Golden Gate Literature

How well do you know the place you call home? What does it mean to be a Northern Californian? An inhabitant of the Bay Area? This English elective will take an interdisciplinary approach to the natural and human history and to the literature of the greater Bay Area. We will begin with a look at the geological processes that created this region and the natural environment humans encountered when first arriving. In these points of origins we will look for metaphor and theme to connect with the human experience in the area. We will look at our unique place on earth and the record of it. In addition to keeping a reflection journal, we will explore other forms of writing, including a place essay, poetry and fiction. Face-to-face meetings will include urban, suburban and natural outings. This course will also have regular online office hours and online group meetings.

Mary Collie – Marin Academy
Mary received a BS from Southern Connecticut State University and an MA in English from Middlebury College Bread Loaf School of English. She began her teaching career in Italy at St. Stephen’s School in Rome, where she taught English and science and coached the girls basketball team and the running club. After returning stateside, she taught for two years at The Salisbury School in Connecticut. Wooed by the promise of fabulous weather and a new state, Mary then ventured to California and hasn’t looked back. She spent four years at The Webb School in Claremont teaching AP Literature, AP Language and Composition and now teaches English and coaches girls’ water polo at Marin Academy