11th GradeSyllabus /
Mr. Sam McClymont “Mr. Mack”email:
Room: 206 Voicemail: (510) 618-4600, ext. 2206
Office Hours: Monday-Thursday @Lunch Wednesday: after school by appt. only
Visit our class webpage: / “Teacher WebPages” / “McClymont, Samuel”
Objective
AVID 11 elective is a class focusing on developing student’s skills and abilities with a focus on college eligibility and success. This year we will focus on cultivating a comprehensive list of colleges and universities for each student that they are interested and eligible to attend. In addition, we will focus on a core set of four essential academic skills required for success in both rigorous high school and college level courses.
Apply AVID skills including note taking, organization, time management and goal setting
Participate in tutorials for academic courses
Participate in reading and writing-to-learn activities, including note taking, learning logs, and essay writing
Improve oral communication through a variety of activities such as presentations, philosophical chairs & Socratic Seminars
Research college opportunities, requirements, and prepare for college entrance exams such as the PSAT, SAT, or ACT with a focus on creating a list of schools to apply to for the following school year.
Participate in volunteer and extracurricular activities and complete the corresponding logs with a focus on preparing students to complete the personal statement essays that many schools require.
Necessary Materials:- Good quality 3” 3-ring binder (preferably the kind with pocket inserts on the front and back covers)
- Six dividers (to separate each class, including AVID)
- Zippered pouch to store supplies such as pens and pencils (a 3-hole punched heavy duty Ziploc bag will also work)
- Two or more pens (blue or black ink only)
- Two or more #2 pencils
- One eraser
- One or more highlighter pens
- College-ruledloose leaf lined paper
- Binder 3-hole punch
- Liquid Paper/white-out pen
- Calculator
- Ruler
- Personal manual pencil sharpener
- Sticky Notes
- Color pencil / Marker set
- Pocket dictionary (VERY important for SAT Prep and advanced class readings)
- Paper hole reinforcement labels
Your first AVID binder check is just a materials check (worth 150 points). You need ALL of the above necessarymaterials or you will earn an F for that grade. If you financially struggle to purchase these materials, you must put me on notice ASAP.
Typical weekly schedule (The 2 Curriculum & 2 Tutorial Days are subject to switch)
AVID Curriculum includes reading and writing-to-learn strategies and exercises, time management strategies, goal setting, test preparation, college exploration, and oral language / public speaking activities.
Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / FridayAVID Curriculum / Tutorials / A.V.I.D. Binder Check
Learning Log due & Cornell Notes spot-check
IRC due (alternating every other week)
Non-fiction reading & analysis / AVID Curriculum / Tutorials
Office Hours:
In order to support students, I have dedicated office hours throughout the school week. Although I will endeavor to allow students to “drop in,” if there is specific or time-sensitive help that you need or if you need to meet with me before or after school I ask that you sign up in class for an “appointment.”
Portfolio:
Just like last year students will be turning in a portfolio of their work each semester. This year the portfolio will focus more on the college tabs, as students will be expected to complete projects demonstrating their knowledge of college awareness/readiness/preparedness. The same materials (binder, tabs, etc.) may be used again provided that they are in good condition
Volunteer/Extracurricular Logs
Continuing from our initiative last year, students will be expected to participate in both community service and extracurricular activities. The goal behind this is to provide students will experiences that they can draw from and share in the essay’s that they will be required to write during the college application process during their senior year. Each semester AVID teachers and leaders will offer scheduled volunteering activities such as trash clean up or helping in a soup kitchen. In order to meet this porfolio requirement, student must be able to write about their experience and explain to a reader how helping others helped them grow as a person.
The same goes for the extracurricular activities. Colleges are increasingly looking for students who can successfully participate in a group activity both as a leader and as a supportive follower. There are tons of opportunities at SLHS ranging from sports to clubs. In fact, several of the clubs on campus offer regular community service projects that make it easy for AVID students to satisfy both requirements. Just like with the volunteer log, students will be expected to write about their experiences and how it helped them grow as a person
Grading Scale / Policy
AVID 10 will continue supporting students as they develop into a college ready community. The grading will be weighted and is broken down below.
