Ms. WurtzEnglish II SyllabusAugust 2016
Welcome to the start of a great year! I am very excited to have you in my class! Below are some policies and procedures that will help ensure a successful year. If you need additional help, I do tutoring after school by appointment. I am always here to help. If parents need to contact me, the best way to reach me will be through email (above in header).
Course Rationale:
Students in English II will continue to develop and master skills learned previously, but on a more in-depth level. Areas covered include composition, proofreading and editing, research, vocabulary, literary analysis, test-taking skills, and listening and speaking. The targeted skills will align to those listed in the national standards from Common Core. It will culminate to show a demonstration of these skills through an End of Course exam in April.
Units of Study:The focus will be on thematic units pulling in various readings from fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and/or drama. (Educational paradigms, Twelve Angry Men, Anthem, Julius Caesar, various articles online, MLA style formatting)
Materials Needed for Class:
-Composition notebook-pens, pencils
-loose-leaf paper, standard size
It is important for students to come to class prepared to work every day. When a student is missing, for any length of time, he/she is missing valuable instructional lessons that will help him/her to succeed in the class.
I understand there may be times when a student is ill, needs to go to the restroom, or has forgotten materials or an assignment in their locker. I will for these reasons allow students a total of four passes out of the room for the semester (additional time at the nurse if a special condition arises or is ongoing and has been discussed with the parent and/or nurse ahead of time). Passes that are unused at the end of the semester will be given as bonus points added to his/her grade.
Homework and Late Policy:
Homework is a necessary part of the learning process. It reinforces new information in the classroom. I will provide some class time for the preparation of some assignments, but some work will need to be completed at home.
All assigned work needs to be turned in on the due date, or if making a presentation, when called upon. An important part of preparation for college, and the workforce, includes the ability to meet deadlines. I will allow enough time in and out of class for this to be possible.
Late work: Students may come to after-school tutoring to improve their grade during the current quarter (excluding the last two weeks). If completed in tutoring, full credit may be earned, if in the current quarter. If completed but not in tutoring (still during the unit), seventy-percent credit may be earned. If the quarter has passed, late work is not accepted.
Absences:
It is the student’s responsibility to find out what he/she missed while absent and turn it in.
Quizzes and tests must be made up within one week upon returning from an absence or will result in a zero.
If the student knows in advance that he/she will be gone, he/she must complete the work BEFORE he/she leaves. (This includes field trips, family vacations, etc.) If the student is sick, or there is an emergency, the work must be made up as soon as possible (no longer than one week afterwards unless special arrangements have been made with the teacher). If the assignment was given before the absence and was due on the day of the absence, then it is due immediately upon the return of that student to school. If the student is here on the day an assignment is given AND the day it is due, the assignment must be turned in, even if there are absences between those dates (unless special arrangements have been made with the teacher).
Plagiarism:
Using someone else’s information, ideas, words, or conclusions and opinions without giving credit to the source is plagiarism. Sharing your work with others, copying assignments, working together when the assignment should be completed independently, and/or using resources that are not allowed on an assignment/test are all forms of cheating. If any of these occur, a zero for the assignment will be given and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.
Classroom Rules:
Rules are necessary to maintain order, ensure fairness and consistency, and encourage student responsibility. Thank you for helping the class to be a safe, friendly place for all.
- Bring all necessary materials to class
- Appropriate text, laptop, pencils, paper, and/or other required supplies. If the laptop is missing for our class, it is still the responsibility of the student to make up work from class.
- Be in class ready to participate when the bell rings
- We will follow the policy set forth in the student handbook. For my personal classroom, a student must be in my room before the tardy bell rings or he/she will be counted tardy.
- Respect those around you
- Respect others. It is important to not interfere with the learning of others in any way or form. Rules of courtesy and good manners will be stressed at all times.
- Obey all school rules
- We will follow the handbook rules. Please be aware that I feel especially strong about the cell phone policy. I do not want to see or hear it at all. The classroom is a place for learning, not a place to keep in touch with friends and others. If a student has a cell phone (or musical device) out/visible, or I hear the cell phone, he/she will lose it until the end of the period on the first offense. For the second offense, the cell phone (or musical device) will be kept until the end of the day. It may be picked up immediately after school in my classroom. If it happens a third time, the student will serve a half hour detention after school and have an office referral. Additional problems with a cell phone will result in additional disciplinary measures. (Emergency contacts need to be handled through the office.)
Consequences for Breaking the Rules:
- The consequences below are generally followed in this order, but depending on the behavior, it may go straight to a disciplinary referral.
1st: Warning
2nd: Removal of student to hallway to deter additional disruption (private conference with teacher to discuss behavior and/or detention)
3rd: Detention with teacher after school and/or parental phone call
4th: Referral to office
Depending on the type of disruption, an office referral may be warranted on the first offense.
Class Atmosphere:
I like students to feel welcome and comfortable. We are all expected to be polite, POSITIVE, and appropriate in our actions and comments. Remember that we are here to help each other learn and improve-be mindful of what is said to others and keep an open mind to what others have to say.
I look forward to an exciting year!
Sincerely,
Michelle Wurtz