senior cheif shields english classes

By: Casey Robinson on Mar 7, 2022 | Categories: Academic

Our cadets attending Senior Chief Shields’ English 1 class (freshmen) are busy reading the adventurous epic “The Odyssey” by Homer and are learning valuable critical thinking lessons focusing on morality, honesty, and courage. The tale follows Odysseus’ son Telemachus who voyages to foreign lands to investigate the whereabouts of his father. Telemachus faces adversity at every turn; sometimes by humans, sometimes by creatures like the Cyclops.

In English 3 (juniors), cadets are finishing their study of literature about the U.S. Civil War era with the novel “The Killer Angels” by Michael Shaara - students learn about the tactics and the raw emotions of Union and Confederate officers from both sides of the conflict such as Lee, Longstreet, Hancock, Meade, and Chamberlain. The cadets are also treated to the movie Gettysburg which follows the book almost exactly.

In English 4 (seniors), cadets are reading 1984 by George Orwell and continually become wide-eyed at the number near precise predictions of the author about the future of the world. Students learn about the importance of being able to think for themselves and how oppression can also come in the form of ideology. The ending of 1984 usually blows the minds of the cadets and leaves them quite angry for the main character (but don’t tell them that, they haven’t reached the end of the book!).

Written by, SCPO.Shields