English Fundamentals (3 Units Pass/Fail)

English 21 Syllabus: Summer 2016

English Fundamentals (3 Units Pass/Fail)

Los Angeles Valley College

Instructor: A. Star Glover

Section:

Email:

Office hours: by appointment

Course website powered by Haiku: https://www.myhaikuclass.com/starglover/english21/

Birmingham Community Charter High School Room 404

Monday through Friday

June 6 – July 1 (four weeks)

Requirements:

·  Folder or binder for course materials, handouts, etc. (keep everything!)

·  Dedicated notebook, preferably a composition book

·  Basic office supplies and notetaking materials (bring daily)

·  Email account (check daily)

·  Printer access (print all necessary materials before class starts)

·  Digital file storage, either on a flash drive or cloud system (multiple backups suggested)

·  Frequent access to a computer (either personal or on campus) with

o  Internet access

o  Adobe Acrobat or similar PDF reader

o  Microsoft Word (program is available free to students)

Course Description:

Prerequisite: English 33 with a passing grade or the appropriate skill level demonstrated through the placement process.

This course is offered on a Pass/No Pass basis only.

This course teaches the fundamentals of English grammar, reading, and effective sentence skills. Students will compose paragraphs and short essays.

Course Philosophy:

This class operates on a growth mindset. This means that there is no such thing as a naturally good writer—someone who was born with writing talent and doesn’t have to work at it. We may all have subjects we prefer, but quality writing (or any other product) is the result of hours of practice and hard work. You can all be good writers, but you must be willing to put in the hours. With practice, anyone can be successful.

Student Learning Outcomes:

·  As a result of completing this course, students will be able to:

·  Use appropriate tools of active reading to preview, interpret, analyze, and evaluate pre-collegiate texts

·  Identify and restate main and supporting points of a text, identify its organization, and relate ideas from one text to other texts or situations

·  Apply pre-writing tools to plan an essay

·  Compose paragraphs with explicit topic sentences and short essays with explicit thesis statements

Classroom Conduct:

Students are required to conduct themselves in a respectful manner. If you are disruptive or inconsiderate in any way (talking, texting, doing work for another class, etc.) you will be asked to leave. Dismissal from the class will count as one absence.

Turn off ALL electronic devices (cell phones, iPods, etc.) at the start of class. Laptops or electronic notebooks/tablets may only be used in the classroom for note-taking or research, if appropriate—not for email, Facebook, etc. I reserve the right to revoke this allowance at my discretion.

Failure to comply with these rules of conduct will result in disciplinary measures of my choice, up to and including asking you to leave and marking you absent for the day.

The classroom is a safe space in which all students have the right to learn in a comfortable atmosphere. Please alert me to any concerns you may have. Violating the safe space guidelines established at the beginning of the course or otherwise creating or contributing an aggressive and/or disrespectful environment will result in disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion. Use common sense, respect your classmates, and treat others as you would like to be treated.

Disclaimer: We will be reading texts that include controversial language and ideas. These ideas may include religion, race, gender, sex, etc. By remaining in the class, you agree to the following:

·  You will read and attempt to understand all of the assigned texts; you are not required to agree with the ideas presented in the literature.

·  Failure to read assigned texts for any reason will negatively impact your grade.

·  You will discuss the texts in a respectful manner and treat your classmates and instructor with respect, even if you disagree with them.

Special BCCHS addendum: This is a college class. No matter how old you are, you will be treated like a college student—i.e., an adult. You are solely responsible for attending and keeping up with assignments. You are also responsible for reaching out and asking for help if and when you need it. No matter how much I like you, I will not bend the rues for you. Please note that I will not speak to your parents or accept notes of excuse from them. I do, however, communicate with Mrs. Palacios, and what she does with that information is up to her.

Note: As a faculty member, I am a “mandatory reporter” under law.

