9(1) English

Mrs. Kirk

Room: A115

Phone: 610 627-6250

Email:

Website: Go to Rtmsd.org to Penncrest to eFaculty to Kirk

Class materials

•Three-ringed binder divided into the following sections: literature, vocabulary, writing, grammar, and miscellaneous. This will serve as a folder and a notebook.

•Highlightersand post-it notes for home use (the 1x2 or 2x2 size would be best)

  • $10 check payable to RTMSD for vocabulary workbook

Core readings:

  • To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
  • Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck
  • Night, Elie Wiesel
  • The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare
  • The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain
  • Poetry unit
  • Students will also read various articles and one self-selected novel per month.

Assessments (with approximate frequency and point values):

  • Reading and literature notes, quizzes, responses (almost daily-10+ points)
  • Vocabulary and grammar quizzes (weekly-30 points)
  • Essay tests on core readings (100 points)
  • Writing Assignments (25-100 points)
  • Self-selected book journals and culminating project (30-100 points)
  • Periodical criticisms / précis assignments (25-50points)
  • Spot-checked homework (2 points: 2=complete; 1= at least 50% complete)
  • Class discussions, presentations, informal writing, blog postings, etc. …

Policies and Expectations:

  • This class is intended to be challenging. You can and should seek after-school help when needed. I am available each day until at least 2:55.
  • Assignments are due at the beginning of the class period on the announced due date. Late assignments will be penalized or not accepted at all if they were reviewed in class.
  • Some homework will be collected and graded; some homework will be spot checked for two points; some homework will be reviewed in class but not checked for points. All work is valuable to your learning regardless of its point value.
  • Computer and/or printer problems do not legitimize lateness. Be resourceful. If you have printer problems, see me before school, and I will gladly help you.
  • Follow directions. Use the hard copies of directions provided. Check the website or with a peer if you lose them. Submit assignments as directed.
  • Absent students will be held responsible for checking the class website, making arrangements to make up missed work, and taking announced tests and submitting work due during the absence upon their return to school. If the absence is planned, notify me and get the work you will miss. Students present for any part of the school day are required to submit any assignments due that day to my classroom or faculty mailbox.
  • Work that violates the school or class guidelines for academic integrity will receive a zero and may not be made up.
  • Mobile devices should not be seen, heard, or used unless I directly give you permission. Please ask for permission!
  • Students should abide by the following rules:

be punctual: be seated and ready to work when the bell rings; look for

directions or warm-up activities on the board

be prepared: have all materials with you (books, notes, charged iPad…)

be polite: be respectful to all; behave in a way that does not disturb the

teaching and learning

Academic Integrity: English Class Honor Code

Our objective this year is to reinforce or build the skills you’ll need for the rest of your lives as critical thinkers and as readers and writers of the English language. Learning comes from hard work. Cheating may help you earn a few points here and there, but your grade will be hollow. At the end of the school year, you will have gained nothing. Even worse, your personal integrity and reputation may be tarnished.

I recognize that in many instances students cheat not because they are lazy or indifferent, but because they are overwhelmed or struggling. If this is ever the case for you, rather than violate the honor code, see me so I can help you. In June, I want you to feel a genuine sense of pride and growth.

You can read our school’s academic integrity policy on the website; in addition to that policy, our class has two specific guidelines that will act as the cornerstone of our work this year.

I. Read the work assigned—the actual books and articles.

The Internet has made it is easy, and tempting, to take short cuts when it comes to assigned reading. However, reading or hearing a summary of a piece of literature does not utilize the same mental muscles as actually reading the text and using your brain to interpret and process the information. Furthermore, reading the carefully crafted sentences of an author helps us build our vocabulary, vary our sentence style, grasp grammar and usage, and appreciate the art that is writing.

Although sustaining focus or comprehending the text can be difficult, reading more and often will build up these skills. If you are having difficulty understanding a book or if your reading is taking a long time, please see me so I can offer help!

Some advice for completing assigned readings:

  • Read when you feel alert. Don’t save reading as your last assignment of the night.
  • If you are given several days to complete a reading, set small goals and read a bit each day. Take a minute to briefly summarize chunks of your reading.
  • Use the note-taking techniques that will be taught in class (or others that you may know).
  • Keep in mind that even the best readers sometimes struggle. Reread tricky passages and note questions on post-its.
  • If you find that you are not interested in what you are reading, make the book more interesting: Picture characters as people you already know, ask yourself how the book applies to your experiences, critique the author’s writing style as you read….

II. Your work should be your own.

A. Unless specifically directed, do not consult or use outside sources for class assignments.

I am interested in your insights, questions, and interpretations; therefore, you do not need to consult other sources. Unless it is noted otherwise, all assignments are to be completed independently.

B. When outside sources are permitted or required, cite the information from the source.

Any time you use an outside source you MUST include the source in a bibliography and cite the source each time you use its ideas (even if you put those ideas in your words). Furthermore, you must quote and cite the source each time you use its exact words.

Examples:

Author’s exact words:

“Freshman year sets the tone for your high school career” (Graham 6).

Student’s summary of author’s idea:

The importance of freshman year cannot be underestimated (Graham 2).

*Under no circumstance should you copy and paste from a web source.

C. Do not allow others to copy your work and do not give others test information. Do not put others into an uncomfortable position by asking them to share answers or test information with you. Both the giver and recipient of answers, homework, test information, etc. will receive a zero and their parents will be notified. Keep the course fair for all students.

“Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that's right is to get by, and the only thing that's wrong is to get caught.”

J.C. Watts

“Rather fail with honor than succeed by fraud.”

Sophocles

“Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.”

Thomas Jefferson

______

This is my favorite course to teach. I LOVE ninth graders, and I LOVE the books we read in this course. I truly want to see you succeed, to learn and to grow, and to enjoy this class. Please let me know if you are struggling.

I want to help.