Lights, Camera, Action: An Alternative Course for High School English: Movies as Literature

[bluebonnetgirl]

Has anyone's high schooler taken this online course with Open Tent Academy for a high school English credit?

Lights, Camera, Action!:  An Alternative Course for High School English: Movies as Literature

http://www.opententacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/LCA.pdf

Looks intriguing, especially for the kids who are visual.

[Lori D.]

pro: The class focus looks to be a *great* fit for your student's cinematic and fine arts interests! (from your other thread on 11th gr. English). 😀
con: The syllabus looks light for 1.0 credit.... guess I'm having a hard time picturing 1 credit = 20-week course (2 ten-week semesters)...  🤔

Hope you get some good feedback from those who have taken the course! (:D

Edited February 7, 2019 by Lori D.

[bluebonnetgirl]

Lori,

From Open Tent Academy:

During class, students learn the background of the movie prior to watching it. For homework, students will watch a full-length 2 hour movie and answer 10 -20 comprehension questions. They typically get 1 week for this; however, they know about this in advance (everything is spelled out). After they watch the movie, during class, Jonathan (the instructor) and the students analyze the movie like it was literature, looking at various literary aspects (characterization, setting, plot, conflict, climax, resolution) as well as hold discussions on various key points of the movie. Students are strongly encouraged to participate and we do not put students on the spot - ever. Additionally, during class (on opposite weeks of the discussion), students learn the make up of a good essay (structure) and how to write expository, persuasive, compare/contrast, research and critique essays as well as techniques they can put in their writing to make it more descriptive. For every movie, for homework, they write a five-paragraph essay. They have 2 weeks to write the essay. So, you can plan on about (depending on speed) approximately 8 hours of outside work every TWO weeks. This includes the watching the movie, comprehension questions and an essay. The class meets weekly for 1.5 hours. If you add everything up - class time plus 4 or so hours of homework per week (8 every other week) - that is about 5.5 - 6 hours a week for a high school English class. In all, there are EIGHT movies and EIGHT essays. Additionally, there is one creative project (due by class 18) a mid-term and final. The mid-term and final we go over in class - question by question before they take it AND they get an in-depth study guide about a month. For a high school English class, I think this is easy but there is 120 hours of work (including class time) over the course of the year to qualify for high school credit.

[Lori D.]

Thanks for posting the syllabus details. 🙂

Totally just me, but that still seems weak for 1.0 credit of English to me, esp. for an older high school student. Why I say that:
- course difficulty geared to accommodate younger ages (class is listed for grade 8+)
- course includes comprehension questions (elementary/middle school level) -- rather than guided analysis/thinking questions (high school level)
- total projected hours (120) = the minimum for 1.0 credit -- most English courses tend to run more on the average (150) to maximum (180) in hours
- no reading
- and while 8 essays is a good number of writing assignments, they are all on the shorter side (5-paragraphs).

Again, totally just me, but I personally would look for ways to add another 30 hours of "older high school level" work to "beef up" this class to make it a solid 1.0 credit of English. For example perhaps read a few of the novels/plays that some of the movies are based on (Shane, Friendly Persuasion, Arsenic and Old Lace) and discuss/compare. Or combine these class hours with the hours of one of the co-op courses you were considering, like Journalism, and make 11th grade English a strong, writing-focused credit.

On the other hand, since the instructor lists the class as 1.0 credit of English, you can use those details from the syllabus to write a course description, and count it as 1.0 credit of English on the transcript, as you have collaboration from the outsourced course provider. And the focus of this class would certainly compliment the summer film class your DS will be taking.

Just so you know -- I am totally NOT the "queen of credit granting" (LOL!), and I am NOT at all trying to tell you what to do -- just responding to your request for thoughts. 🙂 You know your student and your needs best, and homeschooling allows for making the decisions that are best for each family. 

Again, hoping others who have taken the class will share their thoughts and experiences to help you decide! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[Guest2]

Thanks for sharing.  This looks great!