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New English electives offerings for seniors launch for the second semester
William Morgan exclaimed, “In Shakespeare we read Othello, Hamlet, and The 12th Night and practiced reading the plays aloud but also performing them.”
Ms. Susan King taught Great Books this semester. MJ Adesanya said, “It was a fun class because we were able to explore a wide variety of books ranging from A Confederacy of Dunces to Ender’s Game.” Michael Giresi adds, “Great Books is a class that submerges the students in the analysis and comprehension of novels that make up the cornerstones for high school reading.”
Another first semester class offered was Tragic Vision. Sarah Stevens said that in the class, “We analyzed literature ranging from Shakespeare’s
Hamlet to 1984 to a play called Witwhich is about a woman dying of cancer. We also briefly looked at the history of tragedies and in each book/play we studied we tried to see how that one could be considered a tragedy, if we considered it a tragedy, and how it related to the others we read.”
Hamlet to 1984 to a play called Witwhich is about a woman dying of cancer. We also briefly looked at the history of tragedies and in each book/play we studied we tried to see how that one could be considered a tragedy, if we considered it a tragedy, and how it related to the others we read.”
Post 9/11 Literature focused solely on literature after the beginning of the 21st century. Students discussed modern topics such as immigration, war, and technology, and were assessed with a range of writing assignments such as an exegesis and a creative short story.
The honors courses for seniors included American Utopias and Dystopias in Literature, Fantastic Creatures, and The Tragic Vision for the fall. A senior taking American Utopias and Dystopias in Literature said, “We examined tendencies of various societies by carrying them out to their intensely unpleasant culminations. It quickly became clear that utopian narratives of imagined perfection can also be dystopian narratives encompassing profound fear and anxiety. We also examined what it means to be an American in terms of Utopian and Dystopian narratives, considering how those who dream and those who dissent continue to shape American culture.” Kieran Edmonds said for the Fantastic Creatures class, “We spent the semester talking about the relevance of fantasies in the modern world. We had a bunch of assignments that were both more creative and more analytical that focused on how fiction and imaginary creatures are important to the works they’re in.”
As the first semester has come to an end ,seniors now will be divided into Literary Archetypes, Comedy and Satire, Creative Writing, Modern Drama, and Young Adult Literature.
In the spring, Comedy and Literature, Post 9/11 Literature, and Literature of Imaginary Places are offered. Allowing seniors to pick from a wide range of courses is beneficial to them as they move onto college and begin to do more diverse work in the humanities.
From the Beacon
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From the Beacon: Mean Girls Will Be Totally Fetch!
This year’s Upper School Spring Musical is Mean Girls, a modern adaptation of the classic movie from 2004. Shipley theater star and Beacon writer Colin Harkins ’23 tells us why audiences should be excited to see the show March 2-4, 2023 in Riely Theatre.Read More -
From the Beacon: Shipley Theater Department Joins Broadway Green Alliance
Shipley’s theater program is excited to announce that it will partner with Broadway Green Alliance, a corporation that tries to bring more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices into theaters all around the country. Read more in this article originally published in the Beacon student newspaper.Read More -
From the Beacon - In Focus: Upper School Clubs and Activities
With over 70 clubs and activities to choose from, Shipley's Upper School students can enjoy a broad range of areas to discover and develop their passions and interests. Student writer Andrew McCarthy ’23 shares details about six of them in this article, originally published in the December 2022 issue of the Beacon, the Upper School student newspaper.Read More -
From the Beacon: Out With the Old. . . In With the New
Originally published in the May 2022 issue of the Upper School student newspaper, The Beacon, this article shares insights from All School President Griffin Chulik ’22 about his student government experience and some final thoughts as he departs from the Shipley community and prepares to head off to college in the fall.Read More -
Acorns To Oaks Returns!
Acorns to Oaks has been a tradition the Shipley community has celebrated for decades. Bringing together not only the oldest and youngest students in the School, but also their families and the community as a whole. After COVID forced disruptions in the traditional celebrations, families of Oaks & Acorns were invited onto campus to participate in the first Acorn & Oak festivities of the 2021-2022 school year.Read More
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The Shipley School is a private, coeducational day school for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students, located in Bryn Mawr, PA. Through our commitment to educational excellence, we develop within each student a love of learning and a desire for compassionate participation in the world.
