Medford High School
Mr. David Ambrose
English 10: British Literature
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Welcome, parents!
 Thank you for coming this evening.
 Goals for tonight:
 To help you understand the work we will be doing
throughout the school year.
 To explain my expectations for my students.
 To share information about how you can support
learning at home.
 To answer any questions about the course syllabus.
A Little About Me
 32 years old
 10th year teaching at Medford High School
 English 11 Honors
 English 10 Honors and English 10 Standard
 Yearbook
 Proud father to Ben and Charlotte (also students!)
 UMass Amherst ’03, B.A. English and Journalism
 UMass Amherst ’04, M.Ed.
About Our Student Teacher, Ms. Stevens
 24 years old; lives in Somerville; from Everett.
 Graduate student at Lesley University
 B.A. from Emerson College in Writing, Literature, and
Publishing
 Was a permanent sub and taught a few of Mr.
Ambrose’s classes last year.
 Mock Trial Coach and Co-Advisor for the Gay Straight
last year.
Curriculum Goals
 To create a safe and comfortable learning environment




for each student.
To provide each student the opportunity to express
himself/herself in a variety of appropriate and creative
ways.
To analyze and evaluate literature from various genres
and time periods.
To foster a love and appreciation for reading, writing,
speaking, and listening.
To prepare for standardized tests such as the MCAS
and PSAT.
Common Core Curriculum
 What is it?
 How does it affect what we do?
 A Greater Focus on Nonfiction
 Reading of Literature
 Reading of Informational Texts
 Speaking and Listening
 Writing
 Language
School-wide Initiatives
 Core Values
 Collaboration
 Engagement
 Personalization
 21st Century Learning Expectations
 Each is assessed by a school-wide rubric.
 English – responsible for Communication Skills
 Development of Common SMART Goals
 Measurable for teachers, measurable for students
Grading Policies
 Every student has the opportunity to succeed.
 Quarterly grades will be determined by dividing total
points earned over total possible points.
 5-30 point assignments: daily homework and classwork,
participation
 50 point assignments: quizzes, essay rough drafts
 100 point assignments: projects, formal essays, tests
 Printed grade reports are available upon request.
 Digital grade reports are available via iParent.
Class Information
 Literature
 An overview of British literature
 Standardized Test Preparation
 PSAT (October 2013)
 MCAS (Spring 2014)
 Reading and Writing Workshop
 Self-selected reading, nonfictional informational texts
 Grammar
 Vocabulary
MCAS
 An important focus for sophomore year
 Graduation requirement
 John and Abigail Adams Scholarship
 Weekly preparation on Fridays
 Weekly vocabulary and grammar
 Focus on nonfiction informational texts
 www.doe.mass.edu
 “MCAS”
 “Test Items”
 MCAS Question of the Day
 A tip for MCAS success: read, read, read!
How to get Involved
 Please bookmark the course website.
 www.misterambrose.com
 On the website, you will find the following:
 Current and archived homework assignments
 An e-mail link
 Examples of student work
 Links to help your child with homework
 Follow me on Twitter - @misterambrose
 Email me any time you like
Index Cards
 Your name and your child’s name
 Have you been receiving e-mails?
 Is there anything you want me to know so that I may
be a better teacher for your child?
 Is there anything you would like to share about your
child’s personality, interests, or previous academic
experiences?
Wrap Up
 Writing Contests
 Parent-Teacher Conferences
 Following first quarter report cards
 781.264.0881
 misterambrose@yahoo.com
 www.misterambrose.com
 Does anyone have any questions?
Thank you for coming!