Have you—or your homeschooled high-school student—ever wanted to study classic literature in the company of other enthusiastic readers, guided by an experienced teacher?
Join me for a lively and engaging exploration of great books! You’ll learn to understand, appreciate, and love literature in new ways that will enhance all of your reading.
Course Description (2024-2025)
This year’s reading will include The Odyssey by Homer, Antigone by Sophocles, The Aeneid by Virgil, and Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis (based on the myth of Cupid and Psyche). Since ancient epics and plays are less familiar than novels to modern students, I’m following the philosophy of “less is more” rather than cramming in too many challenging books in a single year. Depending on how our studies go, I may add another play. In addition, students will read mythology on their own over the summer as background for the works we’ll study together.
My main goals for this course are for students to learn to read carefully and deeply; to find something new to love; to understand and find something to appreciate about any literature they don’t enjoy; to explore how authors create their stories; and to discuss their own thoughts, insights, and questions in a safe environment. The skills they learn in this class will help them get the most out of whatever they read in the future, as you’ll notice in the testimonials below.
Too many classes use literature primarily as a vehicle to focus on something outside the story—such as worldview, historical context, memorizing literary terminology, and/or composition instruction. In this class, we will focus primarily on the literature itself. Of course, we’ll look at worldview and historical context, and we’ll explore form, structure, imagery, characterization, plot, writing style, and more, but we’ll approach all of these tools as a means to understand the literature, not as the goal themselves.
This is not a composition class; it does not include writing instruction. High school students will be required (and adults will be encouraged) to journal about each week’s reading assignment to reflect on their reading and prepare for class discussion.
Live online class meetings include guided discussions, in addition to live and/or recorded lectures. Discussion provides students with an opportunity to practice the skills they are learning. In 17 years of classroom teaching, I’ve found that diligent students bring up many important topics on their own, and our time together is much richer for their participation. Of course, I guide the discussion, provide extra information and context, and point out details in the assigned reading that may have been overlooked.
Our weekly meetings will be held on Zoom or a similar platform. Log-in details, a book list (with specific editions), and a reading assignment will be provided before our first class meeting. Because of the significant role of discussion, in-person attendance is expected. In case of unavoidable absence, classes will be recorded. See academic calendar below.
Assessment / Grading (Grades 9-12 only)
No memorize-and-regurgitate exams will be given. Students will be assessed on journaling, participating in class discussion, and an assignment at the end of the year to reflect on what they have learned. I will not assign grades but instead will provide a report to each family so that you, as homeschooling parents, can decide how to weight the different aspects of the class and assess according to your own grading scale.
Mary Jo Tate’s Credentials
- B.A. in English (summa cum laude) and M.A. in American Literature
- Homeschooled my 4 sons from kindergarten through twelfth grade for 23 years
- Taught literature to grades 7-8 in a classical Christian school for 4 years
- Taught literature to grades 9-12 in a homeschool co-op for 9 years
- Edits homeschool curricula and magazines
- Speaks at educational and literary events around the country
- Writes articles on Fitzgerald, Welty, Faulkner, Austen, Dickens, Mitford, reading, writing, homeschooling, and more
- Helped edit The Great Gatsby for Cambridge University Press
- Wrote books about F. Scott Fitzgerald and about balance for busy homeschool moms
- Most important: I’ve helped hundreds of students—even those who don’t like to read—learn to understand, appreciate, and enjoy great books more. Nothing excites me more than sharing my love of literature and inspiring that love in others!
Class Schedule
Grades 9-12 – Tuesdays, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Central
Adults – Choose from Mondays, 4:00-6:00 p.m. Central OR Tuesdays, 7:00-9:00 p.m. Central.
Tuition
Class size is limited to facilitate discussion and the formation of community among students.
Grades 9-12: $550 (full year)
Adults: $450 (full year)
Registration
Registration for Ancient Literature for grades 9-12: https://forms.gle/F4QHayVC9wpKFZ7G7
Registration for Ancient Literature for adults: https://forms.gle/ovkxi8XP24nFEFPd9
I will email an invoice for the $75 deposit when I receive your registration form. Because class size is limited, forms will be processed in the order received. Payment of the deposit completes your registration. The balance is due by July 31. (Please contact me if you need to break up payments over a longer time.) No refunds are available once classes begin.
