voice and a passion for the written word.
A full-time Writing Center, staffed by English teachers and student tutors, enables students to seek assistance at any time with writing assignments from all disciplines.
Requirements
All students must earn a full credit in English each year in addition to fulfilling summer reading requirements. Grade 12 students choose from a wide array of in-depth, semester-long courses that resemble college electives. Required courses include English 9, English 10, English 11, and semester electives in senior year
Course Spotlights
In this course, students will use literature to examine some of the key social injustices of our time: racial profiling, police brutality, drug addiction, poverty, failing immigration policies, and violence against the LGBTQ community.
How are we influenced by the media we interact with? Media allow us to preserve and share ideas, but can they also restrict the range of thoughts that can be expressed? How does control of the media lead to real-world power?
Women exploded into print in England during the nineteenth century, asserting their place in the literary landscape. But there were a few who stood out among all the rest as artists who equaled the creative genius of the best male writers, and they initiated the idea of a uniquely feminine perspective on the way the world operates, capturing the hearts and imaginations of readers until this present day.