Honors English Lit and Comp 1 (Limoco) --NEW!

Honors English Lit and Comp 1 (Limoco) --NEW!

Course option: Live

Grades: 9th-12th (14+) | Recommendation: Successful completion of Introduction to Literature & Composition or a rigorous 8th-grade English course

Course dates: August 24, 2026 - May 7, 2027

Course length: Traditional, full year

Live Sessions - attendance required: Mondays | 2-3:15 p.m. Eastern

Course size: 12 -15 students

Instructor: Tara Limoco

Cost: $795

Tara Limoco - Introduction to Literature & Composition, American Literature & Composition, Honors English Literature & Composition 1, College Essay Writing Intensive taralimoco.bluetent[at]gmail.com

More about Tara Limoco

When she was a child, Tara’s mother often scolded her to “put down that book and go outside!” Tara’s love of reading started very early, from reciting preschool nursery rhymes, to devouring book after book during summer afternoons, to making the public library her sanctuary as a teen. All that reading, plus the encouragement and support of a few special teachers along the way, led to an equally strong love of writing and eventually a desire to inspire a love of the written word in others.

Tara graduated from Miami University with a Bachelor of Science in Communication Education, with certifications in English language arts, drama, and speech for middle and high school levels, as well as kindergarten through twelfth grade reading. She taught English in rural, urban, and suburban schools, coached a high school speech team, and, as part of a team of dedicated educators, wrote and executed the charter for a residential facility for special needs students.

Working on a school charter with this group of educators proved to be the most meaningful education experience of her career, as they learned from and leaned on each other in the complex, arduous process of building a school from scratch--creating a vision and mission; planning curriculum, schedules, and procedures; connecting with a unique population of students; and finding ways to ignite excitement in learners who had never experienced it before.

Tara eventually left the classroom for an even more exciting adventure– homeschooling her three children. She and her children grew alongside each other, explored their interests, followed their curiosity, and practiced learning as an active, cooperative process. School was not limited to reading, writing, and math. They made gallons of maple syrup in their backyard, created art in a variety of media, explored the historical, scientific, and cultural sites of their region, grew a garden, started a student-run baking business, and enjoyed countless other experiences together.

In addition to these teaching experiences, Tara taught language arts, cooking, art and book club for a homeschool co-op, tutored reading, writing, and math, and test prep, and was a contributing writer for the Cincinnati Moms Collective blog. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and baking–especially sourdough bread, gardening, West Coast Swing dancing, painting, writing, and of course, lots of reading.

Tara believes that words and the stories they create, whether real or imagined, hold great power. Parts of the world and human experience become available to us through reading and writing that would not be otherwise. Reading, writing, and communication are the greatest tools for connection available to us. For Tara, the joy of teaching is in facilitating these discoveries and connections, opening the world to her students.

Required

MLA Guidelines Quickstudy Laminated Style Reference Guide, ISBN: 1423248341
English & Grammar English Quickstudy Laminated Reference Guide, ISBN: 1423218655
Technical resources - required for live sessions
- A reliable internet connection
- A computer with a web-cam
- A working microphone
Recommended:
- Earbuds or a headset with a microphone (a built-in computer microphone will work if needed)

Required Texts

Dear Martin, Nic Stone
Morrow Thieves, Cherie Demaline
American Born Chinese, Gene Luen Yang
The House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros

Supporting texts:

Students may read works from the following authors.

Ray Bradbury
George Orwell
Maya Angelou
Gwendolyn Brooks
Claude McCay
Edgar Allen Poe
Aimee Nezhukumatathil
Chimamanda Adichie
Jamaica Kincaid
Kurt Vonnegut
Langston Hughes
Ross Gay
John Green
David Sedaris
Rebecca Solnit
Zora Neal Hurston

Course Details

This live online Honors English course is designed for advanced high school homeschoolers. As the first high school-level English class for many students, this course focuses on the essential question: How does literature work? Through the study of diverse, skillfully written texts, students will learn how authors construct meaning and how readers uncover it. The course emphasizes three key areas of literature study: literary structure, literary elements, and recurring literary themes, building a strong foundation for future English

coursework.

Students will read a carefully curated collection of poems, essays, short stories, speeches, visual texts, and novels. These texts were chosen first for the variety of their form and purpose, allowing students to encounter:

Rhetoric and persuasion
Satire and social critique
Visual and media literacy
Archetypal narrative (Hero’s Journey)
Tragic structure and inevitability
Allegory and symbolism
Oral tradition and
A range of narrative voices and structures

Using these works, students will study the building blocks of all good literature, including:

Characterization
Irony and suspense
Tone and mood
Diction, dialect, and voice
Rhythm and pacing
Imagery and motif
Perspective and reliability
Setting and context

Lastly, students will engage with enduring themes that are accessible and relevant:

Identity and belonging
Consumerism and responsibility
Coming of Age
Social Justice
Ethics and morality
Language, voice, and power
Systems and authority
Humanity and dignity

Alongside literary study, students will practice frequent, purposeful writing–both formal and informal, analytical and creative. Grammar, vocabulary, and mechanics are taught in context, addressing gaps as they arise and supporting students as they refine their skills for clarity, reasoning, and voice. Students receive frequent feedback and guidance designed to encourage curiosity, confidence, growth and meaningful revision.

During online classes and in our interactive forum, students will practice the skills of inquiry, reflection, clarification, creativity, argumentation, and perspective taking, learning not only how to analyze texts, but how to communicate their thoughts with care and precision.

When students complete this course, they will be prepared for the increasingly complex questions to come. In Honors English 10, students will explore how literature shapes meaning across time, genres, and cultures. In American Literature & Composition, they will examine how literature reveals, reflects, and influences our national culture.

Format

Students share an interactive online classroom.
There is student/student and/or student/teacher interaction throughout each week.
Live section students will discuss literature over Zoom during face-to-face during meetings.
Average weekly time estimate: 6-9 hours
See our FAQs for:
- age/grade guidelines, prerequisites, and class fit recommendations
- a complete list of days, times, and breaks
- a list of CA charter schools where this course is a-g approved

Course Goals

Reading & Literature: Students will read and interpret increasingly complex texts—including novels, short stories, poetry, and essays—by a diverse range of authors. Through these works, students will analyze foundational literary structures such as the hero’s journey, allegory, myth, and tragedy, while examining how authors’ choices in language, characterization, symbolism, point of view, imagery, and irony shape meaning.
Writing & Communication: Students will develop strong academic writing skills across a variety of formats, balancing technical proficiency (grammar, usage, mechanics, clarity, and concision) with style, voice, and purpose. Emphasis is placed on inquiry, research, and the thoughtful creation and evaluation of messages in a rapidly changing world.
Critical Thinking and Perspective: Students will engage in meaningful discussion and analysis, learn to ask thoughtful questions, consider multiple perspectives, and support ideas with evidence. Literature will serve as a springboard for critical thinking, reflection, and respectful dialogue, building the ability to navigate complex issues both in and beyond the classroom.