Academic Calendar (2024-2025)
Aug. 19/20 First class of fall semester
Sept. 2/3 Labor Day break
Sept. 30-Oct 8 Fall break
Nov. 25/26 Thanksgiving break
Dec. 9/10 Last class before Christmas break
Jan. 13/14 First class of spring semester
TBD Spring break
Apr. 21/22 Easter break
May 12/13 Last class
A reading assignment will be completed before the first day of class each semester.
What My Students Say
High School Students and Parents
“Being in a class with people who actually appreciate writing and reading, as well as having a teacher who is passionate about literature, is so refreshing. I’m glad you see it as a joy and not just a subject to cover. This is the first literature class that I thoroughly enjoyed because of how it was taught.” ~ Trish Patteson
“My daughter has been in Mary Jo Tate’s American Lit class throughout this past year. She has enjoyed both the selections they’ve read as well as the interaction with her classmates. She has grown in her appreciation for literature as well as in responsibility to get things done on a schedule. Having Mary Jo guide her through these books that I loved in high school has been wonderful, and I’ve watched her joy of reading continue to blossom!” ~ Jodie Shell
“I believe that literature is both a subject to be studied and a subject to be enjoyed. American Lit with Ms. Tate helped me both study and enjoy some of the greatest works of American authors. I have grown and widened my appreciation and love of literature as well as learned how to analyze writing and recognize literary aspects such as foreshadowing, Hemingway’s iceberg theory, and allegories. Whether you are interested in the nitty-gritty style of an author or simply want to experience a thrilling or entertaining story with professional commentary and instruction, Ms. Tate’s classes are the place to be!” ~ Catherine Clarke
Adult Students
“I never thought I’d thoroughly enjoy British literature. I took the class because I knew what a passionate teacher Mary Jo was. Literature classes in college weren’t much fun, but I love Mary Jo’s classes. With her guidance, my classmates and I really dig deep into a book together. We laugh in every class, and we don’t have to write papers or take exams!” ~ Jo Koenig
“As a math and science person, I have tended to read mostly nonfiction books that deal with science and travel, but very little fiction. Classic literature seemed daunting and maybe even a bit boring. But when I heard about Mary Jo’s American Literature class opening up to adults, I thought I could branch out and see if the classics offered more. Listening and learning from Mary Jo and my classmates from around the country has been a weekly pleasure. We have become great friends as we worked through each book this year. This is definitely the way to experience literature. A whole new world of reading and learning has opened up for me. My science brain loves it!” ~ Katherine Gowan
“What a joy to spend time with other people who love to read! Mary Jo brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to every class. She helps us figure out on our own what the author is saying and also offers guidance and support to our conversations. She’s making a poetry lover out of me, and that’s a bonus I would never have expected. Mary Jo, thank you so much for giving me back my love for reading. This class has been life-changing.” ~ Beth McVicker
“Knowing that I will be expected to contribute my thoughts during class time has made me much more involved in studying and collecting ideas throughout the week than I would have been otherwise. Having examined the material so thoroughly myself makes me appreciate it so much more when you teach us, sharing your extensive expertise. I’m learning more than I ever have in any literature class I ever had in high school. I’m seeing so much more this time because you taught me how to look for things. Thanks so much for all you have done to help me grow as a reader!” ~ Pam Coons
High School Alumni
“Mary Jo opened my eyes to the riches found in literature, sometimes in spite of my reluctance to see them, and I still employ as a matter of course the tools she taught us with which to uncover them.” ~ Dalton Green
“Mary Jo’s questions and discussions pushed me to think harder, take nothing at face value, and really explore what I was reading.” ~ Hannah Mathenia
“Mary Jo was wonderful at facilitating conversation about the books we read and at providing writing and discussion prompts that caused our class to delve below the surface of the words on the page. Although I had always loved to read, her classes helped me appreciate and critique books that weren’t my personal favorites.” ~ Katie Kuntz
“From reading journals that prompted us to critically think about the books we were reading to prompted discussions which helped even the shy students to feel comfortable voicing their opinions, this was a simple yet incredibly impactful course.” ~ Judy Carleton
“Because of this class, I find myself reading Eudora Welty, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Edgar Allan Poe for fun!” ~ Courtney Brewer
“Ms. Tate encouraged me to explore and guided me through many books that seemed confusing, long, and too old to have any applications to real life. It was uniquely helpful to have someone knowledgeable to explain classic literature and open up discussion in class to break down books chapter by chapter or sonnet by sonnet.” ~ Anna Chamblee