Online Lit Class- help me pick one?

[plain jane]

Dd11 (grade 7 in the fall) is not an avid reader.  She doesn't dislike it but it can be a struggle to get her to read books which I select for her.  I would like to put her in an online Lit class in the fall so that she gets used to reading books assigned to her (and hopefully does so with less moping and complaining) and so that she can have exposure to different points of view and feedback from other students.  I think I have narrowed my choices down to the Centre for Lit junior high classes or the WTMAcademy Socratic Discussions class (this one is one semester with the option of full year).  I am really waffling.

 

Could anybody please weigh in on other of these?  I would be especially interested to hear the negative aspects (I find the websites do a good job of extolling the virtues of each class).  Is anybody else in the same boat and willing to share which decision they are leaning towards (or have already made)?   Is there another fabulous online Lit class that I should know about?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[fourisenough]

Just a couple of thoughts: have you listened to the online samples available at Center for Lit? My daughter sampled the JH class and I heard the elementary class. We were both very impressed. Do you know if the Socratic Discussion class has a published lit list? If so, I overlooked it. Somehow, I wouldn't have characterized SD as an online lit class, but I guess that's what it is, right? I have no BTDT advice, but am considering both options.

 

Edited to fix a typo.

Edited February 25, 2016 by fourisenough

[Julie of KY]

We've done Center for Lit and been happy. Make sure you try out a sample online.

 

Also, when the book lists are published, don't be afraid to join a younger class if the books sound more interesting. You daughter can still learn the literary analysis from "easier" books - this is what my daugher did this year. I also have one in the high school class.

[Cleopatra]

My dd is doing the Center for Lit high school British Literature course and absolutely loves it.  The Andrews have a way of making books come alive.  My dd just read Wuthering Heights and hated it, but after they did the discussion, she is quite excited about reading it again.  Even though her basic dislike didn't change, the discussion brought out valuable points about the book which she can appreciate.  The reading for the course is generally not too heavy, but there were a couple of books that did take some effort to get through before the discussion rolled around (for instance, she's reading Little Dorrit now).  I did have to push my daughter to talk the first few sessions (we had an agreement that she'd say something 3 times per class), but now she's chatting away, and it's really wonderful.  It's very good prep for university classes.  I can't say enough good things about The Center for Lit classes!

Edited February 25, 2016 by Cleopatra

[fourisenough]

Dd11 (grade 7 in the fall) is not an avid reader. She doesn't dislike it but it can be a struggle to get her to read books which I select for her. I would like to put her in an online Lit class in the fall so that she gets used to reading books assigned to her (and hopefully does so with less moping and complaining) and so that she can have exposure to different points of view and feedback from other students. I think I have narrowed my choices down to the Centre for Lit junior high classes or the WTMAcademy Socratic Discussions class (this one is one semester with the option of full year). I am really waffling.

 

Could anybody please weigh in on other of these? I would be especially interested to hear the negative aspects (I find the websites do a good job of extolling the virtues of each class). Is anybody else in the same boat and willing to share which decision they are leaning towards (or have already made)? Is there another fabulous online Lit class that I should know about?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I'm glad you started this thread. After researching both a bit more today, I think we're going to do Socratic Discussion at WTMA in the fall, then jump in to Center for Lit in the winter/spring semester. I love the idea of using short pieces to learn the art of SD before moving on to novels.

[mskelly]

How do you try a sample class? I'm listening to a sample discussion about a book right now, but I don't think my son will just listen to two people talk about a book for 1 1/2 hours.  How do the students interact?

[fourisenough]

How do you try a sample class? I'm listening to a sample discussion about a book right now, but I don't think my son will just listen to two people talk about a book for 1 1/2 hours. How do the students interact?

We just listened to the recorded sample lecture posted to the website. My DD could NEVER just sit there and listen; iirc, she created Sculpey creatures and then knitted while listening. It was much like listening to a good audio book, which we do frequently and for similar time periods.

