SAT 2:30PM • In-Person

Literary Analysis Secrets

& Writing for Depth 

for High School

 Ages 13-18 (Grades 10-12)

In-Person at Mountain View home near Grant Rd. 

Taught by Writing Coach Royd Hatta

Alice Alinari from unsplash

SATURDAYS 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Sept. 13 – Nov. 15, 2025 

10 lessons

Tuition:

2 students:  $900 per student

3-8 students: $700 per student

(Includes lesson prep, 1:1 sessions, and detailed feedback on written assignments.)

Note: This course may include famous works that are more sophisticated than our Middle School Literary Analysis class. This includes stories with challenging subjects that may contain violence. 

This course will show students how to “control the text” of short fiction and write an essay with confidence and depth.

Over the past 16 years, we have developed a set of methods that allow young readers to see beyond the mundane, literal interpretation of a story and mine the real internal conflicts under the surface.

We’ll discuss 8 concepts to pierce a story to think and write about it intelligently. We will also practice our Literary Analysis structure, which can easily be modified to fit your child’s teacher’s template. 

Readings may include:

Lessons will include:

As always, we'll walk through all steps in the creative process:

Each student will be invited to present a reading on the last day of class.

To register, please contact Royd at: [email protected]

SAT 4:00PM

Literary Analysis Secrets

& Writing for Depth

for Middle School

In Person

Ages 11-13 (Grades 7-9)

In-Person at Palo Alto's Mitchell Park Library

(or at the Mountain View Library)

Taught by Writing Coach Royd Hatta

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SATURDAYS 4 PM - 5 PM

September 13 - November 1, 2025 (8 lessons)

8 lessons

Tuition:

3 students:  $700 per student

4-8 students: $560 per student

(Includes lesson prep, 1:1 sessions, and detailed feedback on written assignments.)

This course will show students how to track, annotate, and analyze a work of short fiction or a novel and write an essay with confidence and depth.

For more than 16 years, our Literary Analysis methods have helped readers dissect a story's literal interpretation and extract the underlying themes, issues, and internal conflicts the author wants us to investigate. 

Even if your child is a STEM-based thinker and struggles with abstract stories, we’ve managed to make our techniques fun and applicable through high school and college. 

We’ll cover eight techniques to pierce a story so deeply that we'll have enough to write about it intelligently and efficiently.

We'll also practice our Literary Analysis Essay structure, which can be modified to fit any teacher’s template. 

We'll discuss concepts that will help students see beyond the literal text. From there, they will be able to speak and write with depth and intelligence. 

Readings may include:

Lessons will include:

As always, we'll walk through all steps in the creative process:

Each student will be invited to present a reading on the last day of class.

To register, please contact Royd at: [email protected]

WED 10 AM 

Based On A True Story: 

Early Literary Analysis

An Online (Zoom) Workshop

For Ages 10-12

Taught by Writing Coach Royd Hatta

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WEDNESDAYS 10 AM - 11 AM Pacific Time 

Sept. 10 – Nov. 19, 2025 

(No class Oct. 15)

10 lessons

Tuition:

5 students:  $575 per student

6-9 students: $540 per student

(Includes lesson prep, 1:1 sessions, and detailed feedback on written assignments.)

Fiction opens windows into unfamiliar worlds and challenges us to see the human experience from alternate perspectives. 

This course will focus on stories based on true events, where audiences witness the impact of tradition versus accelerating changes within cultures. 

We'll identify societal and environmental issues that are common in all nations, and explore how people seek solutions in the most dire circumstances. 

We will use our Literary Analysis methods, including Story Structure Maps, symbolic objects, and overarching themes, to drill down on their possible hidden meanings. 

From there, we’ll show students how to build a Literary Analysis paper to expand their initial insights, supported by evidence from various sources. 

Films & Readings may include:

To register, please email [email protected]

TUES 1 PM • Becoming Story Detectives

An In person 

 Introduction to Literary Analysis & Essay Writing 

For Ages 11-13

Hosted by Parent Daniela V. in Downtown Mountain View

Taught by Writing Coaches Shu-Hsien Ho & Royd Hatta

Tuesdays 1-2pm

September 9 - November 18, 2025

(10 sessions, No Class Oct. 14)

Minimum 6 students 

Maximum 10 students

Tuition: 

6 Students: $550 per student 

7-10 Students: $495 per student

(Includes lesson prep, 1:1 sessions, and detailed feedback on written assignments. & travel fee.)

The best novels and short stories make us curious and encourage us to question our humanity. 

This course will examine the inner workings of a story through the eyes of a reader-detective. Through lively discussions of themes and literary devices, we'll illuminate their hidden meanings, pull apart their surprising twists, and develop a keen ear for their epiphanies.

These critical thinking tools are essential for mastering academic essays and literary analysis in particular. As always, we'll provide an essay structure and break down the thinking and writing into small steps.

