Medford High School
Mr. David Ambrose
English 11 Honors: American 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
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for each student.
To simulate a college English classroom by providing
students the opportunity to guide their own learning.
To analyze and evaluate American literature from
various genres and literary movements.
To begin focused exploration of colleges and
universities.
To prepare for standardized tests such as the SAT.
To improve students’ reading and writing skills.
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 American literature
 Standardized Test Preparation
 PSAT (October 2013)
 SAT (January, March, May, June 2014)
 Reading and Writing Workshop
 Self-selected reading, nonfiction informational texts
 Grammar
 Vocabulary
 SAT Vocabulary “Hit Parade”
 In-context Vocabulary
PSAT and SAT
 PSAT (October 2013)
 A “no consequences,” realistic practice for SAT
 National Merit Qualifying Exam
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A status which is quite prestigious
 $30 registration fee
 Friday practice sessions in class
 Monday lunch sessions
 SAT (January, March, May, June 2014)
 www.collegeboard.com
 Sign up for the SAT Question of the Day
 A tip for SAT 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
 Special Opportunities
 Writing Contests
 AP Test
 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!