ENGLISH
Writing Workshop (for risings 9s—11s)
This course is designed to help Upper School-aged students strengthen their academic writing skills by implementing proven techniques. Basic writing exercises will include learning to write a strong thesis statement, create and organize supporting statements, identify and integrate direct textual references, breakdown into manageable pieces the essay writing process, and how to read a teacher’s essay prompt. In class, students will read poetry, fiction and non-fiction prose in an effort to better understand various writing styles, write, re-read, revise not only student writing but also the writing of classmates, and learn to read critical essays and secondary sources as a key to writing more clearly.
Instructor: Eric Tillman
A 30-year veteran of the teaching profession, Eric Tillman has been a member of the English Department at Brunswick School since 1981. A graduate of Wesleyan University's MA program in English, Mr. Tillman has taught all levels of English and has prepared many Brunswick and GA students to score well on the Advanced Placement tests in English Literature. He knows the art of crafting solid essays and has helped students, young and old, dramatically improve their writing. If you like comedy and you want to improve your writing, this is the class for you.
SAT Prep: Critical Reading and Writing
This 4-week, intensive course is specifically designed to help students who are going into their senior year prepare for the Critical Reading and Writing sections of the SAT. In addition to teaching effective test-taking strategies and providing creative exercises geared toward improving vocabulary and honing sentence completion and reading comprehension skills, this course will help students develop a familiarity with the test itself so that time is managed properly and individual potential is maximized. Students will also spend time writing practice essays and learning valuable writing strategies that will make them better prepared for the Writing portion of the SAT.
Instructor: Brendan Gilsenan
Brendan Gilsenan is currently the Chairman of the English Department and has been teaching English at Brunswick since 2001. In addition to teaching English, Mr. Gilsenan has been an Associate Director of Brunswick's College Guidance Office and, over the years, has helped many students prepare for the SAT, as well as the AP English Exams.