HuckleBerry
Center for Creative Learning
Holly Van Houten
Holly Van Houten has decades of experience preparing young writers with the skills they need to succeed. In addition to teaching Literature and Writing at The HuckleBerry Center for Creative Learning, in Valencia, California since 2009, Holly taught in the USC Freshman Writing Department for 10 years, while completing her Ph.D. coursework in English and American Literature. Holly has also taught in the English departments at Pepperdine University, California State University, Northridge, and California State University, Long Beach. She has helped young scholars become confident writers for over 30 years and has successfully prepared students of all abilities for college-level writing.
Parent and Student Feedback
July 2024
Hello Holly,
We hope you have been well and are enjoying a light summer between school years. It has been three years since Maegan graduated from Huckleberry, but I was just reminded (again) of how lucky our families are to have been part of your teaching journey, and wanted to share. Thank you for your caring, and for all the lifelong gifts you impart.
While my note is prompted by just having finished Reader, Come Home, The Reading Brain in a Digital World, by Maryanne Wolf (admittedly, and perhaps ironically, I listened to the audio book) ☺️ I recognize your influences in Maegan, consistently and often. Thinking back, I smile as I recall her enthusiasm and creativity as she and her friends completed class assignments, nurtured and motivated by your openness to their unique processes and desires. Your lessons simultaneously taught the useful tools of time-management, attention to detail, and the value of structure (and flexibility), while instilling a sense of confidence in their abilities to accomplish those goals with creativity and individuality. You ignited and cultivated their curious analytical eyes, and their appreciation for knowledge and good writing in any form, including literature, poetry, speech, critical analysis, or an editorial opinion. You changed and enhanced the way they look at the world, and literally altered their capacity to do so. (And I’m fairly certain that your requirement to purchase paperback books had many reasons, including some benefits I just learned… my favorites, and possibly hers as well, reinforcing Maegan’s fondness for the actual feel and smell of books, and the idea of tucking a book into her bag to read for pleasure, maybe avoiding boredom or filling a free moment in the day) 😀
With another semester of teaching behind you, my husband and I just wanted to let you know how much you are appreciated. We hope it brings you great pleasure to know you’re unleashing another group of very capable young adults into the world. Thanks, again!
Best,
JF
Dear Holly,
I was able to eavesdrop on your class a few times earlier and I found it to be a glimpse of how education should actually be in America:
Students were engaged, active debate and discussion, and appropriate feedback.
-G.G. Huck Parent & History Instructor
Dear Holly,
I made a little video for you to let you know how much I appreciate you!
- HM - Student
It's been over a decade since I've taken one of Holly's classes, but I still think back to her lessons whenever I have to write something. She taught me many valuable lessons regarding essay writing, and helped grow my understanding of the English language. I will always be thankful for having Holly as a Language Arts teacher.
DG - Student
Holly provided such a strong foundation in Language Arts for my son. Even though she teaches such valuable lessons, she teaches in ways that do not appear as 'hard work' because she is engaging the students in every way. Any student who is lucky enough to take one of Holly's classes will have amazing Language Arts skills for life!
CG
My two kids went from Adventures in Storybook Land to Novels to Knowledge with Holly at Huck and I can't say enough amazing things about her -- her intelligence, her love of literature, and her knack for teaching are all unparalleled. She gives young children a strong foundation in reading, writing and critical thinking and teaches respect for classics as well as modern literature. My kids moved on to public school in Junior High and both have excelled in their (Honors) English classes because of the skill set they learned from Holly. Truth be told, I have not seen another Language Arts teacher who can hold a candle to her level of teaching and I wish they could continue to have her as a teacher, but we settle for private tutoring from time to time. She is also a kind, patient and enthusiastic teacher who creates a supportive atmosphere where kids at all levels can learn and grow. She is truly an expert with a gift for teaching, and we are so grateful to have had her as a part of our kids' early education.
-CP
My name is Kristy Robinson and I am not only a Home School Teacher at The Blue Ridge Academy, but I have also homeschooled 4 of my own children. Holly Van Houten was an absolute gem to our family in our homeschool journey, especially in the high school years. She was the sole English teacher for our son from grades 8-12, and he has thrived with his college courses. Her courses are rigorous and absolutely prepare students for college coursework. Her feedback and the feedback from students in her classes have proven to be a key to the improvement of my children's writing and further understanding of literature. I have also had the opportunity for my Blue Ridge students to be a part of her classes as well. From rich literature that my kids still talk about today, to aligning to the state standards and assisting my students with their Blue Ridge expectations, I highly recommend Holly's courses. The online model worked well, and the increased proficiency in technology really helped my children. They learned how to use Google docs, discussion forums and Zoom etiquette. All of these have proven valuable in college as well as in their chosen careers. I can't thank Holly enough for the richness she brought to my children's education and that she continues to provide for my students. I highly recommend Holly for any stage of your own homeschool journey.
- KR
How do we talk about Holly and fit all of the things in that we want to say? Impossible task! But here goes... My oldest son started with Novels to Knowledge and went through all three years of this series. He was already an avid reader but nothing is better than being able to talk about great literature with Holly, a passionate and inspirational force. My son has thrived with her because she really makes the kids think about what they are reading. Her assignments are tough but reasonable. Her critiques of the work are gentle and effective and always, always supportive. My younger kids were in Read, Write, Now and they liked that class because of the fun books they got to read and they enjoyed the fun assignments which I found to be appropriately challenging for that age. My younger kids were not avid readers when they started with Holly, unlike my oldest, but I can see that they are starting to learn to like reading and better yet, they are learning along the way how to analyze what they are reading. Now my oldest is starting his 5th year with Holly, taking a high school English class, and he has not once ever asked for another teacher. He very much enjoys the class discussions that Holly always monitors with such grace and tact. My younger ones are still working on their writing skills (with Holly), but I can say without a doubt that my oldest child has become an amazing writer because of Holly's instruction. I know that he can jump into college level writing with no trouble, thanks to her classes!
-YT
Ms. Holly is Ms.Holly. No adjective aptly describes her. She is one of a kind teacher. Her knowledge in English language and literature knows no boundaries. Her teaching style is friendly and compelling. Both my girls are in her classes. I am proud to say that I have become her student as well through private tutoring. She opens the windows of classic literature to her students through her classes. Students can't help but get hooked up to reading and eventually become writers. I am fortunate to have found her for us.
NV
My daughter has received so many writing awards in college it's hard to keep up! Professors refer other students to her to get help with MLA style writing, better analysis, how to write an intro, etc. But she wasn't always such an amazing writer. In 4th grade she ran running away from the charter school testing site because they wanted her to write an essay about a dog. But then she had Miss Holly for her classes from 5th grade - 8th grade, and it made all the difference. Holly made thinking the priority so my daughter and her friends could spend time in class thinking about why something was happening in a story, what the author wanted her to think about, what were the layers to a character. She always learned a bit about herself and the world in each book they read. Under Holly's continuous guidance, her thinking and her writing got progressively better as each year went by. Each paper would focus on improving one aspect of her writing. By the time she was in 9th grade she was ready for community college writing classes where she was fully prepared to succeed. She continued on to university where she could focus on learning, not on learning to write. She already had that skill mastered. So many thanks to Holly for helping her in such a crucial skill that she will use for the rest of her life!
SB
Contact
Holly Van Houten