English Expectations, Guidelines, and Syllabus
2018-2019
K.Klaich, NBCT
Welcome to English! My name is Karen Klaich, and I am a retired public school teacher, formerly with Pitt County Schools, with thirty years experience. I received National Board certification in English/Language Arts in 2002, and I renewed that certification in 2012. I am excited to be back in the classroom and for my fourth year at the Greenville Learning Center.
English is a course designed to broaden students’ perspectives by introducing them to literature written by people around the world. It is my hope that students will leave the course with an appreciation of world literature and the ability to participate in our democracy with an open, informed mind.
I strive to create a classroom that caters to many different learning styles. I believe in maximizing my students’ potential by offering cooperative learning experiences filled with enjoyable, enriching, hands-on activities. I will also emphasize the importance learning and practicing good reading and writing skills, and as such, students will be writing daily.
Using e-mail is a wonderful way to stay informed about your child’s education. I enjoy collaborating with parents to ensure our students’ success. Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Karen G. Klaich, NBCT
_________________________________________________________________________
THE COURSE OVERVIEW:
Students enrolled in this course receive the opportunity to develop an understanding of chronological context and the relevance of period structures in literature within cultures around the world.
The student develops an understanding of the ways the place of origin of a work of literature affects its structure and how the chronology of a work of literature affects its meaning.
The student develops an understanding of literature as both a product of its culture and as a culture-bearer and recognizes the commonalities and differences among works of literature from different times and places in the world.
In addition, the focus of composition for the course is for the student to become proficient in a variety of writing styles, from narrative to expository and persuasive to writing for research.
Students will continue to receive instruction in language conventions. This course also emphasizes oral and written response to literature, distinguishing characteristics of various genres, literary elements, and vocabulary study.
__________________________________________________________________________
TEXTS TO BE USED:
McDougal Littell Literature, 1995-2008 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
The Bedford Reader, St. Martin’s Press.
Discovering Voice: Voice Lessons for Middle and High School, Nancy Dean.
_______________________________________________________________________
WHAT I OFFER YOU:
Respect, the right to dignity, and the opportunity to learn
Knowledge of language, composition, and world literature
Maximum effort to support you in and out of class; I am always available after school, preferably by appointment
A comfortable, safe learning environment
WHAT I EXPECT OF YOU:
Respect and the right to dignity
Recognize our individual strengths and weaknesses
Strive to create an atmosphere that supports all classmates in their efforts to learn
Work your hardest to learn everything you can and share as much knowledge as you can
____________________________________________________________________________________
A. COURSE REQUIREMENTS
I. READING
II. WRITING (Informal and Formal)
***If you do not use your DoG slips, then at the end of the school year, you may turn them in for an extra points on an assignment (one point per slip).
____________________________________________________________________________________
III. LANGUAGE AND RHETORIC
IV. THE RESEARCH PROJECT
1.In addition to the regularly scheduled papers, each student will conduct research and write a paper of approximately 2,000 words based on an array of teacher-developed topics. The form of your paper should follow that specified in the MLA Handbook.
2.I will spend several class periods teaching the techniques of writing a research paper, discussion organization, note-taking, and documentation before you begin the actual process.
___________________________________________________________________________________
V. THE GRADING AND CORRECTION OF PAPERS (FORMAL & INFORMAL)
1.Each student’s paper will be carefully corrected and fairly graded by me. It will be returned to you within two school days.
2.Your writing will be graded from four standpoints: Thesis, Organization, Development, and Language.
3.It is important to make sure that your thesis is sufficiently narrowed and clearly stated in each paper.
4.With regard to your development, you should make sure your paper has interesting material that is relevant, specific, and logically presented.
5.Your points must be coherently organized with an introduction, body, and conclusion. They should be arranged in a pattern that contains topic sentences in each paragraph and smooth transitions between both paragraphs and sentences within your paragraphs.
