English 12 CP Syllabus

Ms. Kantilierakis

Fall 2014-Spring 2015

Welcome to English 12!

“I’m an experimenter in the sense that I write in order to change myself and in order not to think the same thing as before”

-Michel Foucault (2000)

Specific skill Sets for an English Literature Course. By the end of this school year, students should be able to:

1. Read and respond to a wide variety of texts that span many different genres and historical periods

2. Make connections across and within texts in order to synthesize new, original, and complex ideas

3. Develop an individual perspective on the arguments of writers of prose non-fiction and fiction, drama, and poetry studied and present their positions in both oral and written form.

4. Respond to assigned reading selections through a variety of informal writing activities as well as small group discussions.

5. Engage in writing as a process through a variety of activities, including instructor’s presentation of and responses to student questions about assignments prior to their completion; comments and suggestions, both oral and written, from instructor and peers on initial drafts; submission of revised drafts for further instructor and peer commentary; and “publication” of final, polished papers via online class “essay collections.”

6. Comprehend, respond to, and appreciate the artistry of a writer’s choice of specific words, sentence patterns, overall structure and the effects that those choices have on her or his readers’ receptions of a given text.

7. Identify, describe, and appreciate the conventions, purposes, and multiplicity of meanings of major literary genres and sub-genres, as well as the similarities and/or differences between these various forms.

8. Strengthen the ability to compose coherent and convincing argumentative essays about literary and non-fiction texts that are supported by textual and formal analysis.

9. Describe the conventions and structural elements of non-fiction prose, fiction, drama, and poetry, including such devices as point of view, setting, characterization, plot, and themes.

10. Write effective introductions to literary analyses, argumentative essays, and research papers.

11. Enhance skills in developing and sustaining an argument by reading own first drafts and constructing from those drafts an outline of the steps taken to prove that argument.

12. Describe and evaluate a range of literary-critical reading methodologies, including, but by no means limited to, Formalism, Gender, Marxist, Post-Colonial, Deconstruction, and New Criticism and its promotion of supposedly timeless, “universal” values and aesthetic hierarchies.

13. Use advanced rhetorical techniques and appropriate tone and demonstrate awareness of intended audience through instructor’s modeling and feedback on student papers at all stages of the writing process.

14. Write effective conclusions to literary analyses.

Course requirements:

· Writing Assignments: All assignments must have an MLA heading like to the one on this sheet. Name, date, assignment should be in the upper left corner (single-spaced). Every assignment should have a title. You will be given a more detailed sheet outlining paper format before your first formal writing assignment. Every writing assignment that earns a grade of C- or below must be rewritten.

· Binder: You are required to have a binder with two sections. One section will be for Class Notes and Do Now’s, second section will be for handouts on the writing process.

· Do Now’s: You are expected to begin the Do Now immediately upon entering the class. You will collect a Do Now sheet every Monday on which to record your Do Now responses for the week. This will be handed in every Friday for a participation grade. You will be graded on a check ++, check +, check, check -, and check - - basis. The Do Now is not an opportunity to socialize with your friends. The Do Now will ultimately become an introduction to new concepts that we will go over in class that same day, or the Do Now may be a review of a concept from the day before. Occasionally, the Do Now may be a reading check quiz, and if this is the case, your Do Now sheet will be collected and then returned to you the next day.

· Reading Assignments and Class Preparation: You are required to come to class having completed all assignments and readings that were assigned. I will occasionally give reading-check quizzes to ensure reading is being completed at home. You will also be asked to annotate for certain reading assignments. I do not aim to make this a lecture-style course, and therefore, you have the responsibility to come to class having read the assigned reading well so that you are able to contribute to class discussions.

· Class website: You are required to check the class website daily for assignments and any supplemental materials for the class. You will also find links to any handouts that you may have misplaced, as well as all instructional materials such as PowerPoints, Prezis, and videos. Even though I will post these materials for you to access at your own time, you are still expected to take careful notes in class. Hand-written note taking is an important element to the learning process. Taking hand-written notes forces you to rewrite the material in your own words and thus process the information more deeply.

