How Class Works

Core Skills

Grammar as judgment 

If a student can’t answer “What is the main idea of this sentence, and what depends on it?” they will not be able to reason accurately or express themselves clearly.

Tasks:

1. 1. 1. Parts of speech labeling helps students see sentence structure so it can guide thinking:

         • Identify the main clause of any sentence.

         • Tell who is doing what in a sentence.

         • Distinguish independent vs dependent ideas.

         • Recognize coordination vs subordination.

      2. Revision happens on a sentence and paragraph level, with a focus on:

         • Clarity

         • Emphasis

         • Logic

Logic as instinct

If a student can’t tell whether a conclusion actually follows from the reasons and evidence given, they will confuse opinion with reasoning, and they won’t be able to write a strong argument.

Tasks:

1. 1. 1. Distinguish claims from evidence

      2. Determine stronger vs weaker evidence

      3. Explain reasoning using argument structures, especially:

• Cause and effect: how something leads to something else

• Definitional: what something is 

1. 1. 4. Recognize when an explanation doesn’t actually follow

Attention as capacity 

If a student can’t sustain attention, serious thinking, learning, and responsible action aren’t possible in any activity.

Tasks:

1. 1. Increase thinking stamina through silent reading for 20 minutes a day 

      • Texts include unit material and student-selected books 

   2. Increase independent interpretation through note taking skills:

      • Characters

      • Conflicts, motivations, & pressures

      • Literary craft moves

      • Big ideas/themes

      • Vocabulary

Intellectual habits

1. We stay with hard things.

Some parts of reading and thinking will feel confusing at first. That’s normal. In this class, we don’t quit, rush, or panic. We reread, slow down, and keep going until things start to make sense.

2. We explain before we judge.

Before we say what we think, we make sure we understand what the author or speaker is actually saying. We use the text to back up our ideas. Opinions come after understanding, not before.

3. We write to think.

Writing helps us figure out what we mean. We use writing to test ideas, organize thoughts, and make our thinking clearer. Not all writing is finished work. Some writing is just for thinking.

4. We speak and listen with purpose.

Class discussions are for thinking together. When we speak, we use the text, build on ideas, ask questions, or challenge thinking respectfully. Listening matters as much as talking.

5. We revise to get clearer.

Strong thinkers change their work. Revising is about making ideas clearer and tighter. Everyone revises in this class, including the teacher.

6. We build knowledge over time. 

What we learn doesn’t reset each week. We return to ideas, notes, and texts again and again. Learning adds up, and what we do today helps us understand what comes next.