6.Finally your language will be evaluated, that is, your spelling, diction, grammar, punctuation, and syntax.
7.In all of your written work, you will be expected to avoid particularly the following categories of errors. As many as ten (10) of these errors, singly or in combination, will result in a failing grade on the paper involved, regardless of its other merits. 8.You will be required to rewrite a failing paper, making corrections. The failing grade will then be averaged with your rewrite grade to achieve the final grade for the paper. This procedure does not apply to the research paper.
The “A” paper is a SUPERIOR paper in every way, marked by the following qualities:
Outstanding diction
Outstanding organization
Outstanding Syntax with a wide variety of sentence patterns
Maturity of thought and language
Clear purpose with detailed development, supported by examples, elaboration, and details
No major errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation
No more than one or two minor errors, depending on length
The “B” paper is an EXCELLENT paper, marked by the following qualities:
Good diction, syntax, and organization
Good maturity of thought and logic
A stated purpose with less development, examples, and details lacking the more mature style of the superior paper
No major errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation
No more than several minor errors, depending on length
The “C” paper is an AVERAGE paper, marked by the following qualities:
Average diction, often simple, immature, and inappropriate
Adequate organization
Good syntax but often simple and without variety
Fair logic, clear enough to convey the paper’s purpose
Average maturity of thought but lacks adequate development
Only one major error in grammar, spelling, and punctuation and/or several minor errors
The “D” paper is a BELOW AVERAGE paper, marked by the following qualities:
Poor diction, misuse of words, one-standard expressions
Some attempt at organization
Garbled, fragmented, or unclear sentence patterns
Little thought, resulting in poorly conceived, expressed, and developed ideas
Serious errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation, mechanics
No more than two major errors or multiple minor errors
The “F” paper is a FAILURE, marked by the following qualities:
Poor and immature diction
Lack of organization
Disconnected or garbled syntax
Long, uncontrolled, infantile, short/choppy sentence patterns
Lack of logic which fails to conceive, state, or develop an idea
Three major errors and/or multiple minor error
** If you are required to rewrite your failing paper, I will average the grade from the first (failing) paper with the grade from the second (rewrite) paper. That will be the final grade for that assignment.
_______________________________________________________________________
** The numerical evaluation system for English will be the same as the Pitt County policy:
A= 100-90
B= 89-80
C= 79-70
D= 69-60
F= Below 60
** Your final grade for the six weeks will be averaged as follows:
Formal papers, projects, presentations, tests=50%
Daily work, quizzes, opening bell work, class participation=30%
Homework=20%
___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
List of Materials and Supplies for English
2018-2019
REQUIRED:
Pencils and/or pens (blue or black ink)
One-subject spiral bound notebook for notes
Loose-leaf notebook for class work.
Lose-leaf notebook paper
Multi-colored pencils for editing
Calendar for long range planning.
Personal computer or tablet
** Earbuds or headphones**
WISH LIST FOR CLASSROOM:
Boxes of tissue
2018-2019
K.Klaich, NBCT
Welcome to English! My name is Karen Klaich, and I am a retired public school teacher, formerly with Pitt County Schools, with thirty years experience. I received National Board certification in English/Language Arts in 2002, and I renewed that certification in 2012. I am excited to be back in the classroom and for my fourth year at the Greenville Learning Center.
English is a course designed to broaden students’ perspectives by introducing them to literature written by people around the world. It is my hope that students will leave the course with an appreciation of world literature and the ability to participate in our democracy with an open, informed mind.
I strive to create a classroom that caters to many different learning styles. I believe in maximizing my students’ potential by offering cooperative learning experiences filled with enjoyable, enriching, hands-on activities. I will also emphasize the importance learning and practicing good reading and writing skills, and as such, students will be writing daily.
