CP ENGLISH 11 Syllabus – 2016-2017
TEACHERS: Ms. Tina Sypher & Mrs. Margaret Johnson
E-MAILS:
WEBPAGE:
ROOM: 205
PHONE: 479-1600 x2050/Sypher & x3047/Johnson
TEXTBOOK: The Language of Literature: American Literature
Welcome to your junior year of English. To help you better understand all that is expected, you should read the following classroom procedures carefully. Please ask questions if you do not understand.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
What makes one an American? Is there one identity that defines all Americans? This course offers a survey of American literature from its “beginnings” – Native American oral traditions and the Puritan era – to Post-Modernism. You will interpret literary works within their historical contexts – noting the influences of race, class, and gender on society – and make connections to your own lives. You will continue to develop and refine reading, writing, research, listening, viewing, and speaking skills while studying a wide range of literary forms and genres. You will utilize active reading strategies, process writing, and higher order/critical thinking skills to analyze and interpret reading selections from specific time periods and cultural movements (such as Puritanism, the American Renaissance, Transcendentalism, Individualism, and Realism).
GRADING PRACTICES:
Each assignment or assessment is worth a given number of points. Your marking period grade is the number of points that you have earned divided by the number of possible points that you could have earned. This gives you a percentage and a subsequent letter grade based on the following scale: 90100% = A, 8089% =B, 7079% = C, 6069% = D, below 60% = F (e.g., if you earned 396 points out of 500 possible points, your average would be 79% B). Please remember that grades are earned, not given!
HOME ACCESS CENTER:
You and your parent/guardian can monitor your grades in this class by using the Home Access Center. Grades are updated weekly on the website.You may request a Student Detail Report at any time. I strongly encourage you to check your grades frequently and ask questions if anything is unclear!
SCHOOLOGY:
Schoologyis alearning management systemthat allows me to create, manage, and share content and resources for this course. Once I have given you the access code, you must join the course.
HOMEWORK POLICY:
Homework is given as an extension of a lesson. It will be checked and graded. It is due at the beginning of class for full credit. You must hand the assignment to me or put it in the top tray on my desk.
COMPUTER/PRINTER POLICY:
You may not use the computers in the back of the classroom without my permission. I will not give you permission to print any assignment that was given as homework. Do not ask to go to the library to print an assignment. Assignments do not need to be typed so please handwrite them if you do not have access to a printer.
LATE WORK POLICY:
You must complete each assignment on time for full credit. Lateness will result in a loss of points: 1 “day”(i.e., the next time the class meets) late will be a 20% reduction and 2 “days” late will be a 50% reduction of the total possible points. No work will be accepted after 2“days” unless there are special circumstances and a parent/guardian communicates with me. When an assignment isreviewed in class on the day that it’s due and the correct answers are shared, you can only earn half credit for the assignment.
ABSENCE PROCEDURE:
Your daily attendance is essential for success! However, if you miss an assignment or assessment because of an excused absence, you need to make up work promptly. It is your responsibility to check with me on the day that you return to class to find out what you’ve missed.If an absence is “unexcused,” you may receive a zero for the assignment(s) and/or assessment(s) completed that day and a reduction of points for assignments that were due. You have the number of days that you were absent from class to make up the assignment or assessment that you missed (e.g. if you are absent for two class periods, then you must complete all of the work within two class periods after you’ve returned).
LATENESS PROCEDURE:
You are expected to arrive to class on time!After 3 unexcused lates to class, you will be referred to your administrator each and every time that you are late. If you’re late because you’re with a staff member, you musthave a pass signed by that person. If you’re late, quickly and quietly enter the room without disturbing the classroom environment. If you’re more than 15 minutes late without a pass, you’re considered absent, and you’ll be referred to an administrator for a class cut.
TESTING POLICY:
Testing is done periodically. All tests and quizzes are announced. Quizzes are given for smaller amounts of information, such as a list of vocabulary words. Tests are given for larger amounts of information, such as the completion of a unit. A review precedes all tests. If you are absent on the day of a quiz or test, you must make up the quiz or test promptly; otherwise, you’ll receive a zero. There are no retests in this class.
There is a midterm exam that everyone is expected to take, and there is a final exam that some, if not all, students will take. Each exam is worth 1/10 of the final grade for the class.
