Course+Expectations

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 * Extra help: debate building.**

Welcome to English III, a year-long exploration of British literature. Our mission in this course is two-fold:

1) To learn to express ourselves as precisely as possible by honing our reading and writing skills in order to become critical thinkers who can perform quick and in depth analysis of texts.

2) To develop an understanding of and appreciation for British literature.

We will begin the course by discussing summer reading, reviewing grammar, and learning vocabulary. As we continue to build our vocabulary skills, we will also begin on a chronological study of significant British authors, both those who are well known and those who are sometimes over-looked. Throughout the year, we will relate discussion themes to the all-school read

__Rules and Regulations__

1. All rules listed in the MBA handbook are in effect, including but not limited to the honor code.

2. Come to class on time and be prepared to begin the day's lessons with the necessary texts, paper, pencil/pen, notebook of some kind, homework assignment, and whatever else you may need for class that day. I strongly recommend that you keep a 3 ring binder that has a section for handouts, homework, old tests and quizzes, themes that have been returned, and class notes. In addition, you are to bring your vocabulary book with you to class every day. Please remember that when you are tardy, you delay the beginning of class for everyone involved.

3. All themes, rough drafts included, are to be word-processed.

4. All other homework should be prepared neatly and coherently. a. I will __not__ accept any assignments turned in on spiral notebook paper. b. All homework, quizzes, tests, etc. have your name, class, date, and the pledge in the upper right hand corner. All work should be pledged in full unless you are told otherwise.

5. Homework is to be completed and in class the day it is due. If there is an extenuating circumstance that prevents this from occurring, please see me prior to class beginning. Incomplete homework or lack of homework will be __recorded as a zero__. Although I will not collect homework everyday, the expectation is that you are always fully prepared for when I do choose to mark and collect homework. Most often, however, students will receive a mark that indicates whether or not the assignment has been successfully completed. You will get one free zero per quarter. After you miss your first homework assignment, you will lose one point on your quarter grade for each missed homework assignment thereafter. No exceptions.

6. All written assignments should be completed on time. Late themes will result in the loss of ten points per day. If you are absent you must send your theme to school via a responsible person, or the theme will be considered late. Theme guidelines will be made clear as the year progresses.

7. Students absent from class are responsible for checking with me about any missed homework, handouts, quizzes, or tests. I expect that all tests and quizzes will be taking immediately on your return from a short absence, and in a timely manner we agree upon for prolonged absences. Any work missed should be made up within two days of your return, unless extenuating circumstances demand otherwise. __It is your responsibility to talk to me the day of your return and make sure I sign your absentee slip__.

8. Ask for help when you need it—let me know if you don’t understand something, if you can’t hear me, if we’re moving too fast, etc… I will be available for extra help sessions before school in the debate building, and will frequently be in the college counseling area during the day. Students can also make arrangements to meet with me during my free periods, before school or after school. I am also frequently available by email if you have a pressing question in the evening.

9. Please, above all, be respectful. Please be attentive listeners who take notes, reflect on each other comments and wait for others to yield the floor before speaking. Please be careful to create an atmosphere where we are all willing to try out new ideas and theories and be able to make mistakes without fear.

10. Since I coach debate, I will be absent on some Fridays. This means that Fridays will frequently be a test or quiz day. Also, I urge you to have open communication with me over email if there is any confusion about something during my absence. Although emails tend to be informal, please take care that your communication is clear by avoiding abbreviations and gross abuses of the English language.

__Course Evaluation__

Quarter averages generally consist of the following: Tests and quizzes, 40% Themes and other writing assignments, 40% Homework, 20%