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English 9
Whitesboro High School - Miss Nackley
Welcome to the high school! As ninth graders this will be an exciting year of fulfilling hard work designed to prepare you for the rest of your high school careers. This course and all the tasks assigned will be formulated to build upon the skills you have already developed as readers and writers. All classwork will be emphasized upon the basis of basic literary skills with a concentration on literary analysis. Students will also be expected to develop well-written, coherently organized responses. Throughout the year, we will be working on improving your communication skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening through a variety of learning experiences in accordance with the Common Core Standards.
Behavior/ Classroom Expectations
-Students are expected to be on time and in their seats when the bell rings. Typically there will be a bell-ringer that students will have to complete immediately following the bell. Repeated tardiness is not acceptable, I realize you only have several minutes in between classes. Plan accordingly and be on time. (See handbook for further details)
-Bring all of your required materials to class. I will not allow students to go to their lockers to get their materials. This goes for assignments as well. You are expected to have it at the same time as class. Any assignment received after your class period might have points reduced for being late.
-Rudeness in any form will NOT be tolerated. I do not believe in removing a student from the class but if one feels the need to impair the education of their classmates, I will not hesitate to take action. Bullying, swearing, rude noises, volatile actions, are not acceptable by any means.
-Maintain a positive attitude. Sometimes a book/subject might not appeal to all students. It is important to remember to keep an open mind and to be accepting that all topics will assist you academically in the future.
- Be polite and respectful at all times!!! We all have bad days, try your hardest to not reflect this upon others. If you are ever feeling down/depressed/angry, speak to me before class and I will try my best to accommodate you.
-CELL PHONE USE WILL NOT BE TOLERATED- It is both a school and personal rule that cellphones, laptops, listening devices, etc. are not to be used in the classroom. If I see them I will politely ask you to place the device into the “cellphone jail” where it will remain, untouched, until the end of the period. Refusal to give the device, and/or repeated offenses will result in the device being taken to the main office where a parent/guardian will have to pick it up at the end of the day.
Goals and Objectives
1.) There are many goals and objectives for this course as with any academic subject a student is required to take. The main goals for the course include:
· - Enjoying literature, poetry, drama, etc.
· -Enhancing your reading, writing, listening, speaking, and technology skills.
2.) The main objectives of this course include:
· -Demonstrating skill achievement in the areas of reading, writing listening, speaking, researching, and the use of technology.
· - Achieving successful scores on assignments and assessments.
· -Completing required tasks with diligence and hard work.
Homework
I do not believe in using homework on the regular. Assignments will be given at the teacher’s decision to do so. Typically this will only occur if extra practice is required, or there is not enough class time to complete the various work.
You will be graded upon the following:
-Participation
You are young adults now and are expected to act as such. Participation will be an important percentage of your grade for this class. All students will start out with 100% the grade will rise or fall based upon the following:
-Active participation in classroom discussions.
-Fulfillment of classroom activities.
-Focus.
-Being respectful, polite, prompt, and having all required materials.
-Classroom discussions/ group work
-These will typically be done within the class period. Therefore in order to receive points for this, students must be in class. Repeated absences might result in an impediment upon the student’s grade and the overall comprehension of the unit.
-If a student does miss class, they will be expected to approach the teacher to ask for any missed papers that might have been handed out.
-Journals
-Students will be expected to have their journals on hand at all times so as to respond accordingly to the prompts given by the teacher. These will be used to encourage critical thinking, while simultaneously developing student’s writing abilities. The journals will be viewed solely by the teacher. Grading will be based upon effort and writing ability.
-Essays, written responses, etc.
-Students should expect a writing assignment of some sort after the completion of every unit. This will be in relation to the previous unit and will be counted the same as a test would. Class time will be given to allow students to start the assignment, but students should NOT be surprised if they require personal time to finish. I will be readily available for assistance for the students during free periods, or e-mail. Class time that isn’t dedicated towards the essay will not be used for essay assistance.
-These writing assignments will be used to help students perfect their writing styles. Grading charts in accordance with common core standards will be employed
- Tests/Quizzes
-Students will receive multiple tests/quizzes throughout any given unit depending on the length of the subject.
-If a student is not in class on the day of the test, they will be expected to approach the teacher in order to make it up.
-I will do everything possible to prepare the students for his/her test so they can perform to the best of their abilities.
-If a student does poorly make-up tests will NOT be given. If the student is truly displeased with the grade they must approach me within a few days.
-Bonus Points
-In order to receive an opportunity for bonus points the student must write a one-page response as to why they deserve this opportunity, and why they feel they did poorly on the original assignment.
-This will be given at my discretion; approval/disapproval will be based on the student’s attitude and participation. (For example, rude behavior and classroom inattentiveness are not excuses for a failing grade, therefore these students might be refused.)
- This is subject to change.
Final Notes
I know this can be a fun year full of learning opportunities and chances to develop into wonderful young men and women. Please, let’s all do our parts to achieve this.