From Harry Potter to Happy Poems (NEW COURSE)
*A few places remaining* Register or enquire via form below or Instagram @criticalenglishlit
The Critical Studies for Teens courses are designed for enquiring minds, who want to study literature both for the love of reading but to also understanding how literature affects society, politics and history.
Dates for this course: week starting *2nd May 2025* (Friday), once a week, two hours each session with a ten minute break in between. Fees for the first family child are £180 and £95 for each sibling. Suitable for ages 13 – 17.
The Harry Potter books are some of the most famous in the world, with a devoted child and adult following. However, they have also been the cause for concern amongst parents of different faiths, as well as those working on social issues because of its themes of magic, exceptionalism and uncritical narratives about social issues. This course starts with the study of the first Harry Potter book to show how these concerns manifest as well as covering counter arguments in order for students to develop their confidence in articulating their thoughts.
Other texts we will study include Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde by JL Stevenson, and poetry from Chaucer, Hafiz, the Pearl Poet, Rumi and Pushkin.
The course consists of 8 sessions, of 2 hours each (there is a 10 minute break in the middle of each session). The class size is small. All teaching is online.
Please register or enquire using this formthis form.
These courses have been designed for home educated children, but if there is enough uptake, courses can be arranged in the evenings or holidays for teens studying in schools.
NB This course will be helpful for students of English Literature at GCSE, A-Level and even degree level BUT is not taught to exam outcomes.
Image from HarshLight, CC2
