About the Course
If you love to read, write, and talk about books, this is the course for you. In this course, you'll join a literary community and develop our vocabulary, close-reading, and critical thinking skills through workshops, where you'll read short stories or novels, respond to them in our journals, and discuss as a class. Then you'll learn and practice what professional writers do: decide on topics, gather material, talk about creative choices with peers, and draft, workshop, and revise works of creative fiction. Daily lessons and one-on-one conferences with your instructor will help you learn the art of sentence construction, use of imagery, and more. Cooperative learning and constructive criticism are key elements of the course, and detailed responses from your instructor and peers will play an essential role in your growth as a reader and writer.
Typical Class Size: 12
Learning Objectives
- Read, analyze, and discuss works of fiction and nonfiction including essays, novels, short stories, and more
- Practice writing reflectively, analytically, and creatively through personal narratives, poetry, original short stories, or in your own writer’s journal
- Utilize the tools introduced and skills learned in the course to compose 3-4 works of creative fiction
- Engage in the writing workshop process, editing and revising work based on feedback from your instructor, program assistant, and peers
About Advanced Enrichment courses
These courses offer above-grade-level material that is presented in a novel context, explored with other advanced learners, and guided by a CTY educator to help prepare students for higher-order thinking and college-style academic challenges. Students work individually and may finish the course early if they complete all requirements before the course end date.
Requirements
CTY courses have grade-level requirements and most require minimum test scores. Some courses may also have prerequisites.
Identification DetailsDates and Tuition
In Person
Speyer School
New York, NY
Day Site
You will be asked to join or sign in first.
Register by: June 21, 2026
Full Waitlist Available
Time Commitment:
Course Materials
Students should bring basic school supplies like pens, notebooks, and folders to their summer program. You will be notified of any additional items needed before the course begins. All other materials will be provided by CTY.
Sample Reading
These titles have been featured in past sessions of the course and may be included this summer. CTY provides students with all texts; no purchase is required.
America Street: A Multicultural Anthology of Stories, by Anne Mazer
Esperanza Rising, by Pam Muñoz Ryan
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred D. Taylor
You will be asked to join or sign in first.
Register by: June 8, 2026
Full Waitlist Available
Time Commitment:
Course Materials
Students should bring basic school supplies like pens, notebooks, and folders to their summer program. You will be notified of any additional items needed before the course begins. All other materials will be provided by CTY.
Sample Reading
These titles have been featured in past sessions of the course and may be included this summer. CTY provides students with all texts; no purchase is required.
America Street: A Multicultural Anthology of Stories, by Anne Mazer
Esperanza Rising, by Pam Muñoz Ryan
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred D. Taylor
Registration Fee and Financial Aid
Tuition and fees will be waived or reduced for students who qualify for financial aid.
Learn more about Financial Aid