English

At Cate, the English curriculum is designed to enable students to read, write, and speak with confidence, sensitivity, and understanding. The literature assigned throughout the four years helps students appreciate the enduring appeal of the classics and learn from the voices of contemporary writers. The department’s emphasis on writing is borne out in part during the three weeks each fall when students write daily, hear suggestions from their teachers and fellow students, and revise with rapidly increasing effectiveness. Students write regularly in a variety of forms during their first two years, then focus more directly on the analytical essay in their junior year. By senior year they have gained a sense of confidence in their own ideas and an appreciation for language that enables them to express themselves with clarity and force.