Description
Some students are not ready for a year of full-length novels. They are still ready for great literature.
Introduction to Literature & Composition is the online literature and composition class for high school that solves that. Instead of long novels, students read classic short stories, novellas, plays, and poems that have lasted, and analyze them for theme, worldview, and value.
They write persuasive essays and character analyses, and they learn the mechanics that carry a student through the rest of high school and into college: outlining, thesis formation, supporting assertions, citing sources, catching common errors, and MLA formatting.
The final exam is not a test but a short story of their own. Texts are in the public domain and the instructor supplies copies or links, so there is no reading list to hunt down in August. The course is taught from a Christian worldview, with a stated aim of raising up what C.
S. Lewis called the few: readers who love good storytelling and good books.
Angela Ferrell is known for detailed, timely feedback on every piece, with guided peer review and digital editing alongside her own comments, and students present research-based projects to the live class. Written work is drafted, revised, and submitted in Google Docs, which also gives parents a clear view of progress.
Angie Ferrell is a licensed teacher with a master’s in education and curriculum design who teaches history, writing, literature and psychology.
“Lit & Comp was my favorite class this year, not just because I love reading, but for these reasons: my teacher was amazing, we read countless original stories, and I learned how to deeply read any passage of text. Mrs. Ferrell made this class exciting by making it a safe space to discuss how we felt about the stories presented to us in class. During class, we did fun Jamboards with our peers, we had amusing – sometimes off-topic – conversations, and we had exciting stories to read. Mrs. Ferrell was a true and enjoyable surprise for me this year and it made all the difference.”
— E.L. (student), Literature & Composition
Class details
– Teacher: Angela Ferrell
– Day and time: Tuesdays, 2:00-3:00 p.m. CST
– Term: full year, 2027-28 school year
– Grades: 9-12; designed for 9th and 10th graders, and for 11th and 12th graders who need an English credit without an advanced composition requirement
– Credit: 1 high school credit
– Materials: Windows to the World: An Introduction to Literary Analysis (IEW); short stories provided; Google account for Google Docs
– Live, small-group class on Zoom
Enroll today. Cognia accreditation means the credit counts, and the transcript is our job.
Tina Dewey –
Excellent class and absolutely wonderful teacher who truly cares about her students. I appreciated the timely and detailed feedback, as well as the interesting and creative assignments. I am looking forward to when my son will have the opportunity to learn from Mrs. Ferrell in the future.
Kathy Gounaud –
“[My student] has dragged through other literature or composition course. I recall seeing him stare blankly at a screen for hours, and there were definitely tears. But he rated your class as one of his all-time favorites! He found the in-class discussion and activities particularly enjoyable. Thank you!”
S.F. (student) –
“I really enjoyed all the discussions and assignments we had this year! You got me really thinking about big thoughts and almost everyday after class I would be interested and tell my mom about what we had been discussing. This was my first year taking an English class through True North and you made it wonderful!” 5/5 stars; S.F. (student) April 2023
J.S. (student) –
“The work was challenging. But my attitude is what made it hard. I’m reminded of a Navy SEAL saying, “You don’t have to like it, you just have to do it.” I learned to like hard work. I loved this course. It was fun and challenging.”
5/5 stars, J.S. (student), April 2023
Gabrielle Wyatt (parent) –
“We thoroughly enjoyed this class with Ms. Ferrell. She provided such detailed instruction and open, interactive class discussions that my son was quite comfortable once he got used to the rhythm of the class. Ms. Ferrel was very approachable, accommodating, insightful whenever we had questions or issues. My son finished this class with a lot of confidence in both his reading and comprehension for higher level English and is looking at tackling some Dual Enrollment next year. I highly recommend this class!”
5/5 STARS, Gabrielle Wyatt (parent), May 2023
S.R. (student) –
“I just wanted to personally thank you for a wonderful year! I absolutely loved your course. I have learned so much and enjoyed every second of class! You have given me a lot to think about this for many years to come and an excellent example of how to approach topics like this with thoughtfulness and biblical wisdom!”
E.D. (student), Literature & Composition –
“When I first began this class, I viewed reading, and writing, as a chore…But as the year has gone by, I have witnessed myself grow substantially. Now I view writing and reading not as a chore, but as a great adventure. The reading I have done this past year has greatly inspired me.”
