English 10 HP Course Syllabus

Mrs. Jill Lax La Costa Canyon High School Tel.: (760) 436-6136 x 6274 [email protected] Room 461 Website: http://jlax.wikispaces.com SCHEDULE THIS YEAR: I teach 2-4-6 days only, as follows: Periods 2 & 6: Senior Seminar. Period 4: English 10 HP

Welcome! This course constitutes a pivotal year for refining critical thinking, reading, writing, and analytical skills before taking Advanced Placement English. The central theme “Journeying into the World” provides an excellent catalyst for students to explore timeless works of global literature, as well as fostering a sense of identity and self- discovery.

Course Description This course is designed to:  Enhance students’ academic writing, reading, and thinking skills  Stimulate students’ appreciation and understanding of the function of literature in society  Strengthen students’ confidence, competence, and enjoyment of reading and writing  Prepare students for the challenges of junior and senior Advanced Placement English  Foster students’ sense of self-awareness and their role in society and the world  Expose students to a variety of ideas, readings, and writings so that they can formulate and express their own opinions and philosophy, both verbally and in writing  Challenge students’ assumptions, expectations, and limitations so that they are comfortable with more complex material  Encourage genuine, thoughtful, academic discussion, conversation, and interaction in the classroom

Syllabus In accordance with Common Core Standards, students will complete written assignments and engage in other intellectual and creative activities, which may include, in part:  Journal responses, interpretive essays (timed and process papers), creative writing assignments, and a research paper  Self and peer assessment, reflection, revision, conferencing, and evaluation  Collaborative and group projects, individual class assignments, and student-led lessons  In-depth study and analysis of the tools of language (literary and stylistic terms and rhetorical devices) We study the following district-approved texts:  Short story selections from Kincaid, J (ed): World Writers Today  Theodore Dostoevsky’s Russian novel: Crime and Punishment*  J.D. Salinger’s novel: The Catcher in the Rye*  The first of Sophocles’ plays in the Theban trilogy: Oedipus Tyrannous  Franz Kafka’s novella: The Metamorphosis  Seminar Set Choice reading (Book Club unit)… Students select to read one of the following works:* Allende, Isabelle: The House of the Spirits Courtenay, Brice: The Power of One Mehta, Gita: A River Sutra Hosseini, Khaled: The Kite Runner Martel, Yann: Life of Pi  William Shakespeare’s comedy: Much Ado About Nothing*

Developing a repertoire of techniques, strategies, and tools for understanding literature and non-fiction forms a large part of this course. Students should expect to probe concepts at a deeper level and to discuss texts in a broader context. The amount of reading required per night will vary, depending upon the text being studied at the time. In addition to reading and discussing the works, students should expect to annotate their reading in detail. Although books are available for checkout at school, and the purchasing of books is not mandatory, I do encourage students to purchase their books to facilitate annotation. New books are available at Barnes and Noble (I have ordered the texts for purchase there) or online, or used copies of the texts are also available online at greatly reduced prices. Students not opting to purchase texts should inform me ahead of time so that I may reserve books for check out from school. PLEASE NOTE: Texts marked with an asterisk (*) above are the texts that I strongly advise students to purchase.

Classroom Atmosphere I encourage my students to learn independently and to develop the courage and confidence to explore original ways to think, write, and present their ideas. I favor a more natural, informal, authentic learning environment, but my standards are high with regards to student attitudes: I expect courtesy, kindness, integrity, and dedication to excellence to prevail.

Expectations  Honors (Advanced) English students who have the ability to, and want to write, read, discuss, explore, and investigate  Enthusiastic, active class participants eager to engage in meaningful, mature, academic discussions  Students who take ownership for their learning and behavior, acting maturely and responsibly  Honest students with academic integrity (which includes not pretending to have read or written something that they haven’t) – please see the Academic Honesty and Plagiarism Policy below  Responsible students, who bring the appropriate, completed work and materials to class every time and who are seated and ready to work before the second bell rings  Respectful students who keep hands, belongings, and hurtful comments to themselves, who show kindness and courtesy to everyone, and keep the classroom clean and tidy  Students who respect everyone’s right to share ideas and who do not interrupt others (raising hands to talk is not necessary, but only one person talks at a time)  Committed students who are intrinsically motivated to read all material and complete all tasks on or before the due dates  Students who respect our learning environment and refrain from using cell phones at all times, unless we are using phones as part of our lesson. Please turn off your phone upon entering the class period and leave it off during the entire class period. Vibrate mode is unacceptable, as is texting during class time. If we are doing an activity that requires using your phone, I will let students know.

