2015-2016 English Syllabus and Class Policies

2015-2016 English Syllabus and Class Policies

1

Ms. Nguyen

Rm 805

2015-2016 English Syllabus and Class Policies

Grade Distribution

40% Formative (progress monitoring, e.g., homework, quizzes, small class assignments, ticket out the door…)

60% Summative (projects, essays, aesthetic experience)

Grade Scale: Aries Translation

4.0-5.00 = Advanced 80%-100% = A

3.25-3.99 = Proficient65%-79% = B

2.5-3.24 = Basic50%-64% = C

1.75-2.49 = Below Basic35%-49% = D

0-1.74 = Far Below Basic0%-34% = F

Levels of Mastery--5 Point Rubric

Score / Level of Mastery / Teacher Language / Simpler Language / Student Language
5 / Advanced / In addition to exhibiting proficient performance, in-depth inferences and applications that go BEYOND what was taught / Advanced learning goal / I know it even better than my teacher taught it, or I can use what I learned in a new way.
4 / Proficient / No major errors or omissions regarding any of the information and/or processes (SIMPLE OR COMPLEX) that were explicitly taught / Target learning goal / I know it just the way my teacher taught it.
3 / Basic / No major errors or omissions regarding the more COMPLEX ideas and processes. / Simpler learning goal / I know the simpler stuff, but can’t do the harder parts.
2 / Below Basic / Some major errors and/or omissions regarding the SIMPLER details and processes / Misunderstanding of simpler learning goal / I can’t understand the simpler stuff.
1 / Far Below Basic / Very little or no understanding or skill demonstrated. / Little or no understanding / I don’t understand anything.
0 / Nothing to access. / No work turned in / I didn’t turn anything in or showed no effort.

Materials:

-Pens (blue or black)—all works need to be written in pen!

-pencil—for scantrons

-one highlighter

-loose leaf papers

-USB drive

-a tab in your folder designated for English

-notebook (1 subject college ruled spiral bound notebook or college ruled composition book)

-independent reading book

-school agenda

-post-it notes (optional)

Class Rules:

  1. Absolutely no cell phones, Ipods, or any kind of electronic devices in class at ALL times (even when you are finished with a test). No ear buds in your ears or placed on top off your ears to give the illusion that you are listening to music. “Checking the time” on your cell phone is not a pardonable excuse. You cannot take pictures or video/audio record in class. If discovered, disciplinary actions will be taken.
  2. No hoodies in class.
  3. Bring your sustained silent reading (SSR) book to class EVERY DAY. No exceptions.
  4. In order to use the restroom, you must give me a valuable item for me to hold hostage (deemed valuable by me, such as a cellphone, necklace, your student ID. I don’t take school supplies or money…). Once you serve your 5 minutes detention (at my convenience) then you can retrieve the item. Therefore, use your time wisely and use the restroom during before school, during lunch, break, and after school.
  5. You cannot ask to go to the restroom the first 10 minutes or last minutes of class; in the middle of my lecture; while we are reading together out loud; or while I am giving instructions for an assignment.
  6. Only raw food items, such as fresh fruits, vegetables and water are allowed. No junk food (sodas, Gatorade, chips, cookies, candies,…). Also no gums!
  7. Place handbags and book bags/backpacks ON THE FLOOR, not on your desk or lap!
  8. Raise your hand when you want to talk.
  9. Remain in your seat the entire period, unless given permission to stand up. This includes not standing up in the middle of my lecture to throw away trash. Don’t crumple your trash papers, just throw it away without making any noise.
  10. You are dismissed by me, not by the bell. NEVER congregate near the door before the bell rings. You are to remain seated before the bell rings.
  11. No writing on desks, books, or walls.
  12. Be respectful and courteous to your classmates and to the teacher.
  13. Please be on time. Unexcused tardy will result in 1 point loss from your grade. Excessive tardy will result in disciplinary action.
  14. No PLAGIARISM (copying information from the internet, another student’s work, other sources without proper citation and claiming it as your own).
  15. If you see that I am talking with another person, wait patiently for your turn and do not interrupt our conversation.
  16. All works turned in need to have title that is centered and a MLA header located in the top left hand corner. For example:

Lisa Simpson

Ms. Nguyen

English 1 CP, Per. 2

8 September 2015

Title

Consequence for not following class rules can lead to one or a combination of these actions: verbal warning, student-teacher conference, deduction of participation points, detention, phone call home, referral to principal, confiscating the electronic device and it will be returned at the end of class, and/or “Unsatisfactory” for citizenship.

