Here at Lafayette, you can take a wide variety of English courses. These courses are especially useful if you are interested in a career in reading or writing. All available English electives for Lafayette students are as follows: Advanced African American Literature, Advanced Speech, Advanced Writing 101, AP Art History, AP Research, Science Fiction Literature and World Mythology, Journalism, and Yearbook.
Some of these classes focus on reading specific pieces of literature to learn their effects on civilization. They help students’ critical thinking and reading skills, such as advanced African American literature. World Mythology and Science Fiction Literature (these classes are paired) are other examples of reading-focused classes. Other English electives are focused more on creative writing, like Advanced Writing 101. Suppose students wish to be involved in school life. In that case, they can take Journalism, in which they learn journalistic writing, photography, and interviewing skills to write articles for The Lafayette Times. On the other hand, students may workshop their public speaking skills, such as original oratory, interpretation, and storytelling through Advanced Speech.
We interviewed sophomore Evi Maxson, who is taking AP Research, to get more information on Lafayette’s English electives. In AP Research, students get to pick any topic that interests them to research throughout the year. “Students can do experiments or an analysis of existing research, or they can do surveys/interviews,” Maxson said. When asked if she would recommend other students to take AP Research, she responded, “Yes, students have [the ] freedom to choose whatever they want, and it can be really interesting and fun.” She also explained that it can be very rewarding for students to perfect their work and writing over the entire year so they feel very proud of their work by the time it’s over.
As we get closer to choosing our classes and submitting our schedule cards for the next school year, it’s essential to know which classes are right for each student and their interests. Whether they wish to be a news journalist or a science fiction author, choosing classes that interest them will be extremely beneficial for them and their career in the long run.
