Advanced Placement English Language and Composition Policies Patrice Flores, Mark Keppel High School COURSE POLICIES:
Class Participation - You will earn a grade for the quality of your class participation. You are expected to be an enthusiastic partner in the learning process. Be sure to bring required texts, your notebook, and pens to every class. Note: Cell-phone use, doing work for another course, or holding private conversations during any class session will result in a zero for that day’s participation grade.
Awareness ~ For you to write and to argue—either orally or in writing—over the course of the year, it’s vital that you stay abreast of current affairs via newspapers, news magazines, and network news. Newspapers to consider reading in print or online: Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and The Washington Post. CNN and the BBC also tend to be trustworthy news sources. National Public Radio, channel 89.3 fm, is recommended as a daily news source covering a wide variety of topics. For links to international news outlets, try www.refdesk.com. You will be assigned one date per quarter for a world-event oral presentation to the class.
Homework ~ Homework is due at the beginning of class for a pre-determined number of points. Late homework—including work poorly done or inappropriately completed during class—will not earn credit. Writing assignments will lose one letter grade for each day they are late. Students should carefully review the monthly calendar of assignments to familiarize themselves with upcoming deadlines. The calendar is posted at http://mrsfloressclasses.weebly.com
Attendance ~ Attendance is mandatory. Class meetings will be spent engaged in activities that will directly and immediately address your needs as a writer. Attendance will be reflected in the citizenship grade.
Make-Up Work ~ You have as many days to make up an assignment as you are absent from class. It isyourresponsibility to find out what assignments you have missed and to retrieve any class handouts that have been set aside for you. Even so, it is a good idea to get the contact information of one or more of your classmates so that, in the event of an absence, you can get notes and other pertinent information.
Academic Dishonesty/Cheating ~ All students are expected to demonstrate honesty in their academic pursuits. The District policies regarding issues of honesty can be found in the Student Handbook. Cheating will be punished according to the guidelines in the handbook and will result in a note placed in your permanent record regarding the incident. Do not let your academic career be defined by a cheating incident!
Plagiarism ~ The task of Mark Keppel High School is not only to impart knowledge but also to form character. Students and faculty recognize, therefore, that plagiarism is not simply a legal problem but a moral issue. If a student presents the ideas and/or words of someone else as his or her own, it amounts to stealing. Plagiarism will be punished—without exception.
Civil Conduct ~ Students are expected to help create a positive learning environment and treat one another—and the instructor—with respect. Anyone may be removed from the class if his or her behavior or statements are deemed counter-productive by the instructor.
GRADING POLICY:
Student Evaluation ~ Students are evaluated on the basis of in-class, college-level writing assignments; major writing assignments completed at home; mastery of in-class lessons; completion of literature assignments; class participation; and homework. All journals, quizzes, tests, essays, papers, projects, and reports have category point values. At the end of each grading period, the total number of points earned by the student in each category will be divided by the total number of points available to arrive at a computer-generated percentage. See Powerschool for updated scores.
Writing assignments and tests - 50 %
Literature quizzes, vocabulary quizzes - 30 %
Class participation, journal writing, sustained silent reading - 10 %
Homework - 10 %
In order to earn an "A" in my class, a student must: complete "outstanding" work on time and develop and exhibit responsible, mature and enthusiastic work behavior. A = 90 – 100% defined as “outstanding progress” GPA value of 4 (+ AP weight) B = 80 – 89% defined as “above average progress” GPA value of 3 (+ AP weight) C = 70 – 79% defined as “average progress” GPA value of 2 (+ AP weight) D = 60 – 69% defined as “lowest acceptable progress” GPA value of 1 (+ AP weight)
COMMUNICATION: My school e-mail is [email protected]. Please feel free to contact me at this address. In addition, I will be available for lunchtime tutoring Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please contact me for an appointment. Let’s work toward a productive and instructive year!
"I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught." ~Winston Churchill