Using e-mail is a wonderful way to stay informed about your child’s education. I enjoy collaborating with parents to ensure our students’ success. Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Karen G. Klaich, NBCT
_________________________________________________________________________
THE COURSE OVERVIEW:
Students enrolled in this course receive the opportunity to develop an understanding of chronological context and the relevance of period structures in literature within cultures around the world.
The student develops an understanding of the ways the place of origin of a work of literature affects its structure and how the chronology of a work of literature affects its meaning.
The student develops an understanding of literature as both a product of its culture and as a culture-bearer and recognizes the commonalities and differences among works of literature from different times and places in the world.
In addition, the focus of composition for the course is for the student to become proficient in a variety of writing styles, from narrative to expository and persuasive to writing for research.
Students will continue to receive instruction in language conventions. This course also emphasizes oral and written response to literature, distinguishing characteristics of various genres, literary elements, and vocabulary study.
__________________________________________________________________________
TEXTS TO BE USED:
McDougal Littell Literature, 1995-2008 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
The Bedford Reader, St. Martin’s Press.
Discovering Voice: Voice Lessons for Middle and High School, Nancy Dean.
_______________________________________________________________________
WHAT I OFFER YOU:
Respect, the right to dignity, and the opportunity to learn
Knowledge of language, composition, and world literature
Maximum effort to support you in and out of class; I am always available after school, preferably by appointment
A comfortable, safe learning environment
WHAT I EXPECT OF YOU:
Respect and the right to dignity
Recognize our individual strengths and weaknesses
Strive to create an atmosphere that supports all classmates in their efforts to learn
Work your hardest to learn everything you can and share as much knowledge as you can
____________________________________________________________________________________
A. COURSE REQUIREMENTS
I. READING
- Reading well-for denotation and connotation, inference and implication- is an important ingredient in helping students develop writing skills; therefore, we will learn to critically read texts from a variety of genres and historical periods. When I teach these texts, I want to help my students understand the conventions of the genres and their relationship to rhetorical situations. If a student learns to read critically, then hopefully that students will be stimulated to write maturely.
- Students also need to continue to read for comprehension; studying and interpreting different works of varying degrees of difficulty is important for good comprehension.
- Finally, it is hoped that students will be motivated to think about the human condition and better understand the nature of man and his world.
- Students will be reading many different pieces of literature on a daily basis. We will read in class and students will be expected to read at home and on the weekends.
- At the beginning of every class period, I will give students Opening Bell Work (OPB). I may ask them to read a short passage and respond to it in some form- a journal topic, a quiz, or an assigned reading. Students will have five to six minutes to complete the opening bell work. We will go over it orally, and on occasion, I will collect and grade it. It is important that each student learn to participate orally and share- participation is required- not optional.
- Students may be asked to find and print an essay from the Internet, read it, analyze it, and bring it to class. Some of the texts we read will not come from the textbook, but from other sources that the student will be expected to retrieve. It is important that students bring all materials, books, essays, etc., to class as assigned. I may or may not have copies available, so the responsibility will fall on the student. Bringing and reading these materials will fall under class participation.
II. WRITING (Informal and Formal)
- The papers you write will constitute the major portion of your work during the school year. You cannot pass English unless you demonstrate the ability to write in a mature manner and meet the standards of this course. These standards will become evident to you through class discussions of writing, through the process of drafting, editing, revision, and student/teacher conferences.
- Papers (informal and formal) must be computer-generated and follow scrupulously all manuscript mechanics as I outline them for you. You must always use Times New Roman font, 12 point, with 1” margins. Formal papers should be approximately 600-800 words; however, you should not worry too much about length. Wordiness is not a virtue. The mark of a good paper is not length, but how clearly, fully, and soundly it covers the assigned topic.
