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Spring 2021 Classes

The following online classes are currently available for enrollment. Please note that we also teach small private classes that are not listed here. If the offerings below do not fit your schedule, feel free to email us, and perhaps we can find a class for your young writer. 

To register, please send an email to [email protected].

Please provide:

  • The title of the course.
  • Your child's name.
  • Your child's age as of Sept 9th.
  • A daytime phone number for us to reach you. 

Either Writing Coach Shu-Hsien Ho or Royd Hatta will respond as soon as possible. 

Becoming Story Detectives:  

Spring 2021

Introduction to Literary & Rhetorical Analysis Essays

For Students Ages 13-15 (9th & 10th Graders)

Taught by Writing Coach Royd Hatta

Beyond the Box Learning

Minimum 2 students, Maximum 8 students

 

Wednesdays, 10:00-11:15am PT, 75 minutes each


Spring: March 31 - May 26, 2021

(8 lessons, No Class Apr. 7)

Lessons via Zoom

Plus, up to 2 hours of 1:1 private session for essay review.

This course will show students the inner workings of a story through the eyes of a reader/detective. 

In the Spring, we’ll deconstruct how editorial articles and speakers choose their words to persuade us. Rhetorical analysis develops our critical eye so that we understand how we are pulled towards arguments and influenced to consider their points.

Throughout the course, students will develop their critical thinking skills while learning concrete tools for writing persuasive essays in general, and analytical essays in particular. As always, we'll provide an essay structure and break down the thinking and writing into small steps.

Our readings will include following California Novel & Rhetorical Essays

Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston

  •  A memoir about a girl and her family's Japanese American Internment Camp experience at Manzanar during World War II.


Rhetorical Analysis: Scrutinizing highly impactful articles, speeches, short stories, and poems.

Writing assignments will include:

  • Short journal entries
  • response-to-literature paragraphs
  • First draft essays & revisions


Manazanar Monument

"Cemetery Memorial at Manzanar" by BFS Man is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

"George Orwell Complete Collection." by Abee5 is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Advanced High School American Literature Courses

Open to Homeschooling Teens ages 15-18


Tuesdays, 3pm-4pm PST 

Minimum 2 students, Maximum 8 students.

Spring 2021: Rhetorical Essay Analysis 

Mar. 11  – May 20, 2021 (10 lessons)

Readings include:

For questions or to register, please contact:

[email protected].



"NYC: New York Times Building" by wallyg is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

"NYC: New York Times Building" by wallyg is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0