- 25%: Binders
- 25%: IRCs & Assignments (There is a 10% participation grade built into this for credit/no credit work)
- 25%: Tutorials (Complete an extra Learning Logs if absent on a Tutorial day – this will count as a make-up Tutorial grade)
- 25%: Portfolio/Special Projects grade
Class Rules & Consequences
Just as adult professionals in their jobs must adhere to certain expectations - and have consequences when they are not met - you too have expectations and consequences as professional students in this and any class. In addition to following school policy, below is a list of rules and consequences for our classroom.
- BE ON TIME: This class will start on time and students should be in their seats with materials ready. Students who are late will be marked tardy. In accordance with the SLHS attendance policy, students who are late to class three times in a 5-day period or five times in a 10-day period will be written a referral and receive after school detention. Additionally, if you are late on a tutorial day you will automatically receive a 20% deduction in grade for that tutorial.
- NO ELECTRONICS IN CLASS (mp3 players/iPod, cell phone, etc.)! If I see or hear your electronic device or earphones, I will enforce the SLHS school-wide consequences for having electronics (take yours away, give it to the Assistant Principals’ office to be picked up after school, and parents/guardians will have to collect it from the A.P. office after first offense). Failure to surrender device to me upon request will be an automatic referral for defiance. Play it safe: Keep electronics – and earphones - in your locker to avoid trouble.
- BE PREPARED EVERY DAY! You need to bring your binder and all materials to class each day (this includes resource materials/books needed for Tutorials). I will not lend you materials if you forget them. This is additionally important on tutorial days as failure to bring all required materials will result in a loss of points on that tutorial
- RESPECT FOR CLASSMATES AND TEACHER AND CLASSROOM! Always be professional:
Don’t interrupt when others are talking; no profanity; respect differences; don’t be argumentative or talk back; no inappropriate tampering with computers, materials, furniture or windows; no grooming during class; no sleeping.
Failure to act professionally and with respect will result in a phone call home and a teacher detention. Extremely inappropriate behavior or defiance will result in an automatic administrative referral and/or parent conference.
Late Work Policy:
- Late assignments will receive a 15% deduction and you will have a maximum of three days to turn it in. This includes late assignments due to unexcused tardies. However, if you have an unexcused absence/cut class on the day work is due, you will receive no/zero credit for that work. See absence policy below in the event you have an excused absence when work is due. If your binder + all Cornell Notes aren’t organized and ready before you enter class on a Binder Check day, you will not receive any credit or have a make-up opportunity for that grade.
- Late work is to be turned in before class, at lunch, or after school. Please pay close attention to my office hours as I will not give you an extension because you did not turn it in during the appropriate times.
Absent Work Policy
- If you are absent for an assignment:I will endeavor to put any special handouts or assignments into your specific file folder so that it is waiting for you when you return. For standing assignments there are the following policies. For a missed tutorial, you must turn in a one page typed learning log within a week of your missed tutorial. For a missed binder check, you must come in at lunch within one week of the missed binder check with another student to complete the binder check. *** If you have an unexcused absence or cut for the day of a binder check or tutorial, you will not be allowed to make it up and will receive a zero for that assignment!
Plagiarism / Cheating/Forgery
All work that you turn in must be yours or properly cited (do not misrepresent others’ work or ideas as your own).
Do not let other students “borrow” or copy any of your work (Use the sample binder, course webpage, or teacher for help).
Academic dishonesty on any work will receive ZERO credit, with no opportunity for makeup/retake. No exceptions!
Students are expected to turn in documents with parent signatures and grade checks reflecting accurate/up to date information any forgery or falsification of these documents will result in severe consequences including parent conferences and school wide disciplinary actions.
Additional Information
- As a major part of the college going culture at SLHS, it is important to be visible on campus. I want to see ALL AVID students participating in our “College Wednesday” days wearing either apparel from colleges OR an AVID class shirt.
- While your senior year is going to be focused primarily on your personal college process, please remember and think about the legacy you leave behind in both AVID and SLHS. Let’s challenge ourselves to always consider how we can leave the program even better than we found it.
- We are in the process of a technological overhaul in the school district, the school, and in the AVID program. Since this is a significant undertaking, there may be growing pains in terms of things not “working.” Your patience and understanding is appreciated and expected.