St. George's School

“That is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you're not lonely and isolated from anyone. You belong.”

St. George’s English department is a diverse group of passionate professionals. We are dedicated to exploring the beauty of expression throughout human history and its powerful impact on the past, present and potential future. Whether it’s Orwell, Melville or Huxley, we encourage our charges to find personal connections with the characters and their experiences in their often-fictionalized worlds in the hopes that they might grow not only as life-long learners, but as more compassionate and forward-thinking human beings. Our energetic staff will encourage meaningful expression in a variety of ways with the intention of creating young men who are able to effectively communicate and find creative solutions in an ever-changing world.

The English department spearheads a number of significant events over the course of the school year; Poetry in Voice is perhaps the highlight of the English department calendar. The event involves judged recitation of contemporary and classical poetry culminating in a school-wide competition. Successful competitors then go on to compete in regional competitions with the hopes of earning a place at the national championships. Alumni Leo Chang successfully represented the school in 2013, earning third place at Nationals.

Department members and student leadership teams are annually responsible for the production of a professionally bound collection of student writing and artwork known as The Opus (also available in e-book form), and our Journalism students actively create and monitor the School’s online news site, The Creed. Students in Grade 8 enjoy an annual cross-curricular, day-long celebration of Shakespeare, which includes skits, costumes, activities and a feast, all designed to help students develop an appreciation for The Bard. Our students also take part in enrichment experiences in support of their curricula, such as within the Grade 10 Personal Metaphor Project, visits to local galleries and museums, theatre excursions, immersion within the natural beauty which surrounds our campus, and visits from experts in the field. Many of our students publish their work, and a good number are recognized annually for their writing accomplishments through local, national and international competitions. We are additionally pleased with the range of elective offerings we provide, including our well-developed Journalism program and our Creative Writing continuum ranging from Grades 8-12.

Over the course of their high school career, St. George’s students will:

Develop a repertoire of skills and strategies to use as they anticipate, predict, and confirm meaning while reading, viewing and listening.  
Demonstrate their understanding of written, oral, and visual communications, through literal, figurative and diverse creative platforms.  
Identify connections with their own ideas,  experiences, and knowledge in response to a variety of genres of literature and the media.  
Draw reasoned conclusions from information found in various communications – whether written, spoken, or displayed visually – and defend their conclusions rationally.
Apply their knowledge of the conventions of language and use appropriate vocabulary to talk about them.
Employ a variety of effective processes and strategies, including technology, to generate, gather and organize information and ideas.
Enhance the precision, clarity, and artistry of their communications by using the processes that authors and presenters use to appraise and improve their communications.
Use language to explore thoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences to prepare for their roles in the world.

Philosophy of Intent

We strive to:

personalize learning to build boys’ confidence in, proficiency with, and enjoyment of English language and literature;
foster a critical and explorative appreciation for literature and the nuances of language;
create a safe environment of curiosity, inquiry, and creativity, where students are able to take risks;
explore multiple literacies, including through the use of technology;
place an understanding of boys’ learning styles, needs and the diverse cultures of the school at the forefront of what is undertaken in the classroom;
meet the needs of language learners of all levels through the provision of classroom-level differentiation and close partnership with the school’s support programs, while continuing to challenge them;
use a variety of rich and meaningful assessment opportunities with students, clearly connecting to learning outcomes, which act as both assessments of, and for, learning;
create a community of active learners in our classrooms, where every boy feels significant;
support students in the development of their own, unique voices;
prepare boys for the demands of post-secondary education and life.

General Inquiries

List of 1 members.

Jennifer Torry

Literacy Coach / English Teacher

jtorry@stgeorges.bc.ca

2018-19 Summer Reading Lists

Grade 8
For students entering Grade 8.
Grade 9
For students entering Grade 9.
Grade 10
For students entering Grade 10.
Grade 11
For students entering Grade 11.
Grade 12
For students entering Grade 12. Students taking AP English Literature 12 do not use this list and refer to the AP English Literature 12 list.
AP English Literature 12
For students enrolling in AP English Literature 12.
AP English Language 12
For students enrolling in AP English Language 12.
English Literature 12
For students enrolling in Literature 12.