English Department Staff
Christian Ezell came
to Deerfield High School in the fall of 2006 from East high School in Des
Moines, Iowa. He is a graduate of Drake University and lives in Madison with
his wife, Betsy, and cat, Moses. While teaching English is Christian’s passion,
coaching, playing, and watching soccer is his obsession. Ask him about
Hemingway, Joyce, Creeley, or Shakespeare; or ask him how his
Cambridge-Deerfield United team compares to Liverpool FC.
Melissa Hill has
been working at Deerfield High School since 1997 as the Life Education and
Preparation Program (LEAPP) teacher and coordinator. She taught English 9 her
first year here, and she was glad to return to the English department several
years ago to teach one class a semester. Melissa graduated from UW-Madison with
degrees in English (with an Emphasis on Creative Writing) and Anthropology.
Before she went back to school to earn her teaching certification, she worked
as a features writer at the Wisconsin State Journal. Melissa loves to read the
work of Deerfield’s talented writers, and she encourages writers to submit
stories, poems, creative nonfiction, and cartoons to Inscribèd,
the school’s literary magazine.
Debra Kohlwey has
been employed by Deerfield since 1989 as an English teacher. When she first began her career at
Deerfield, she only taught one class.
Soon she was teaching off a cart in both the middle and high schools. Now Deb teaches most of the advanced
English classes. Mrs. Kohlwey has
two degrees from the UW-Madison. One
is from the School of Ag. and Life Sciences, and one is from the School of
Education. In addition, she has
earned her Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Mrs. Kohlwey coaches the Forensics Team
and works with students in Best Foot Forward, a social issues improvisation
group. One of her favorite quotes
is something Aldous Huxley stated, “Everyone who knows how to read has it in
their power to magnify themselves, to multiply the ways in which they exist, to
make their life full, significant, and interesting.”
English Courses
(You must take one
credit of English each year.)
ENGLISH 9 1
Semester Block
1 Credit
Grade
9 Required
This course introduces students to a variety of literature,
including poetry, drama, and fiction. In addition, students will be exposed to
a range of literary elements and given the technical language necessary to
exercise and communicate careful readings of each text. The course also
addresses basic elements of writing in order to aid the critical analysis
process and begin to focus preparation for college level composition.
ENGLISH 10 1
Semester Block
1 Credit
Grade
10 Required
Where English 9 can basically be described as a reading
course with writing, English 10 can be understood as a writing course with
reading. Although both activities are involved, the course emphasizes
composition with respect to expository and persuasive writing. Topics such as
sentence style, conciseness, and organization focus writing lessons while a
range of fiction and non-fiction texts provide occasion for writing
assignments.
WORLD LITERATURE 1
Semester Block 1
Credit
Grades
11,12
This course requires critical reading and evaluation of a
wide variety of literature, including short stories, poetry, drama, and novels
from multicultural sources.
Reading skills in terms of appreciation, drawing inferences, and
interpreting meaning will be emphasized.
Students will be asked to produce analytical writings in response to the
literature read, as well as further develop writing skills founded in English 9
and English 10 curriculum.
Effective speaking and listening techniques will also be incorporated
into the curriculum.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS 1
Semester Block 1
Credit
Grades
11, 12
A course in communications skills that develops student
abilities in critical reading, writing, listening, and speaking for both
exposition and argumentation. The
course emphasizes summarizing, analyzing, and synthesizing information from
sources and developing research and presentation skills. A review of grammar, word usage,
conciseness, clarity, and punctuation is part of the course. The mass media are also examined in terms
of form, content, and meaning.
Grades 11, 12 Required for those taking AP English
This is a survey course dealing with fiction and non-fiction
literature of America from approximately 1900 through the present. Literature assigned will be used as a
catalyst to teach critical reading and writing skills. This is a rigorous course for students
planning to attend a four-year college or university.
ENGLISH LITERATURE 1
Semester Skinny 1/2
Credit
Grades
11, 12 Required for those
taking AP English
This class will provide a survey of English literature
including period style and historical context. Literature assigned will be used as a catalyst to teach
critical reading and writing skills.
A.P. ENGLISH 2
consecutive Semester Skinnies ½
Credit each
(Advanced Placement) Grade
12
In the AP English course, students are engaged in the
careful reading of literary works.
Through such study, they sharpen their awareness of language, develop
critical standards for the independent appreciation of any literary work, and
they increase their sensitivity to literature as shared experience. The AP English course allows students
the possibility of earning college credit. Academic analytical writing and preparation for the national
AP exam are included.
English and American Literature required.
MYTHOLOGY 1 Semester Skinny ½
Credit
Grades 11, 12
Because so much Western literature contains allusions to or
is based on classical mythology, this English course was developed to provide
students with a general introduction to the mythology of Greece and Rome. In addition to readings, tests, and
projects based on the text, Sophocles’ Oedipus Cycle trilogy is studied, and
students do two independent projects: a formal paper comparing classical
mythology to another culture’s mythology and a final project that demonstrates
knowledge gained in the course.
Although this is a college preparatory course that complements A.P.
English, any junior or senior with a strong interest in mythology is encouraged
to enroll. Offered every other year.
READING AND WRITING STRANGE ADOLESCENCE Semester Skinny ½
Credit
Grades 11, 12
CREATIVE WRITING Semester
Skinny
½
Credit
Grades
11,12
Put your imagination and
writing skills to the test! In this course students will practice various
creative writing techniques and examine and experiment in genres such as the
short story, creative non-fiction, and poetry. Students will be expected to
produce and revise work on a regular basis and to critique other students’ work
in a considerate fashion. (Students in this class have the opportunity to submit
work to and attend, or just attend, the day-long High School Creative Writing
Festival at UW-Whitewater.)
INDEPENDENT CREATIVE WRITING Semester
Skinny
½ Credit
Grades
11,12
If you have writing ambitions and self-motivation, this is
the class for you. After getting your writing project ideas approved, you’ll
spend your time working independently to meet weekly deadlines. At the end of
the semester, you’ll compile a writing portfolio and submit work to a writing
publication of your choice. Students in this course will also serve as editors
of Inscribèd, Deerfield High School’s
own literary magazine, evaluating submissions and preparing the magazine for
printing—a great experience to put on college applications!
Prerequisites: Creative Writing class and consent of instructor. (In some
cases, a portfolio of writing will be considered in lieu of the Creative
Writing class.) This course is offered for elective credit
only.
Pathways to Earning Your 4 (or More) Credits of
English
(Be sure to
schedule at least one credit every year.)
Helpful Links
Paper Writing Help
MLA paper format and
Works Cited templates
http://www.wright.edu/~martin.maner/rptemp.htm
Information from
UW-Madison’s Writing Center
http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/index.html
World Book
Encyclopedia (provides citations for articles)
http://www.worldbookonline.com