Designed as a critical thinking and writing course for seniors, this course investigates the evolution of the United States through social, cultural, economic, and ideological lenses. Examination of the growth of American society and myths through a diverse set of readings enables students to grasp the connections and struggles between the powerful and the disenfranchised throughout American history. The readings illuminate and deconstruct American cultural myths through a broad range of topics (family, education, power, race — and mediums such as fiction, nonfiction, music (jazz, folk, rock, hip-hop) and film. By fostering intellectual independence essential to not only critical thinking, but to becoming “men and women with and for others,” this course benefits and welcomes students of all backgrounds. Featured authors include Toni Morrison, Maxine Hong Kingston, Cornel West, Tomas Rivera, and Malcolm X. Students will engage in expository, creative, and autobiographical writing.
Students enrolled in this class are required to participate in San Francisco State University’s Dual Enrollment Ethnic Studies course and will earn college credit from SF State. Instructions for completing the dual enrollment process will be provided after students are registered for the class. No additional coursework is required to receive college credit. Please reach out to Ms. Nikki Narvaez (nnarvaez@siprep.org), English Department Chair, with any questions.
This single semester course aims at developing the essentials of good expository and persuasive writing — the ability to generate, develop, and organize ideas. The course will address and work through specific writing problems that stand in the way of effective written expression. Students will be given ample opportunity to improve and refine techniques of composition that will aid them in producing effective college-level papers. This course is open to all seniors intent upon actively strengthening their writing skills and is required for all seniors who did not pass the Junior Writing Exam.
INTRODUCTION — The graduation requirements at St. Ignatius College Preparatory include eight semesters of English. The English Department attempts to accomplish two major changes in the students before graduation. Our first goal is to enable the students to express themselves in clear and precise prose. The second is to give them the critical thinking skills necessary to understand and interpret works of literature in narrative, poetic, and dramatic form. Our belief is that with these two skills the graduates can present themselves for their college education and be able to learn from the people and texts that they will encounter in college. Toward this end, we present reading assignments which are of lasting human value and which are predicated on the ultimate judgment that the human is of inexpressible worth. This worth is specifically perceived in the quality of hope that underlies the human imagination. Our department, therefore, is at once concerned with both technical and transcendent values because we believe the human being is given the responsibility for immediate and eternal relationships: relationships with the human and the divine.
CRITERIA FOR HONORS ENROLLMENT — Students wishing to enroll in Honors or Advanced Placement courses in the English Department must apply for admission by the posted deadlines. This process asks students to complete an application that addresses why honors is an appropriate placement. Placement is based on teacher approval. Students enrolled in a regular English class generally have “A” level work on writing assessments, have an “A” in the fall semester, and have demonstrated consistent class participation and engagement. Students enrolled in an honors English class generally class generally have B/B+ level work, and consistently contribute to and are engaged in class discussions. In addition, the student should have maintained a 3.3 GPA in his/her English courses and in the overall course of study at St. Ignatius. Students who wish to appeal placement should follow all directions and deadlines; the honors committee will make the final selection for Honors/Advanced Placement classes.