PARTICIPATION:
Your use of class time will be included in your “participation” grade. This includes bringing required materials, working well independently and with others, and participating in small and large group discussions. Failure to bring required materials to class or inappropriate behavior will result in a loss of points. Attempting to sleep during class, attempting to complete another teacher’s assignment during class, or other off-task behaviors will result in a loss of points.
CELL PHONE POLICY:
You are not allowed to use your cell phone at all during class unless I tell you that you can use it during a lesson. You are not allowed to charge your cell phone during class. Please silence your phone and put it away before class begins.
HALL PASS POLICY:
You are expected to use the restroom and go to your locker in between classes. Please don’t come into the room and ask to leave immediately. BHS has a 10-minute rule so I will not sign hall passes during the first or last 10 minutes of the period. Your agenda is your hall pass all year so you need to have it with you in order to leave the room.
HELP POLICY:
Ask for help when you need it! I am always willing to help you succeed. If you need more help than I can give to you during class, please make arrangements to meet with me before or after school.
CHEATING POLICY:
Cheating is an attempted or actual act of dishonesty. Both the student lending answers or work and the student "borrowing" answers or work will receive a zero. In other words, do not let anyone copy your work or you will receive a zero.
PLAGIARISM POLICY:
Plagiarism is cheating that consists of using the words or ideas of another as if they are your own. You can easily avoid plagiarism by giving credit to the person whose words or ideas you use in your written work.
a)When you use a direct quotation of another person's words, you must put those words in quotation marks and say who the author or speaker is.
b)When you summarize or paraphrase the ideas or words of another person, rather than quoting them directly, you still must give the person credit.
c)When you make use in your paper of another person's ideas by recreating that person's general argument, you still must give credit.
Never pretend that words or ideas taken from another person are your own; always give that person credit. To do so is dishonest. Plagiarism is unacceptable. You will receive a zero for any assignment that includes plagiarism.
Please remember that your behavior directly impacts your ability to be successful in class. Always give your best effort, and ask for help when you need it! Also remember that your behavior impacts your classmates’ ability to be successful in class. Treat everyone in the class with respect!
CLASSROOM RESPONSIBILITIES:
Always comply with the Brandywine School District Code of Student Conduct in this classroom.
Be prompt. Arrive to class on time. Be in your seat and ready to work when the bell rings. Please don’t stand outside or inside the doorway prior to the start of class.
Be polite. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Show respect to everyone and to everyone’s belongings. Each person is recognized as unique and important. For example, take turns speaking; listen without interrupting; don’t touch something that belongs to someone else; don’t ask for someone else to give you a pen or paper; clean up after yourself; refrain from using profanity or from saying hurtful things. Having a classroom culture of respect and responsibility is essential to everyone’s success this year. Therefore, any behavior that interferes with the progress or performance of any student will not be tolerated.
Be prepared. Bring all necessary materials to class everyday. You need a notebook, loose-leaf paper and a blue or black pen every day! Go to your locker before class. Use the restroom before class. Use the water fountain before class or bring bottled water. If you’re not in the classroom, then you can’t participate, and participation is part of your grade. Being prepared is a critical step for academic success.
Be productive. Be on task at all times. Do your own work – it’s better to make a mistake and learn from it. Be an active participant. Don’t put your head down on the desk. Don’t complete another teacher’s assignment during class. Don’t ask to make up work with another teacher during English class. Don’t use a cell phone during class. Don’t stop working early. Don’t gather by the doorway – remain at your desk until the bell rings.
Dear Student and Parent(s)/Guardian(s):
Education is a collaborative endeavor, i.e. student, parent(s)/guardian(s), and teachers must work together towards a common goal: success in the classroom. In order for a student to thrive academically and meet the challenging Common Core Standards, effective communication must take place among the student, the parent(s)/guardian(s), and the teachers. Included in this syllabus are the grading practices and classroom responsibilities of our English class.
After reviewing this syllabus, we are asking both student and parent/guardian to sign the declaration* at the bottom of this letter and return it to school by Friday. We are looking forward to your help and support throughout the year. Parent(s)/guardian(s) and students are welcome to call us at school, 479-1600, ext. 2050 (Sypher) or ext. 3047 (Johnson) with questions and/or concerns or e-mail us at or .
We are looking forward to a great year!
Sincerely,
Ms. Sypher and Mrs. Johnson
*I have read the attached syllabus of English class this year.
Print your name ______
Your signature ______Date ______
Print parent/guardian’s name ______
Parent/Guardian’s signature ______Date ______
Phone number(s) ______Best time to be reached? ______
E-mail address ______
Comments: