High School Writing with How Would You Rule?

Overview

Is self-defense a reasonable claim when a shipwreck victim kills and eats a fellow unlucky passenger? Is a burrito a sandwich? Do you have to disclose that your home is haunted before you sell it? 

These are some of the many bizarre legal cases we'll look at while reading selections from How Would You Rule? by Daniel Park. 

Along the way, we'll practice foundational composition skills by writing four multi-draft essays in a variety of forms and topics. 

At the same time, we'll be discussing ethics, logic, and the law.

Guided Class Flexibility 

This is a guided class, which means there are no live meetings, but there is student-teacher interaction and weekly due dates for assignments. This format works well for students who don’t enjoy live, on-camera sessions or who have unpredictable weekly schedules. 

Students can interact with the instructor and each other via our class discussion boards.


Course Details

Ages 

14-18

Schedule 

September 7-December 13, 2026 with NO live meetings. (No assignments due the week of October 12 —Fall Break — or November 23 —Thanksgiving Break).

If a learner cannot attend a session due to illness or a schedule conflict, they will still have access to all class materials and can check in with the instructor with any questions.

Time Commitment

Most learners can expect to spend 6-8 hours per week working on class materials. 

(This class will meet or exceed 60 hours of coursework to count as 0.5 credits of high school ELA).

Supplies

Learners will need the following:

  • A copy of How Would You Rule by Daniel Park (ISBN 9798676867294) (used copies are fine; borrowed/library copies are acceptable but it’s preferable for learners to have their own copy so they can take notes in it) (Bookshop Link)
  • PDF Reader
  • Learners will submit work through Google Drive (a Google (Gmail) account can be acquired for free)


Assignments Open Each Week

In order to allow for learners and their families to have the flexibility they need, assignments open at the beginning of each week and are due at the end of that week. Learners can complete work at whatever time works best for them throughout the week.

Evaluation and Records

At the beginning of class, families will have the option to opt into numerical grading. All learners will receive a detailed class wrap-up report suitable for inclusion in a portfolio. All students receive detailed feedback (including video feedback) on major assignments. 


Pricing options

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities.

Is this the right fit?

This class is designed for high school-level writers who are aiming to build on existing reading and writing skills. Learners will be most successful if they already have the following skills: 

  • Ability to write 3-4 double-spaced pages on a single topic
  • Understanding of how to separate paragraphs and write introductions and conclusions
  • Experience and confidence in reading nonfiction texts with a 1200L Lexile level
  • Familiarity with basics of using quoted material in writing


Skills Gained

The class is set up so that students often choose which writing prompts they’d like to complete for major assignments. This means that students of varying ability levels and familiarity with academic writing conventions can find an assignment appropriate for their level.

Students will learn about the following:

  • Developing reading comprehension and note-taking strategies
  • Finding their own writing process
  • Working on a complete draft in stages that focus on revision
  • Reflecting on what works to build strong writing habits
  • Development of a personal writing process
  • Familiarity with strategies for the higher order concerns of writing (main idea, organization, development, and comprehension)
  • Familiarity with strategies for the lower order concerns of writing (formatting, style, and mechanics)
  • Synthesizing ideas from multiple sources and mediums

Individual Support

All students will receive individualized video feedback on all rough drafts that specifically addresses their rough draft submissions.

My teaching philosophy very much focuses on starting with students’ strengths to build confidence and using them to work on improvements over time.

Feedback is tailored to each student’s individual needs and goals. I also encourage a lot of self-reflection and provide opportunities for students to directly communicate their challenges so that facing them with strategies becomes a normal part of the writing process.

Content Notes

This book is age-appropriate for most high school students with a factual, journalistic tone throughout.

There are some discussions of violence (including murder), plane crashes, racial stereotypes, and economic inequality.

Families are encouraged to pre-screen materials if they have any concerns. 


Meet Your Teacher!

Michelle Parrinello-Cason

Dr. Michelle Parrinello-Cason is the founder of Dayla Learning. She has a PhD in rhetoric and composition, a passion for helping students find their writing voice, and two homeschooling children of her own. Michelle has taught in a wide variety of settings including six years as a full-time college professor. She has been teaching virtual and in-person homeschool writing and humanities classes for more than five years. Michelle believes in meeting students where they are and — as any of her previous students will tell you — believes deeply that there is no such thing as a bad rough draft!