Syllabus for English 2R

SYLLABUS FOR ECC ENGLISH R ~ FALL 2006 SECTIONS 6008 & 6034

INSTRUCTOR INFO: MRS. BURRUSS (OR MRS. “B”) (310) 532-3670 EXT. 4404 EMAIL ADDRESS: [email protected] (put name & sec # in subject line)

WEB SITE: http://www.elcamino.edu/faculty/nburruss

Messages will be checked at least once daily (M-TH) throughout the semester. Please call any time you want to; this is a voicemail system. If you plan to drop the class, PLEASE notify me! I am here to help you! CLASSROOM POLICIES:  RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER IS MY PET PEEVE. o LANGUAGE AND DISCUSSION MUST BE APPROPRIATE o STUDENTS MUST NOT BE A DISTRACTION TO OTHERS . PERSONAL CONVERSATIONS AT INAPPROPRIATE TIMES, ACADEMIC OR OTHERWISE . MAKING UNNECCESSARY NOISE DURING CLASS OR LAB TIME ~ clicking pens, cell phones, etc. o CONSEQUENCES . LOSS OF POINTS . SUSPENSION FROM CLASS . BEING DROPPED FROM THE COURSE.  FOOD AND DRINK IS NOT ALLOWED IN THE CLASSROOM OR COMPUTER LAB. ROACHES LIKE CRUMBS! o A SPORTS WATER BOTTLE WILL BE ACCEPTED IN THE CLASSROOM ONLY o STEP OUTSIDE THE DOOR OF THE LAB TO DRINK WATER  CHEATING (INCLUDING PLAGERISM) WILL NOT BE TOLERATED o ZERO ON THE ASSIGNMENT o BEING DROPPED FROM THE COURSE o A FORMAL RECORD OF THE INCIDENT WILL BE FILED WITH THE COLLEGE. REMEMBER, COPYING WILL NOT RESULT IN LEARNING OR A FEELING OF SELF-PRIDE FOR YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

CLASS MEETINGS: CLASS BEGINS PROMPTLY AND WILL NOT END EARLY! IT IS YOUR COMMITMENT TO BE IN CLASS THE ENTIRE TIME AND PLAN OTHER ACTIVITIES ACCORDINGLY. THESE INCLUDE EATING, WORK, AND DOCTOR’S APPTS. FOR YOURSELF AND OTHERS!

IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE FLEXIBLE AND ATTEND CLASS! NOTE: QUESTIONS ASKED DURING CLASS TIME OFTEN BENEFIT OTHER STUDENTS AS WELL. AS YOU STUDY, PLEASE WRITE DOWN YOUR QUESTIONS SO THAT THEY MAY BE ANSWERED IN CLASS.  INFORMATION MAY CHANGE o HAVE AT LEAST TWO STUDY BUDDIES o TAKE NOTES/HANDOUTS FOR EACH OTHER (IF ABSENT) o HOMEWORK MUST BE IN ON TIME YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CLASS INFORMATION, EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT THERE! THIS INCLUDES GETTING YOUR HOMEWORK TURNED IN ON TIME! (YOU MAY E-MAIL HOMEWORK OR TURN IT IN EARLY)

COURSE OBJECTIVE STUDENTS WILL IMPROVE GENERAL READING, WRITING, AND THINKING ABILITIES THROUGH INCREASING THE FOLLOWING SKILLS: COMPREHENSION, VOCABULARY, READING SPEED, THINKING & WRITING PROCESSES, ESSAY AND OBJECTIVE STUDY SKILLS, AND TEST-TAKING TECHNIQUES. THESE SKILLS ARE NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS.

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND EXPECTATIONS: JOHN LOCKE WROTE, “READING FURNISHES OUR MIND ONLY WITH MATERIAL AND KNOWLEDGE. IT IS THINKING THAT MAKES WHAT WE READ OURS.” WE WILL WORK TOGETHER TO STRENGTHEN YOUR READING COMPREHENSION, VOCABULARY, AND JOY IN READING, WHILE INCREASING YOUR WRITING SKILLS! HOW TO PASS THIS CLASS: CREDIT/NO CREDIT COURSE. TO RECEIVE CREDIT FOR THIS COURSE, YOU MUST REACH 2 GOALS: 1. ACHIEVE AT LEAST 70 %, OR A LETTER GRADE OF “C” OR BETTER ON COURSE WORK (HINT: GO FOR AT LEAST 90%~SEE POINTS ADDED) 2. ATTAIN A RECOMMENDED SCORE ON AT LEAST ONE OF THE STANDARDIZED READING ASSESSMENT TESTS.  ACHIEVE A PASSING SCORE ON THE DRP TEST, THE NELSON/DENNY TEST, OR A PASSING GRADE OF 80% OR HIGHER ON THE FINAL/EXIT EXAM  (POINTS ADDED TO YOUR STANDARDIZED READING ASSESSMENT BASED ON YOUR OTHER COURSEWORK GRADES AS FOLLOWS: “A” (90-100%) = 3 POINTS, “B” (80-89%) = 2, AND “C” (70-79%) = 1 POINT

 PRIORITIZE YOUR GOALS, AND MANAGE YOUR TIME TO MEET THE NEEDS OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES. o THE CLASS WILL REQUIRE YOUR COMMITMENT TO SPEND APROXIMATELY 6-10 HOURS PER WEEK OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM ON HOMEWORK o TO IMPROVE YOUR READING SKILLS, YOU MUST DO A GREAT DEAL OF READING ON YOU OWN!  IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE NOT READY TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO THESE REQUIREMENTS, OR IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO PUT IN THE EFFORT, YOU SHOULD DROP THIS COURSE IMMEDIATELY.