Consequences We are a community of learners in my classroom. I rarely find that behavior is an issue. However, if students do have a lapse in judgment (depending upon the severity of the disruption), I will take the following action/s:  Teacher warning / private conference with student  Parent-teacher conference  Change of seating location  Removal of student from classroom for a period of time  Detention / referral of student to assistant principal  Suspension / permanent removal of student from my class  Confiscation of cell phone (first time use: warning, second time use: confiscation for class period, third time use or more: confiscation of cell phone to assistant principal)

Grading Policy and Deadlines Since grades are indicators of student effort, achievement, and the quality and standard of work, the grades that students earn are consistent with the expectations of an Honors classroom. It should be possible for students to maintain a high grade in my class throughout the year, but only if they work consistently, to their maximum ability, and take advantage of opportunities to improve and grow. A positive attitude, full aptitude, and an eagerness to rise to challenges are important components for success. I am interested in discovering my students’ talents and capabilities, so that they can grow as learners and be challenged along the way. In short, I am here to help students experience success. Grade Breakdown :  Grade categories receive equal weight; there is no one area that is weighted higher than another. However, more points are allotted for certain assessments and areas than others. Not everything is graded! Motivation should be intrinsic. The work assigned is not intended to “add points”; if it weren’t valuable to student learning, it would not have been assigned.  Students’ grades are calculated to reflect a variety of components and assessments, including, but bot limited to: - Timed essays, process pieces, and other writing assignments - Individual and group creative assessments - Class activities and involvement - Speeches and other oral presentations - Quizzes, tests, and examinations  Incentive opportunities: Throughout the year, students will have several chances to earn “tickets” worth points, which are redeemable at the end of each semester. In order to be equitable to all students, I provide a range of diverse opportunities, both during and beyond class time. These tickets are intended as motivators, not as replacement grades for missing assignments. Since students enjoy this opportunity all year, I do NOT offer extra credit. I also do not “round up” grades. Please do NOT ask for grade raises. I am fair and provide many occasions for students to earn high grades in my class.

A+ 98 – 100% B+ 88 – 89% C+ 78 – 79% D+ 68 – 69% A 92 – 97% B 82 – 87% C 72 – 77% D 62 – 67% A- 90 – 91% B- 80 – 81% C- 70 – 71% D- 60 – 61% Below = F

ESP’s (Extended Study Periods)  Unless otherwise specified (please see school website for special activities), ESP’s are extensions of our English classes, occurring after the regular class instructional time on certain days of the week (see bell schedule).  Please understand that this time is crucial for student success. Attendance is compulsory – student absences from ESP periods are recorded as absences from the English class period on that day. Our Department has collaborated to develop specific guidelines that are consistent with our goals and philosophy to enhance student learning. Below are some of the ways in which this time will be utilized: *Support with time management and study skills *Writers’ workshops between teacher and student and/or student peer editing and conferencing *One-on-one or small group time with teacher to discuss progress, receive remediation, etc. *Enrichment / enhancement of lessons, especially if extra time is warranted to relay certain concepts, etc. *Time for students to work on homework (for English and/or other classes) *Extension of classroom activities *Journaling / Self Study / Silent reading time / Reading logs *Making up quizzes/tests (missed in English class only!) … time permitting *Review sessions What students will NOT be permitted to do during ESP time: *Students will not be sent to work in the Learning Commons at their leisure *Student will not be permitted to “visit” other classes/ teachers or to make up tests in other teachers’ classrooms. *Students will not be allowed to leave campus or leave the ESP early to “go home”. As with any class period, students will only be permitted to leave with a proper off-campus pass arranged and picked up ahead of time.

Absences and other important notes  Class time is vital. Class work and class participation are assessed and at times class work will be included in students’ grades. If students have an excused absence they may make up timed writing and tests and exams either before school, during our English ESP time (if time allows) or after school by appointment only within 5 days of their return to school. It is the student’s responsibility to schedule an appointment to make up missed work or tests. Since it is often difficult for students to find time outside of school, it is advisable that students do their best to keep absences to an absolute minimum. If an absence is unavoidable, students should be resourceful and make use of my “study buddy” system. Students should find at least two students to be their “buddies”... they should call them to find out what they missed and then make up the assignments/reading as soon as possible. When students return, they should bring with them the work that was due the class period before, and if possible, the work that they missed / that was assigned when they were absent. Students will have as many days to make up work missed as the number of days for which they were (excused) absent.  All class work and homework are crucial. I do not assign “busy” work (sometimes there might not even be homework). I encourage students and parents to check grades regularly on Aeries by visiting the Aeries portal at http://parents.sduhsd.net. Progress reports and report cards will be delivered electronically through the Aeries parent portal. It is the student’s responsibility to stay on top of grades and to remember to turn in work missed after absences.  I will also post homework assignments and deadlines on my web page, which can be found at http://jlax.wikispaces.com or accessed through the link on our school website under my name. Students should sign up to be a member of my wiki space as soon as possible, by visiting http://jlax.wikispaces.com. Please note: students should write down the HW in class and check with me, since there might be days when I omit to post HW online.  Each of my classes will be assigned a number for the “Remind” message system. Students should sign up ASAP. I will use this system to send out special reminders, updates, or changes. I will NOT post the HW on “Remind”!  Each of my classes will be assigned a password for students to enroll in turnitin.com so that they are able to submit their work electronically on this site. I will let students know which assignments are to be turned in to me and which are to be submitted on turnitin.com. Students should enroll in turnitin.com ASAP.

Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty Policy: ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY (Borrowed, in part, from policies established by the University of Washington’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and adapted from collaboration with other LCC teachers) Cheating (academic misconduct) is increasingly a problem among high school students. Regardless of motivation, cases of academic misconduct are completely unjustified in every instance. To cheat is to demean one’s efforts and causes one’s character to come under suspicion; it belittles the hard work of all students. Cheating, plagiarism, or academic dishonesty, in any form, is not tolerated. The purpose of this policy is to clearly delineate examples of cheating, as well as to inform students ahead of time of the consequences of academic misconduct in this course. Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to:

1. Using another person’s words without proper citation (whether that person is a published author or not!) 2. Using someone else’s ideas without proper citation 3. Reproducing the exact wording of another source without using quotation marks, even if the source is cited 4. Borrowing the structure of another author’s words or phrases without proper credit or citation 5. Borrowing all or part of another student’s paper or assignment, including borrowing the structure of another student’s words, phrases, or ideas 6. Using a paper writing service, or an online source of written assignments, or having another student complete the work. Note: This includes obtaining information, either in full or in part, from Internet websites (popularly known as “paper mills”), in which students can obtain papers either free or for cost), and also includes the cutting and pasting or by hand reproducing content which can be found online (for example: Wikipedia). Other examples of academic dishonesty: 1. Cheating during a quiz or an exam, including: *Copying answers from another student *Possession of unauthorized notes or study-aids during a quiz or exam *Using an electronic device (such as a camera-enabled smart device) at any time during an exam or quiz 2. Turning in work that is identical, or substantially similar to, the work of another student: This is frequently a by-product of “working with another student.” In many cases, working with a partner while studying is a beneficial way of learning. However, please understand that submitting work that is identical or quite similar to the work of another student is considered cheating. All work should be uniquely your own. 3. Purchasing or possessing materials that contain specific answers to homework assignments or exams 4. Cutting and pasting answers from online sources, such as Wikipedia, even if the work is cited properly. This is not “doing” your own work, and in this class, it shall be treated as a case of academic dishonesty. Careful planning and time management will serve as good tools to prevent instances of academic misconduct. Please do not engage in any action that will cause your integrity to be questioned. Any infraction not described above, but that clearly falls under the auspices of academic dishonesty, is subject to consequences in the Discipline Policy outlined by La Costa Canyon High School and SDUHSD. Students who engage in academic misconduct will incur the following consequences: 1. The student will lose all credit for the assignment. These points will NOT be able to be “made up”. 2. The student will be referred to an administrator for documentation and for possible disciplinary action.

Required Materials  A three-ring binder (with plenty of paper to write on), with an English section for writing essays and notes  Pens, pencils, highlighters, and post-it-notes (necessary for annotations)  A calendar / agenda  Access to a computer and printer as homework and major assignments should be typed (please see me if presents a problem for you). In addition, you will need to access turnitin.com (see above).

My Philosophy I am passionate about teaching. I truly enjoy working with students and engaging them in learning. I believe that learning should be challenging, rewarding, enjoyable, and last a lifetime. I believe that books are a gateway to freedom, insight, compassion, and wisdom. I view education as a privilege, not merely a right. I am excited about the challenges and opportunities that await us this year. Although I have the highest expectations, this is, after all, a learning environment. I hope that parents and students will feel free to seek help and communicate openly with me. Thank you for your continued support.

Special note regarding my absence for the next few class periods this year: My son will be attending Grad. School in Glasgow, Scotland this upcoming year, and I need to move him in. Unfortunately, the dates coincide with our school days. I therefore will be absent on 8/31, 9/5, 9/7, and 9/11. Please be assured that I have planned everything ahead of time and students will be in excellent hands. My substitute teacher, Adele Lapadula, will be here in my place and will be teaching according to my plans. She is a well-liked, highly respected, excellent retired English teacher from our district (in fact, she used to teach Eng. 10 Honors.). I will be back on 9/12, and look forward to seeing all parents at Back to School Night then!

Sincerely, Jill Lax (Please sign the form on the following page and return that page only. Retain the syllabus for future reference.)

Parents and Students: PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN this hard copy SIGNATURE SHEET that was handed out in class by the next class period:

PARENT AND STUDENT SIGNATURE SHEET English 10 HP Course Syllabus: Mrs. Jill Lax

[email protected] La Costa Canyon High School Tel.: (760) 436-6136 x 6274 Room 461

Dear Parents and Students, Please confirm that you have read the English 10 HP course syllabus and plagiarism policy above and then please sign and return this signature sheet the next class period.

We have read, understand, and agree to abide by the Plagiarism and Academic Honesty Policy:

______Full Student Name Student signature Date

______Parent/Guardian Full name Parent signature Date

Please also sign that you have read the syllabus: We have read, understood, and agree to abide by the expectations of the syllabus. Signed:

______Full Student name Student signature Date

______Parent/s first and last name Parent/s signature Date

Student email: ______Student cell phone: ______

Parent/s address: ______

Parent/s e-mails: ______Parent/s home phone/s: ______

Parent/s cell phone/s: ______Best time/s to reach parent/s: ______

Please feel free to add anything below about your son or daughter, to help make this a most successful year!