English II General Information, 2007-2008

What will we do?
We’ll read, discuss, write from, and write about classic and contemporary works of American literature, considering essential questions like these:

How will we do it?
Most of our class time will be spent conversing or composing. In either case, it is important that all come to class ready to participate actively in our shared making of meaning. To that end,

  • We’ll come to class on time each day having read or written assigned material in order to participate actively in our own learning and that of others.
  • We’ll come to class every day with needed materials (books, flash drive or other portable memory device, drafts, and the like).
  • We’ll read only original works of literature and not secondary works like Cliff’s Notes, Spark Notes, or similar study aids found in print or online.
  • We’ll compose original texts of our own making, using individual writing processes (inventing/drafting/responding/revising/editing/publishing) that work best for each of us.
  • We’ll recognize that all have divergent views of literature, and we’ll embrace and explore those differences.
  • We’ll not chew gum or eat or drink during class so we can speak easily.
  • We’ll be respectful of ourselves, of each other, of the technology, and of the room.
  • We’ll work to make good reading, writing, and thinking joyful, habitual, and purposeful.
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    What will we read and write?
    We’ll read and discuss some works as a whole class and others independently and individually. In class we’ll read and talk about Jim the Boy, The House on Mango Street, The Things They Carried, The Scarlet Letter, and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Independently, we’ll read and write about supplemental texts, including works selected from the list titled "American Authors 2007-2008" and My Jim. We’ll write in response to literature, and we’ll compose literature of our own in diverse genres. Toward the end of the year, we’ll undertake personal author studies culminating in multigenre studies. (Don’t worry: there’s plenty more explanation to come at the appropriate time.)

    How will performance be evaluated?
    In this class, everything counts. All work – products, working processes, adherence to course assumptions, class contributions – will be assessed for quality and growth over time in determining term grades. The first-quarter grade will be comprised of summer reading (20%), vocabulary (20%), portfolio (40%), and class participation (20%).

    What procedures should we expect?
    Because the course is designed to help each of you become a more confident, competent, and strategic writer and reader, evidence of your individual thinking and of your working process is as important as any final product. Thus, you must save (and print all drafts of your formal compositions, including all notes, false starts, research, dead-end ideas, workshop comments – in short, everything. Without evidence of process, an assignment will receive a zero. Because your work will be assessed and evaluated for signs of growth over the year, you must keep all completed work (with drafts attached) in your permanent writing folder filed in the classroom.

    All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date; late assignments will receive a zero. There will be no exceptions for reasons other than illness or major emergency. If you know you will be absent on a due date (because of a planned absence, including a sports activity), you must submit work before the absence. If you do not submit work before leaving for the planned absence, the assignment will receive a zero. If an emergency arises before a due date – for instance, your printer at home breaks the night before an assignment is due and you have English immediately after Chapel – what do you do? Don’t wait until the next day to inform your teacher of the problem or to ask for help. Call her. Even better, email her that night, and send your work as an attachment. Call or email if your portable memory crashes. In other words, if you have any questions or difficulties, do not wait until class begins to inform your teacher of the problem. She is unlikely to be sympathetic.

    The Bad News
    The Management frowns upon unexcused tardiness (which is disruptive to the work of the class); gum chewing in the classroom (which makes conversation difficult); food and drink in the classroom (which can spill and harm expensive equipment); alteration of computer settings and computer abuse (either of which will merit serious consequences); and academic dishonesty.

    The Good News
    The Management awards daily credit to cooperative citizens who meet all classroom expectations!