Want to learn more about what makes Heroic University different than most literature classes?
Diverse Range of Books
While the classics are great, the Western canon, by definition, covers the Western perspective—most of the time, the white, male Western perspective. That’s not the world that our globally-connected and diverse students live in these days.
Heroic U has a broader mix of books than most literature classes. Our reading list tends to be about half “classics:” Common Core or AP English recommendations, Newbery, Printz, or other award-winning books, and the like. The rest are more contemporary books that many people are not familiar with, but that have been carefully selected for their educational content and for presenting an important different kind of voice or view of the world. We weave multiculturalism into all of our classes, and make sure that female authors and protagonists are included.
Interdisciplinary
We do a lot more than just read and talk about books at Heroic University! We watch videos, listen to songs, look at artwork, play games, and explore other ways to examine the books or topics under discussion. Depending on the book, we pull in related material from history, geography, political science, psychology, or other academic areas.
Multimedia Analysis
Writing is important, and we expect all HU students to do some of their book analyses as papers. However, in the 21st century, people need to know how to communicate their ideas in other ways as well. So we also expect our students to do some of their analyses in formats OTHER than the traditional essay format. Creative writing, computer programming, music composition and performance, plays and spoken word, Powerpoint or Prezi presentations, videos and animations, or creating Minecraft-based analyses—Heroic U students have done their analyses in all these formats and MORE! To see some examples, visit the Multimedia Analysis page.
Proven Tools to Use for All Books
The approach to literary analysis in Heroic University classes is based on the work of perhaps the best story analyst of all time—Joseph Campbell. We use Campbell’s theory of the universal story framework of the Hero’s Journey as the backbone of our literary analyses. We also incorporate his ideas about character archetypes and the fundamental role of myth and metaphor as we read our books. Students develop expertise in tools they can apply to whatever fiction they read in the future.
Community Not Competition
One skills most employers say they want in employees is teamwork. However, almost all students come out of a traditional educational system that encourages competition—for grades, for recognition, for class standing, etc. At Heroic U, students work together cooperatively in every class. Important facets of all our programs are peer-to-peer learning and feedback. Students are not evaluated in ways that judge anyone as superior to another, so they are free to risk and to support each other. However, this does not mean that students aren’t held accountable for their participation. For more on that, see Student Work Expectations and Student Assessment.
State-of-the-Art Technology
Even in the Live Discussion Classes format, technology provides a backbone for much student learning. We use Zoom for real-time interaction if or when students can’t make it to the physical classroom. Each class also has its own ID-restricted website on Canvas, a Learning Management System (LMS) that is the #1 LMS used by US colleges and universities. Note: all Live Classes will take place via Zoom for the time being.
On Canvas, students have interactive discussions, post analyses and projects, and comment on each others’ work. They can keep up with deadlines and see their current point total. Plus, using Canvas is not only an efficient and effective tool for Heroic University classes, but it is preparing students for what they will encounter once they move on to college or conventional academic high school programs.
Flexibility
Developed by a homeschooling parent, Heroic University provides ways to accommodate individual differences among our students. Typically, students can choose between participating in the Live Classes in person or via Zoom; for the time being, all classes will be held via Zoom until the pandemic situation improves. If the student’s schedule doesn’t allow for meeting at the scheduled time, the student can take the Self Study version of the class, which is totally asynchronous (no live activity at a particular time).
Students are encourages to set a final point total goal related to their individual situations and skills, rather than trying to have everyone aim for the same number despite a range of ages and abilities. Students have the freedom to choose their own topics for their analyses, along with what format they want to create their analyses. Extra credit assignments provide additional challenges for advanced students, and are designed to develop or to showcase a wide range of talents.
It’s Not About the Books—It’s About Your Life
At Heroic U, the most important thing to us is not just teaching literary analysis. Our bottom line is to teach students how to read books in a deep way that brings them wisdom they can use in their own lives. For example, you don’t need to be hunting whales for Moby Dick to teach you about avoiding a huge mistake in your life.
The Hero’s Journey isn’t just a literary tool; it is also a guide for how we can live our own best lives. So in Heroic University, we always ask “What is the lesson or message of this book?” as well as “How can I use this wisdom in my own life?”