E.L. (student), Literature & Composition –
“Lit & Comp was my favorite class this year, not just because I love reading, but for these reasons: my teacher was amazing, we read countless original stories, and I learned how to deeply read any passage of text. Mrs. Ferrell made this class exciting by making it a safe space to discuss how we felt about the stories presented to us in class. During class, we did fun Jamboards with our peers, we had amusing – sometimes off-topic– conversations, and we had exciting stories to read. Mrs. Ferrell was a true and enjoyable surprise for me this year and it made all the difference.”
– L.M. (parent), May 2024 –
“I witnessed growth in [my child’s] writing this year. While you were online in class, you created a comfortable but challenging learning environment.
Mabry, May 2024 –
“Some of the first essays were a struggle for me, but Mrs. Ferrell quickly helped me see my struggle and helped me solve it. Mrs. Ferrell was a great help with first-year confusion, and I am excited to see how this class helps me later. This class has prepared me for more high school and, one day, college papers.” –
– Laura, May 2024 –
“You can learn valuable life lessons by reading good literature. I loved doing the story retelling. Mrs. Ferrell is a great teacher, all the times I’ve had [her], everything has gone very smoothly! [She] makes everything very clear!”
– C.E.R., May 2024 –
“It is an amazing course with an amazing teacher.”
– G.H., May 2024 –
“If you’re looking for a class with lots of fantastic stories and/or you need practice with literary devices, please go ahead and choose this class. The teacher is outgoing and friendly and really motivates users to do their best.”
– Student, May 2024 –
“I had lots of fun and was challenged in my writing.”
Aiyanna Moncure, student –
“If you’re interested in storytelling and want to learn how to write your own personal stories, I’d definitely recommend taking this class. Thank you so much, Mrs. Ferrell, for teaching us and being so thorough when grading our work. I’ve learned a lot from your lessons and your comments. Thank you!” – Aiyanna Moncure, student
A.N., student –
“I actually loved this course. It became my favorite of the year! Mrs Ferrell is an excellent teacher, and I loved the subjects we covered. She taught it at a great pace, and the assignments were fun, but challenging at the same time! I would definitely recommend this course!” – A.N., student
Gia Leatherman, student –
“I’m very impressed. When the work gets tough, breathe and take each assignment one word at a time. You can do it! Don’t be afraid to reach out to a teacher for help. Mrs. Ferrell did a wonderful job teaching and explaining things, often encouraging students to do their best work. She cleverly incorporated humor and laughter into the class and handled talkative students marvelously well. I strongly encourage students in the future to consider taking her class. It is well worth taking. 10/10 would do it again!” – Gia Leatherman, student
Vida Aromi, student –
“If you are a literature fan but you haven’t taken those advanced high level classes, I definitely suggest taking Intro to Lit and Comp! In this class we covered the basics of listing characters, plotting the story, finding the theme, and going into a deeper view of the author, all the way to the complexity of writing a worldview essay. In every class there are discussions and questions asked about the previous homework (or upcoming) and there is always time for questions! All the material taught is so useful and broken down so that everything is understandable. I loved taking this class because it challenged me and has given me lots of knowledge on the world of literature. I loved my teacher because she was understanding of everyone’s learning levels and was always there when I had a question. When we didn’t have class I was able to message her and she responded NO LATER that 24 hours! I always received a message within 2-3 hours after messaging her. Mrs Ferrel did an amazing job teaching and facilitating this class. She is truly amazing at what she does! Everything was so organized and scheduled perfectly. From assignment dates to upcoming projects and essay information. No doubt, this class deserves a 5 star review for its teacher, educational environment, and phenomenal material!” Vida Aromi, student
Adderley Orona, student –
Every part of this course has grown my confidence and skillset as a reader and writer, and challenged me in areas I would have never thought needed improvement! Mrs. Ferrell is a wonderful teacher and very easy to communicate with.
Thomas Bone, student –
It was perfect (except for all the annotations). The homework was hard but not excessively or overwhelmingly so. Mrs. Ferrell is a great and funny teacher. Before this class, I really enjoyed reading, but now, because of it and the things about literature I learned, I now somehow enjoy it even more.
Bekah M., parent –
The live classes were interactive and offered great discussion. Mrs. Ferrell was easy to contact when needed, and I felt confident my student learned what was expected during this course.
Caleb Heinemann (student) –
Take this course even if you have had no practice, it will enlighten you on the basics of literature as well as some pro skills. It also really engages your mind in thinking for yourself and writing well!
Lucas Dvoranchik, student –
This was a very fun class. The teacher, Mrs. Ferrell, was very nice and helpful when I was having technical problems. I recommend this class to anyone who wants a good writing class.
JM (student) –
This ELA course was very enjoyable! Something I would tell others is to come with an open mind.