TEXTBOOKS & SUPPLIES: BOOKS WITH ANSWERS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED BOOKS AND SUPPLIES ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. PLEASE BRING THEM TO CLASS UNLESS THE INSTRUCTOR TELLS YOU OTHERWISE. LIBRARY RESOURCE BOOKS MAY NOT BE REMOVED FROM THE LIBRARY! BRING TO CLASS DAILY:  Reading Book (R): TEN STEPS TO IMPROVING COLLEGE READING SKILLS Langan, Townsend Press – 4th Edition  Vocabulary Book (V): IMPROVING VOCABULARY SKILLS – Nist, Townsend Press – 3rd Edition  Novel (N): HOLES by Louis Sachar  DICTIONARY  #2 PENCIL with eraser and A RED (OR BRIGHTLY COLORED, EASY TO SEE) PEN or PENCIL  HANDOUTS (AS PROVIDED) SUGGESTED EXTRA ITEMS: o 200 3X5 CARDS FOR VOCABULARY USE o ENGLISH AT HAND –Townsend Press (or another grammar book, such as A Writer’s Reference by Diana Hacker)

ATTENDANCE & PUNCTUALITY ~ MANDATORY AND WORTH POINTS . COME TO CLASS AND BE ON TIME = 5 POINTS PER DAY o ATTENDING CLASS MEANS THAT YOU ARE IN YOUR SEAT, ATTENTIVE, AND READY TO PARTICIPATE IN LEARNING! . PERFECT ATTENDANCE = 10 BONUS POINTS . TARDIES = LOSS OF POINTS (DISCRETION OF INSTRUCTOR) o OVER 5 = DROP FROM THE COURSE o LEAVING THE CLASSROOM DURING CLASS TIME OR EARLY WILL RESULT IN A TARDY! o TARDY OR EARLY? – SIGN IN OR OUT TO AVOID AN ABSENCE! . ABSENCES: OVER 3 = DROP FROM THE COURSE o SLEEPING, DOING HOMEWORK FOR ANOTHER CLASS, ETC. WILL RESULT IN AN ABSENSE AND LOSS OF POINTS! o WHEN YOU RETURN TO CLASS TELL ME IF YOU WERE SICK o GET INFO FROM YOUR STUDY BUDDY OUTSIDE OF CLASS TIME NOTE: YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING YOUR WORK HANDED IN ON TIME, UPDATED CHANGES IN THE SCHEDULE, CHANGES IN ASSIGNMENTS, AND FOR OBTAINING INFORMATION MISSED IN CLASS. JUST FOR READING STUDENTS: THE COMPUTER LAB IN MCS- 219 IS AVAILABLE FOR WORK IN THIS CLASS ONLY; SIGN IN ON MY SIGN IN SHEET TO USE THE LAB.

TESTS AND ASSIGNMENTS: ▶ EXCEPT FOR THE NOVEL PARAGRAPHS, WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS ARE TO BE TYPED AT 12 POINT FONT AND SPACED AT 1.5! ▶ ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE COMPLETED AND HANDED IN BY THE DUE DATE! ▶ FULL CREDIT FOR ONE LATE ASSIGNMENT WILL BE GIVEN WITH AUTHORIZATION FROM ME WHEN TURNED IN BY THE FOLLOWING CLASS. ▶ ONLY ONE MAKE-UP (OR “SCORE BOOSTING”) VOCABULARY TEST MAY BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER

PLAGIARISM: USING SOMEONE ELSE’S IDEAS OR WORDS FROM ANY OTHER SOURCE WITHOUT GIVING CREDIT IS ACADEMIC THEFT (PUNISHABLE BY LAW). THE CONSEQUENCES ARE SEVERE: A ZERO ON THE ASSIGNMENT, FAILURE IN THE COURSE, NOTATION ON PERMANENT RECORD, POSSIBLE DISMISSAL FROM THE COLLEGE, AND LEGAL ACTION. GRADING: THE FOLLOWING WILL AFFECT YOUR GRADE ON COURSEWORK (70% MIN):

 HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS (INCL. NOVEL PARAGRAPHS)  TESTS: VOCABULARY, MIDTERM, NOVEL, AND FINAL EXAM  THE LAB PORTFOLIO  ATTENDANCE  PROPER & RESPECTFUL CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE  FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS  BONUS POINTS & EXTRA CREDIT KEEP TRACK OF YOUR OWN GRADE! REMEMBER, A STANDARDIZED TEST MUST ALSO BE PASSED. EXCEPT FOR THE FINAL EXAM, THESE STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE 70% REQUIREMENT FOR COURSEWORK.

TO FIND YOUR GRADE: DIVIDE YOUR POINTS (INCLUDING BONUS POINTS) BY THE TOTAL NUMBER OF POINTS POSSIBLE (NOT INCLUDING BONUS POINTS). THIS WILL GIVE YOU A PERCENTAGE. YOUR TOTAL SHOULD BE AT LEAST .70 (OR 70%) FOR CREDIT IN THE CLASS.

EXTRA CREDIT & BONUS POINTS: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE RARE OPPORTUNITIES AS THEY WILL ADD TO YOUR OVERALL GRADE AND LEARNING.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AND/OR PROBLEMS WITH THE ABOVE, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU SPEAK WITH ME. REMAINING IN THIS CLASS INDICATES THAT YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE TO THE POLICIES PUT FORTH IN THIS SYLLABUS!