Our readings will be chosen from this list:

Short Stories:

• "The Paper Menagerie" by Ken Liu (fantasy short story that won the Hugo & Nebula Awards)

• "All Summer in A Day" by Ray Bradbury (science fiction set on Venus)

• "The Rules of the Game" by Amy Tan (an unexpected chess and family story)

• "The Lady or the Tiger" by Frank R. Stockton (a classic with a mystery ending)

• "The Scarlet Ibis" by James Hurst (a beautiful and heart-wrenching story of two young brothers)

We'll read one of the following novels:

The Giver by Lois Lowry (Futuristic story about a boy who begins to question his society and its rules when he is selected to become the next Receiver of Memory.)

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (Two teen boys fight for their lives and run out of town. They discover that their lives can be so much more than what they grew up believing.)

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor (An African American family struggles to keep the land that they own in the face of racism in Depression Era Mississippi.) 

Writing assignments will include:

For questions or to register, please contact:

[email protected] or

[email protected]

WED 8:30 AM 

A Deep Dive into Curiosity

An Online (Zoom) Course: Independent Research Projects

For Ages 11-13

Taught by Writing Coach Royd Hatta

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WEDNESDAYS 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Pacific Time 

Sept. 10 – Nov. 19, 2025 

(No class Oct. 15)

10 lessons

Tuition:

3 students:  $575 per student

4-8 students: $540 per student

(Includes lesson prep, 1:1 sessions, and detailed feedback on written assignments.)

Have you ever wondered how archeologists discover T-Rex fossils? Or what it would be like to live in Paris during the French Revolution? 

This Independent Project course is a space where students can explore a specific question or topic that intrigues them and learn concrete steps for digging into the research and creating a story or essay. 

Past projects have included the use of mindfulness among athletes, marketing tools for selling a game app, and the impact of plastic pollution in our oceans. All topics are welcome. Students will share their readings on the last day of class. We invite you to join us on this special journey!

Lessons will include:

As always, we'll walk through all steps in the creative process:

• generating and choosing ideas

• organizing facts and details

• writing with momentum

• revising for clarity and logic

• editing toward a final draft

Each student will be invited to present a reading on the last day of class.

To register, please contact Royd at: [email protected]

THURS 2:15 PM • NEW!

Dream Jobs & Passion Projects

An In-person Discovery Workshop

Ages 11-13

Mountain View: Hosted by parents Maricar & Mark A. 

(Near Rengstorff Ave & Central Expwy)

For  Ages 11-13

For  Ages 11-13

For  Ages 11-13

For  Ages 11-13

For  Ages 11-13

For  Ages 11-13

For  Ages 11-13

Taught by Writing Coach Shu-Hsien Ho

Taught by Writing Coach Shu-Hsien Ho

Katrina Wright from unsplash

Thursdays 2:15pm - 3:15pm

SEPT. 11 - NOV. 20, 2025 

10 Lessons • No Class OCT. 16

Minimum 5 students 

Maximum 8 students

Tuition:

5-6 students: $550 per student

7-8 students: $500 per student

(Includes lesson prep, 1:1 sessions, detailed feedback on written assignments & travel fee.)

What would it take to produce your own movie or music album? Or, develop an eco-friendly amusement park? How would you become an astronaut, a pro basketball player, or a fashion designer?

This course provides concrete steps and strategies to research everything from dream jobs to creating specific, hands-on projects. Past students have discovered the likely locations of T. Rex skulls, connected with falconers in England, and designed video games for cell phones.

Students will be guided to:

• Brainstorm topics of interest

• Research different fields or industries

• Find & Connect with Mentors or Experts

• Collaborate with classmates & community members

• Practice writing proposals for a project

• Complete a written report on the results of their project

We will invite students to present their projects on the last day of class.

This course asks parents to provide support at home via online research, library visits, possible field trips to museums/organizations, and/or materials for relevant hands-on projects. 

To register, please contact Shu-Hsien at [email protected].

WED 10AM • Online

Hidden History:

American Literature & Literary Analysis

& Writing for Depth 

for High School

for High School

 Ages 14-18 (Grades 10-12)

Taught by Writing Coach Shu-Hsien Ho

By George Kendall Warren • National Archives and Records Administration,

WEDNESDAYS 10 AM - 11 AM 

Pacific Time

Sept 10 - Nov 19, 2025

10 Lessons (No Class Oct 15)

Tuition:

2 students:  $750 per student

3-8 students: $650 per student

(Includes lesson prep, 1:1 sessions, and detailed feedback on written assignments.)

This series of American Literature courses will focus on revealing lesser known aspects of U.S. history and ask students to take a deeper dive into two or three time periods based on personal interest. 

Students will have an opportunity to read, discuss, and analyze both primary sources and historical fiction from key moments of history.

We will address a number of broad thematic questions in written assignments:

Readings will be selected from the following:

Primary Sources: 

Short Stories, Novels & History-Based Sources:

Students are welcome to suggest other essays, articles, and titles for class readings and discussion.

Fall 2025 Assignments will include:

To register, please contact Shu-Hsien at: 

[email protected].