Edited to add: maybe I misunderstood your question: are you talking about the beginning of the recording where the two teachers are setting up the discussion? If you listen further, you will hear them begin to engage with the students. They ask questions and give each child a chance to speak at some point. The kids can also 'raise their hands' if they have a question or a comment to share. It seemed to me like the teachers do a good job of 'working the room' to engage all the children.

Edited February 29, 2016 by fourisenough

[Cleopatra]

The teachers do an excellent job of engaging the students.  For example, they will ask basic questions which the student can either answer verbally, or type in the chat box.  Sometimes they will ask if a student wants to verbally share what they typed in the chat box, but if the students says no, it's fine and the teacher simply shares it with the class.  My dd says that they are also very good at getting a student to elaborate on their ideas.  My dd may give an overview of a character and then they will ask her to contrast him/her to another character or even ask if it reminds her of a character in another book.  

 

That said, the teachers can only do so much.  The student has to be willing to do their part and, as with anything, the more work you put into it, the more benefit you get out of it.  My dd and I are always talking about the benefits of gaining knowledge (and character too) and the best courses to do that.  If the parent is able to communicate the benefit the child will get out of the course, they will be more engaged with it.  And, of course, it all depends on the age of the child.  With a younger child, it's understandable that their attention might not be captured for 2 full hours, and I would definitely expect less of them.  For my dd, who is in high school, I would certainly expect her to listen and engage.  It's what's expected of students in university, and practicing these skills beforehand can only help them when they get there.   :001_smile:   

Edited February 29, 2016 by Cleopatra

[yvonne]

One thing to ask about any online class is what is the maximum number of students in the class.

 

The other thing that would be worth asking is whether students interact at all with each other, and, if so, how?

 

My sons tried a Center for Lit class a couple of years ago and it didn't really work out for us.  Definitely listen to the recorded class to be sure it's what you're looking for.

Edited February 29, 2016 by yvonne

[madteaparty]

My DS is currently in the WTMA Socratic discussion class, and adores it, but it is neither high school nor a literature class in my opinion.

We love it, would do it again, etc. but he is taking a Shakespeare at the same time.

[Rio's Run]

My son is in the WTMA Socratic Discussion class right now as well.  My son is thoroughly enjoying the class so far.   I would not say that it can stand alone as a 'literature' class.  The selections are great - assignments include selections of short stories (Isaac Asimov, Boccaccio, Aesop, chapter of Tom Sawyer, Vonnegut, Saki, etc.) with an occasional audio story (Garrison Keillor), poem, Ted Talk, article and quotes (from Einstein this session).  The kids will also read "The Little Prince", but I can't tell from the syllabus if this will be a selection or the whole thing.  

 

Ms. Swanson is teaching them how to annotate and to come up with critical thinking questions about each selection.  Both extremely valuable skills, in my opinion.  However, there is not much analysis of the works, which should be included in any 'literature' class.  Also, the 'discussion' component is difficult in this format of a class.  Some kids chatting(not always on topic, I might add), some using the microphone.  The result is an exchanging of answers to the guiding discussion questions, but not much 'discussion' building off of each other's responses.  This is the first time I have signed my son up for a live online class, so this may be typical, but I must say I was hoping for more on that front.

 

That being said, I am pleased with the class in general and feel I am getting my dollars worth out of it.  I like that my son is getting extra 'literature' to read & think about.  I like that he is practicing annotating - reading the selections closely & paying attention to literary elements it was a struggle for me to get him to pay attention to on my own (metaphors, allusions, irony, etc.).  I like that the kids are practicing coming up with their own questions about the work and that the questions must be of different levels of critical thinking, forcing them to make connections in their own minds between the story and the world in general.  

 

So, I think it is great for foundational "literature class" skills, but not a literature class on its own.  It could, however, easily be supplemented at home with deeper analysis and a paper or two.  I am not doing so, however, because my son really likes the class now and I don't want to ruin it and negate the positive, solid skills he is gaining from it as is.

 

I hope that helps!