Mr. Mark Afram Room 317 English 12 Phone: (626) 441-5820, ext. 2317 (not working at this time) Email: mafram@spusd.net Conference Period: Period 5 English 12 Syllabus and Class Policies Part I: Course Syllabus Welcome to English 12! I’m excited about the upcoming year, and I look forward to a successful year together. I spent time over the summer collaborating with Ms. Greenhouse, and we hope that this class will be a wonderful way to conclude your time in South Pas. This is a college preparatory class, and students will receive credit for the Cal State and UC systems. That said, I will work to make this class interesting, engaging, and fun. Over the course of the year, we will also delve into a variety of topics, and we will explore the following Essential Questions (among others): 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Who am I? What factors and experiences have shaped my identity? What is truth? How is the truth determined? What affects our perception of truth? What is society? What is my role in society? What circumstances and emotions constitute the human experience? What’s the best way to live? What are your values? Below is a brief selection of the texts for the school year. Please note that due to space constraints, not all works are included. The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien (excerpts) Funny in Farsi by Firoozeh Dumas (excerpts) Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell (excerpts) Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie Beowulf, Author Unknown The Tragedy of Macbeth, by William Shakespeare Selected poems, essays, and short stories While SPHS has these books in the library, many students find it helpful to purchase these texts for their personal use. Research indicates that highlighting and annotating literature increases a reader’s comprehension of the material. My students will receive extensive instruction in annotation, and this course will further develop those skills. It is important to note that a significant portion of the grade in Twelfth Grade English involves a hands-on research project. More detailed information will be provided later, and this project will cover significant portions of both the first and second semesters. Late work will not be accepted during the project. Part II: Guiding Principles A. Basic Rules Rather than clutter your mind with a list of dos and don’ts, my classroom rules consist of three principles: A. Try your best; B. Respect others; and C. Stay on task. If you follow these tenets, you will do well in English 12! 1 B. Student Engagement I work to ensure that all my students are actively engaged in class. To this end, I rely heavily on spirited discussions, Socratic Seminars, collaborative projects, and connecting the literature to popular culture or current events. If you have ideas or suggestions to make class more relevant, please speak with me directly! C. A Word About Common Core… SPUSD has implemented the Common Core State Standards for the past few years. Not only does English 12 meet these new standards, but it exceeds these expectations with its rigor and depth. Common Core aside, I want my students to become critical readers and talented writers who love the printed word. Part III: Specific Policies A. Homework: Homework is assigned after most class meetings and is designed to develop the content discussed in class. I don’t believe in assigning excessive amounts of homework, but please be mindful that it does constitute 20% of a student’s overall grade. Homework is posted in two locations: on the white board or on the SPHS website. I generally upload all the necessary handouts onto the school site. I recommend that you have a “homework buddy.” Write her/his information below: Name: Contact Info: Note: In the event of an absence, you are STILL RESPONSIBLE for the assignment. For example, if you are absent on Monday, you are still responsible for completing Monday night’s homework. If you return to school on Wednesday, then submit the assignment from Monday. The only exception to this policy is with a note from a medical professional. If, on the unlikely occasion a homework assignment is submitted late, you will receive half credit. My late policy alters slightly if a major project or essay is due. In this situation, the project or essay is due on the date assigned, regardless of an absence. You will always have ample notice of the due date, and if you cannot attend class, make arrangements to turn-in the assignment early. B. Supplies: You will only need a few supplies for this class: a single subject spiral notebook, pencils, blue or black pens, and a highlighter. Please bring these items to class on a daily basis. If, for any reason, obtaining these items constitutes a financial hardship, please speak with me privately. C. Make-Up Quizzes and Tests: If you are absent for a quiz or test, you have ONE WEEK to make-up the assessment. If more than one week elapses, then you have forfeited this opportunity. The only exception to this policy is with a note from a medical professional. Make-up quizzes and tests are administered on Wednesdays at 2:45 PM or during Period 7. If you cannot meet during those time slots, please make other arrangements with me. If a test is scheduled during your morning class, and you are absent in the morning, but return to school later in the day, you are still obligated to take the exam THAT DAY. Please note, 2 however, that if you are regularly absent on the dates of assessments, you may forfeit the opportunity to receive make-up examinations. D. Plagiarism: Plagiarism occurs when an individual takes credit for another person’s words or ideas. Please cite your sources in your writing. Also, all written work is to be completed individually unless otherwise stated. You may certainly discuss the assignments with other classmates, but all written work should be your own. If you need help paraphrasing or quoting a particular source, I am happy to provide assistance. Do not, however, steal the words of others. All plagiarism cases will be referred to your counselor and Ms. Wichman. E. Attendance: Class attendance is critical to success. While I understand that unforeseen circumstances arise, I generally expect you to attend class on time. If you are late to class more than three times during the course of the semester, you will lose participation points. In order to be marked present, you must be in your seat and working on the warm-up. Students who walk through the door as the bell rings are considered late. F. Grades: Your grade is divided into the following categories: Homework: Participation (including late attendance): Performance Tasks and Writing Assignments: Tests and Quizzes: 20% 25% 30% 25% Here is the grading scale: A+ A AB+ B BC+ C CD+ D DF 100% – 97% 96% -- 93% 92% -- 90% 89% -- 87% 86% -- 83% 82% -- 80% 79% -- 77% 76% -- 73% 72% -- 70% 69% -- 67% 66% -- 63% 62% -- 60% 59% or lower Please note that I post my grades online via Aeries. If you or your parents need a password to this site, please contact the main office. I believe in giving prompt feedback, and I grade work as quickly as possible. Essays, however, do take me longer, and I often need two to three weeks with longer writing assignments. Finally, I post grades in the classroom on a weekly basis. Just remember your student ID! 3 Part IV: Conclusion I recognize that this packet is a lot to absorb. If anything is confusing or needs clarification, please do not hesitate to ask me. I love my job, and I WANT ALL STUDENTS TO SUCCEED IN English 12. I will do everything in my power to make this a positive year. If you have any concerns to share, I am always eager to listen. Please SIGN and DETACH the lower portion of this page. I, Print Student Name , have read and understood this packet. Additional comments, if desired: Student Signature Parent/Guardian Signature 4