· Classwork: You will very often be working in groups in which you will discuss the readings and ideas that are presented to you in class. Work that you produce with your group will be handed in at the end of class and will ultimately become part of your classwork grade

· Cell Phone Policy: There will be absolutely no use of cell phones while I am instructing, or while we are engaging in class discussion. Technology in the classroom can be wonderful when used as an educational tool and not means for distraction. Failure to comply with this cell phone policy will lead to a teacher detention. I will not waste my time, or the time of your classmates to collect your cell phones. Instead, you will be assigned a teacher detention during which you makeup the time you wasted on your phone in class. I will incorporate technology in my lessons, but you must not use your phones as a way to entertain yourselves during moments when you feel bored, or confused. Learn to resist the urge to look for distractions from the present moment.

· Late and Incomplete Assignments Policy:

o You DO NOT have the option to choose not to complete an assignment. When you feel as though you have the choice not to complete an assignment, then you are undermining the value of your schoolwork. If something is assigned to you it is because it has a meaningful purpose in the sequence of your development as a student.

o IF on the day a major assignment is due, you are not prepared, then you are required to fill out a Missing Work Log.

o Each day an assignment is late, you will lose 10% of the overall value of the assignment.

o If you do not have an assignment by the day after the initial due date, a phone call will be made to your parent or guardian, and a new due date will be assigned.

o If the new due date is still not met, you will be assigned a teacher detention during which you will work on the assignment.

o Failure to complete all major assignments during the marking period will result in an INCOMPLETE on your report card. This INCOMPLETE will remain until you complete the assignment.

o You have up to one day to make up any homework assignments for half credit. Beyond one day, you will receive a zero for homework.

· Make-up Work/ Absences:

o It is your responsibility to check the folder for any handouts that were passed out while you were out. It is your responsibility to ask a classmate for any notes, and to check the class website for any presentation materials. It is also your responsibility to come to me with any questions about what was covered in class.

o Make-up Quizzes and Tests: You have one week from the original test/quiz date to come to me to arrange a date to re-take the quiz/test. If you have still not arranged a make-up date with me after a week, I will take off 20 points for each day you choose not to make it up. After two weeks, you will receive a zero for that test or quiz.

· E-mails: Please feel free to e-mail me with any questions on the assignments or material that was reviewed in class. If you have a question about your grade, you must speak to me about that in person. An e-mail inquiring about your grade will be ignored unless it asks to arrange a time before or after school to discuss your grade. All e-mails must be written in a professional manner:

o Include a subject line that refers to the matter in question

o Begin with a greeting such as “Dear Ms. Kantilierakis,” or “Hello Ms. Kantilierakis,”

o Include a closing such as “Thank you, (new line) your name”

· Plagiarism: Academic dishonesty is not tolerated. Copying language directly from any text without notation is plagiarism. The plagiarism policy is stated in the Woodsman/Agenda Book. If you need help citing text ask for help. If any work is found to be copied from another student’s work, neither student will receive credit for the assignment.

· Finally, Ask Questions, and Participate: You are not allowed to prevent yourself from asking a question because you believe it is stupid or will result in eye-rolls or chuckles from your classmates. We will all react to our questions and comments with respect. This is a thinking course as much as it is a writing and reading course. Therefore, there are no right and wrong answers and our ideas, no matter how small, can enhance the entire course.

Grading:

MP 1 MP 2,3,4

Summer Reading 10%
Homework 10% / Homework 10%
Writing 25% / Writing 30%
Quizzes 15% / Quizzes 15%
Tests/ Projects 20% / Tests/Projects 25%
Classwork 20% / Classwork 20%

Grading Scale:

97-100% / A+
93-96% / A
90-92% / A-
87-89% / B+
83-86% / B
80-82% / B-
77-79% / C+
73-76% / C
70-72% / C-
67-69% / D+
63-66% / D
60-62% / D-
0-59% / F

5 Simple Class Rules:

1) Be here 2) Be prepared 3) Be respectful 4) Be honest 5) Be a good listener

I look forward to a wonderful and productive school year! Like Foucault states, I hope that we too can change and not think the same as before with every text, every writing assignment, and every class. Please do not hesitate to ask me any questions.

E-mail:

Website: http://www.nplainfield.org//Domain/870

I have read and understood our class rules, requirements, and expectations:

Signature: ______Date: ______

Printed Name: ______