Email Policy:

This class will rely heavily on email communication. Please check your email frequently for updates and reminders about the class. When sending or replying through email, please use an appropriate subject heading, address me accordingly, and use complete sentences so that I am clear on what you are saying. I will not respond to inappropriate emails. Also, I will not accept unsolicited homework, assignments and/or essays through email. I will do my best to respond to every email within 24 hours. Please do not wait until the last minute to ask a question, as it may not be answered in time.

Course Format and Procedures

Course Website: Readings will be posted online and you may be expected to print them out and bring them to class. Our website may also be used for informal discussion posts, posting assignment drafts and exercises, and replying to your peers’ discussion posts.

Peer Review: Students will be required to participate in peer-review workshops and give thoughtful feedback. Coming to class unprepared will result in deduction of participation points.

Quizzes and In-Class Assignments: Missed quizzes and in-class assignments may not be made up.

Grading Policy: This course is broken into percentages:

In-Class Participation: 10%

Quizzes: 10% (5 x 2% each)

Online Assignments: 20%

Paragraphs: 40% (4 x 10% each)

Final Essay: 20%

Absolutely no late work will be accepted. Late assignments will be given a zero.

This course is only offered pass/fail. You must earn the equivalent of a “C” (70%) to pass. It is not difficult to earn a passing grade: simply attend class, participate, and turn in all assignments on time. Unfortunately, it is also deceptively easy to fail. Even small assignments add up.

Attendance Policy: Regular attendance is a requirement for this course. Arriving late (any time after roll) or leaving early will be counted as a half-absence. Students are allowed four absences, but subsequent absences will count against their participation grade. These absences should allow for any illness or emergency; please use them wisely. Notifying me about an absence is an appreciated courtesy, but there will be no excused absences.

Do not ask me what you missed. You are responsible for all material presented in class, even if you are absent! If you must be absent, get notes from a classmate.

Plagiarism Policy: Plagiarism is the use of others’ words and/or ideas without clearly acknowledging their source. When you incorporate those words and ideas into your own work, you must give credit where credit is due. Plagiarism, intentional or unintentional, is considered academic dishonesty and is not tolerated.

Anyone found to be plagiarizing or cheating on assignments (e.g., copying or giving answers, using ‘crib’ sheets, etc.) will (1) receive a zero (fail) on the assignment, and (2) be referred to the Associate Dean of Student Services for further disciplinary action, following due process. For further information on plagiarism, go to the Writing Center website (www.lavc.edu/WCweb/plagiarism.html) and refer to the STANDARDS OF STUDENT CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINARY ACTION in the current Schedule of Classes and Catalog.

A Note about Help: If you require any course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have any emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need special arrangements in case of a building evacuation, please let me know as soon as possible. Please also contact me right away if you have any questions or problems with respect to any assignment, class discussion, or any other aspect of this class. You are here to learn and I am here to facilitate that process to the best of my ability.

PROFESSOR’S ADVICE:

·  Always take notes. You never know when something said in class will be important. Taking notes will also help you process and store information.

·  Keep everything! You may be asked to refer to previous assignments, and you must provide documentation in the event of a grading dispute.

·  Always check the course website. The class schedule and important updates will be found there.

·  Get a few of your classmates’ contact information. Your classmates are a valuable resource; forming supportive relationships with your cohorts will be immensely valuable during your educational career.

·  Come to class with an open mind. Try not to offend others, and try not to be offended. Interacting with and learning to empathize with those who are different from you is a vital aspect of the university experience.

·  Make use of campus resources. All faculty and staff want to see you flourish; we’re here to help.

·  Read instructions carefully and always ask for clarification if you are unsure about anything.

·  Don’t procrastinate! We have a great deal of material to cover, and it is very easy to fall behind. Set aside an appropriate amount of time every week so that you can keep up. A good rule of thumb is that for every hour spent in class, you should expect at least 2-3 hours of homework.

·  Keep your goals in mind. You have a limited amount of time and resources; don’t waste them.

·  Caffeine is not a substitute for sleep!