Reading Requirement:

The more you read, the smarter you will be. Each quarter you are expected to read 350 pages. Every Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays, you are expected to read the first 15 minutes of class. You can count the class novel/play we read together as part of your 350 pages requirement. If you don’t have a book, you will lose five points from your grade for the day. To redeem your points for the day, you can read a book or magazine from the classroom library and write a summary of what you read. Turn in your summary at the end of the reading period.

Advice for picking books: you can virtually read any book, but make sure your book is engaging and interesting to you. Try to pick books that are not too easy or too difficult for you. And of course, the book has to be school appropriate. You can read fiction or nonfiction, but you cannot read fact books like Ripley’s Believe it or Not, World Guinness, Encyclopedia, Almanacs to name a few. Although these fact books are great, feel free to read them on your own IN ADDITION to your independent reading book. In short, you need to read something with a narrative, whether fiction or non-fiction. You will be using the independent reading books for your book club activities; therefore, having a narrative in your book is critical.

Aesthetic Experience:

Learning takes all forms and it is beyond the classroom, beyond what is learned in books. Each long break (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break) you will do one aesthetic experience. These activities are meant to be fun and educational and you will present your learning to the class. I will give you more specific guidelines.

Late work:

Late work is defined as not turning in an assignment AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD when it is due. Turning in work later in the period, during lunch, after school, or in a different period other than the one you are registered for is considered late. You may turn in any work only ONE day late for one letter grade down in addition to whatever grade you will earn. Even if you are absent, you can send the assignment to me electronically via e-mail to get a time stamp that it is turned in on time (on time and late work rules still applies, such as it needs to be turned in online during the time for which you are supposed to be in class). If you turn in something online, the very next time that you see me you need to turn in the hardcopy. The purpose of online submission is for time stamp verification. Nothing will be graded until you turn in the hardcopy. If you happen to be on campus when something is due and you have an event to attend such as a field trip, you can turn in the assignment before leaving. You can also give your assignment to a friend, sibling, or parent to submit for you. No excuses. No assignments more than one day late will accepted. You can also leave your work in my mailbox in the front office. Give it to secretary and request her to write the TIME and DATE when the assignment was turned in.

An exception when you can’t turn in late work is when the semester has ended.

Under extenuating circumstances, such as severe illnesses or funerals something be arranged. Please e-mail me or let me know in person. In such cases, I will need the readmit stapled on top of the assignment.

Study Buddies:

These are the people that you should consult when you miss a class. It is their job to brief you when you are absent. The first people that you should consult when you are absent are your study buddies, not me. If they cannot answer your questions, then come talk to me and I will gladly assist you. If you see that your study buddy is absent, you are responsible for getting any handouts they missed for the day. Even if you are absent, you are still responsible for the work you missed by contacting your study buddies. You still have to turn in whatever is supposed to be due the next day, despite being absent.

Letter of Recommendation:

I am more than happy to write you a letter of recommendation, but I am very busy. I need at least two weeks of notice, starting the day you turn in the “Letter of Recommendation Information” sheet. The “Letter of Recommendation Information” sheet allows me to know more about you so I can write the best letter possible and it needs to be completed before I write the letter. You can request the form from me.

Participation:

Participation is absolutely important, and cannot be emphasized enough. One of the major goals of this class is to develop your verbal skills and to help you be more articulate. Students will be given daily participation points, thus it is important not only to show up to class on time, but also participate in discussions. It is highly recommended that you should say at least one thing related to what we are learning each day (comment or question). Participation points are important because at the end of the semester if you are at a “plus grade” meaning B+, C+, D+ or at a high “F” it can bump you up half a letter grade.

Extra Credit:

Extra credit work will not exceed more than half a letter grade. Throughout the year you can find scholarships for which you qualify that have an essay component and apply to it. Make me a copy and send in the other copy to whatever organization for which you are applying. For me, you need to type the essay and staple the prompt on top of your paper. When you submit the essay to me, if it is past the deadline you cannot turn it in. You can receive up to 25 extra points depending on the quality. I grade the essay based on the quality of the writing and how well you answered the prompt.

There might be other extra credit opportunities in the year as well.

Study Buddy #1:______contact info:______

Study Buddy #2:______contact info:______

Study Buddy #3:______contact info:______

Study Buddy #4:______contact info:______

I HAVE READ AND AGREE to the classroom rules and expectations set forth by Ms. Nguyen.

Student’s Signature______Period______

Parent/Guardian’s Signature______

-Signed syllabus and materials due Friday, September 11, 2015.