COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course has two primary elements: language and literature. The language component will provide a thorough overview of English spelling, grammar, and syntax, beginning at the level of letter and syllable and expanding to the word, the sentence, and even the paragraph. Emphasis will be on understanding English thoroughly and using it with clarity and charm. Weekly assignments and class sessions will focus on mastery of these mechanics as both readers and writers (though it will not be a writing course per se) and may include sentence diagramming, dictation exercises, short writing assignments, and similar.

Its literature component is designed around what the late John Senior described as the "thousand good books:" the books which form the moral imagination and cultivate the young mind in order to prepare it for the Great Books. As he explained, "the point of view throughout a course of studies such as this is that of the amateur—the ordinary person who loves and enjoys what he loves—not of the expert in critical, historical or textual technology." This course will not turn students into experts of literary criticism, but if all goes well, they will know and love a few good books more than before. It will increase their sensitivity to the humor, beauty, and connectedness of the Western literary tradition and tend to the seeds, already planted at home, of knowledge and appreciation of that heritage.

COURSE SCHEDULE & LOGISTICS

Course Duration:

• September 8, 2026 - April 28, 2027 (28 weeks)
• 1st Semester: Sep. 8 - Dec. 16, 2026 (No classes week of Thanksgiving)
• 2nd semester: Jan. 12 - April 28, 2027 (No classes March 1-5 for Spring Break. No classes March 22 - 26 for Holy Week)
  
  

Live Online Class Schedule:

• Mondays & Wednesdays
• 45 minutes
• 11:15-12:00 noon Pacific
• 12:15-1:00 p.m. Mountain
• 1:15-2:00 p.m. Central
• 2:15 -3:00 p.m. Eastern

Teacher-Student Interaction (Weekly):

• Two, 45-minute live classes
• At least one graded assignment each week

Class Size:

• 15 student maximum, 6 minimum
  

Cost:

• $425 per semester paid by semester

Questions? Email

contact@teachtothetext.com

Note from Mrs. Edwards to Parents

This class will be mostly secular. We'll be focusing on the logic of the English language through a study of grammar and mechanics. All are welcome!

Should questions of morality, or good and evil, arise in our literature discussions, I may express my own opinion as a Catholic, but I will not push this on students. I do not ban discussions about religion in the classroom if they are relevant to the literature, but this will not be a major focus of the class and there will be so much we can discuss in the stories without getting into the weeds on theology and religion!

That being said, we at Teach to the Text are sympathetic to families who choose to homeschool because they want to educate their children in environments that are respectful of their Christian values. So our classrooms are "safe spaces" for Christians. We steer clear of conversations and topics that could undermine Christian values or scandalize Christian students, especially controversial "culture war" topics that oppose a Christian worldview. (This shouldn't be a problem. We'll have plenty of other things to discuss!) I, the teacher, will deem what is and is not appropriate for classroom discussion, bearing respect for all students in mind. We will also read stories that I think are appropriate. I stay away from stories that are written in poor taste, stories with explicitly adult or sexual themes or foul language, as well as "edgy" contemporary stories about social and political issues. I try to select "classics" that have withstood the test of time and are widely recognized as great writing. The best literature is universal and timeless. All are welcome to participate in this class as long as these guidelines are understood and respected!

If you have any questions about our policies, please don't hesitate to contact us at contact at teachtothetext dot com before you enroll!