Coach Yates English 451 Standard 2015-2016

Dear EN451 Students:

Welcome to English 451. Please read the syllabus. Students, you will have your first reading quiz over this syllabus on Friday. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at . I look forward to a great school year.

CLASS GOALS /

CLASSROOM CONDUCT

  • Work collaboratively
  • Practice for the ACT
  • Become a better writer who is prepared for either a college classroom or the workplace
  • Practice public speaking
  • Read and study literature and other sources
  • Research, report, share, and even teach peers
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  • Be on time.
  • Be respectful.
  • Be prepared.
  • We will follow all CHS rules as listed in the handbook (no food or drinks in classroom.)
  • You need to be in your desk when the bell rings.
  • You may not leave the room unless there is an emergency.
  • I keep a limited supply of pencils, pens, or tissue in my classroom. What is mine is yours but when it runs out, it is out. I’m not going shopping. Please bring your own supplies or feel free to donate.

Course Website:

GRADING SYSTEM / MATERIALS
We will have at least 12 grades each quarter as required by Collierville Schools.
Grades are calculated using a total points system, but homework will usually be about 10pts or less, daily 5-50pts, quizzes 10-50pts, tests 100pts, projects 60-120pts.
Exam Exemptions: Semester average of 90; 3 or fewer excused absences per semester; no OSS /
  • USB Flash drive
  • Blue or black pen and pencils
  • Loose-leaf paper
  • Spiral notebooks may be used for notes, but not work turned in to me
  • Folder for handouts (or a binder with pockets)
  • Outside reading novels when due
  • Must purchase the required CHS Style Manual ($5)

EXTRA CREDIT

What extra credit?

TARDIES

I’m a stickler. You will not like me for it. You are allowed one free tardy for each nine weeks. Use it wisely. We will follow the CHS tardy policy as listed in the handbook. Excuses don’t mean much to me; hand-written notes do.

ABSENCES

I will ask you for an admit slip the day you return to my class. You must show me a gold slip if you want me to record it as excused. If your red slip becomes gold after a couple of days, it is your responsibility to show it to me. Your absence will remain unexcused in my book until you show me the gold slip. I will not send you to the office, previous classroom, or your locker if you don’t have an admit slip. I will mark it unexcused and allow you to bring it to me later in the day or the next day.

FALL TOPICS OF STUDY / SPRING TOPICS OF STUDY
ACT practice
Journal Writing
Vocabulary
Resume and professional emails
“This I Believe” essay / College Admissions essay
Self-Introductory Speech (3-5 minutes)
Expository research essay
Informative speech (4-6 min.)
Anglo Saxon literature (Beowulf)
Medieval literature
Canterbury Tales
Renaissance literature
Elizabethan Era
Shakespeare’s Macbeth / Journal writing
Vocabulary
Choice novel- nonfiction
Explanatory Essay
Restoration literature
Position research paper
Persuasive speech
Informative Essay
Romantic literature
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
Romantic poetry podcast
Shaw’s Pygmalion
Victorian literature
Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
Modern literature

MAKEUP POLICY

Unexcused absences – By CS and CHS policy, I don’t have to allowany make up, but I probably will, so ask.

Excused absences – By CS and CHS policy, you have 1 day for each day you missed to make up your work. I often allow more time than that, but you need to know, I will not ask or beg you to make up your work. It is your grade. It should be important to you. It is your responsibility to make stuff up, not mine.

Late fee -- Assignments under 100 points lose 5 points per day late and assignments100 points or more lose10 points per day.

Making up tests/quizzes – I coach two sports at CHS. It keeps me pretty busy, so after school will be an issue most days. Before school is the best time for make up. I am almost always in my classroom by 6:15 AM. I can be here earlier if you ask. If you have a legitimate issue with mornings, I may be able to work something out for after school, even if it requires another teacher’s help.

Major Papers: They are due when they are due. If you have an excused absence, you must turn them in the day you return to school. See late fee above. If your printer doesn’t work, see late fee above.

PENALTIES ON WORK

Examples of dishonorable conduct and academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to:

  • Giving or receiving unauthorized aid on or during quizzes, tests, or exams
  • Copying or allowing someone to copy homework or other assignments
  • Submitting work completed or previously submitted by classmates, relatives, parents, tutors, or others as your original work
  • Downloading an essay or other work from the internet and turning it in as original work
  • Copying information from outside sources such as online translators, Sparknotes, Cliffsnotes, Wikipedia, or any website and presenting it as original work
  • Plagiarism of any kind, including failing to cite source material, intentionally or unintentionally, in a written assignment

Academic dishonesty will result in a zero on the assignment and a disciplinary referral to an administrator. You will still have to complete the assignment for less credit or in some cases, no credit. Failure to complete the assignment will result in another disciplinary referral.

Retesting: Retesting is open to everyone who fails a test. If you score below a 60, it is recommended that you retake the test. The most recent score counts up to a 70. However, your grade could go down, so study.

Computer issues--- I have very little sympathy for computer problems.Papers are assigned days, if not weeks, in advance. There are too many computers available to you to simply say your computer at home is down. The CHS library is open at 6:30 am and after school each day. The public library has computers. All of your friends have computers. Need I say more?

RULES FOR PAPERS

Daily work does not have to be MLA format. Please print your first and last name (you are not a rock star yet), period, and date at the top of the paper. The date can be written as 8/10. All formal assignments will follow standard MLA manuscript format.

**HOMEWORK**

Please return this page to Coach Yates by Wednesday, August 12, 2015.

I have read the attached “English 451 Syllabus.” I understand its contents and agree to abide by its rules while I am enrolled in Coach Yates’ English class. I understand there will be a short quiz over this material on Friday, August 14.

Student’s Signature:

Printed Student Name:

Student email address:

Printed Parent/Guardian Name (s):

Parent email address:

Phone number: