Upper School English Overview

At Roland Park Country School, the English department strives to instill in students a lifelong love and appreciation for literature that extends beyond the classroom into their daily lives and choices. Students’ skills and confidence in their oral and written expression is strengthened through a well-developed program that increasingly asks them to be the authors of their own stories. The fundamental practice of thoughtful reading and critical thinking is developed, encouraged, and nourished through the curriculum and daily instruction.

In the Upper School, the curriculum builds upon the skills developed in the lower divisions and pushes students to be increasingly independent and sophisticated in their reading and writing. There is more emphasis on annotating text, building from literal to metaphorical meaning through understanding of literary devices, thinking more critically about different genres, and increasing comfort with literary and critical analysis. Students strive toward constructing and defending compelling thesis statements, using fluid quote integration, properly citing their sources, and creating a more sophisticated writing style and voice.