- Formal and informal papers should be turned in on time; however, I do realize that unforeseen circumstances may occur. I understand that students get sick, printers break down, etc. Late papers and projects will only be accepted if they are accompanied by a “Days of Grace” (DoG) slip. On this slip, you should include your name, the assignment name, the deadline, and the date you turn in your assignment. Each of you will get three (2) DoG slips per six weeks. If you cannot turn in a paper or project or carry out a presentation by the final deadline, attach a DoG slip to it when you hand it in the next day. If you do so, you will not incur any penalty for missing the deadline. You may use you slips separately or together; however, when they are gone, I will not accept any excuses for late papers, projects, or presentations. If the paper or project is a day late (with no DoG slip, then ten (10) points will automatically be deducted rom your grade. Any further delay will deduct another ten (10) points per day it is late.
***If you do not use your DoG slips, then at the end of the school year, you may turn them in for an extra points on an assignment (one point per slip).
____________________________________________________________________________________
III. LANGUAGE AND RHETORIC
- Although we will not be studying grammar units, per say, I will teach mini-lessons if I see a common problem arising in writing. You should know basic grammar terms and definitions; I want to be able to see these concepts applied within your written products.
- Writing, like any other skill, can be acquired if you are willing to follow instructions, accept criticism, and work hard. If you are a student who has difficulty writing, remember it takes hard work and practice.
- If you feel that you need extra help with specific questions, I will be happy to work with you after school and by appointment. You will need to be the one to initiate the tutorial session before or after school.
IV. THE RESEARCH PROJECT
1.In addition to the regularly scheduled papers, each student will conduct research and write a paper of approximately 2,000 words based on an array of teacher-developed topics. The form of your paper should follow that specified in the MLA Handbook.
2.I will spend several class periods teaching the techniques of writing a research paper, discussion organization, note-taking, and documentation before you begin the actual process.
___________________________________________________________________________________
V. THE GRADING AND CORRECTION OF PAPERS (FORMAL & INFORMAL)
1.Each student’s paper will be carefully corrected and fairly graded by me. It will be returned to you within two school days.
2.Your writing will be graded from four standpoints: Thesis, Organization, Development, and Language.
3.It is important to make sure that your thesis is sufficiently narrowed and clearly stated in each paper.
4.With regard to your development, you should make sure your paper has interesting material that is relevant, specific, and logically presented.
5.Your points must be coherently organized with an introduction, body, and conclusion. They should be arranged in a pattern that contains topic sentences in each paragraph and smooth transitions between both paragraphs and sentences within your paragraphs.
6.Finally your language will be evaluated, that is, your spelling, diction, grammar, punctuation, and syntax.
7.In all of your written work, you will be expected to avoid particularly the following categories of errors. As many as ten (10) of these errors, singly or in combination, will result in a failing grade on the paper involved, regardless of its other merits. 8.You will be required to rewrite a failing paper, making corrections. The failing grade will then be averaged with your rewrite grade to achieve the final grade for the paper. This procedure does not apply to the research paper.
- Comma splices, period faults, or run-on sentences when the errors indicate carelessness or failure to understand the basic principles of syntax
- Serious errors in agreement of subject/verb or in agreement of pronoun/antecedent when the errors indicate the writer’s failure to understand grammatical conventions of the level on which he/she is writing.
- Misspelled words
- Errors in the use of the apostrophe
- Gross errors in grammar serious enough to cast reflection on the literacy of the writer (ie, the misuse of to-too, their-there, its- it’s, etc)
- Misuse of ;
- Misuse of ,
- Misuse of the ‘ in plurals
- Misuse of the ‘ in possessive pronouns and Misuse of the ‘ in possessive noun
The “A” paper is a SUPERIOR paper in every way, marked by the following qualities:
Outstanding diction
Outstanding organization
Outstanding Syntax with a wide variety of sentence patterns
Maturity of thought and language
Clear purpose with detailed development, supported by examples, elaboration, and details
No major errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation
No more than one or two minor errors, depending on length
The “B” paper is an EXCELLENT paper, marked by the following qualities:
Good diction, syntax, and organization
Good maturity of thought and logic
A stated purpose with less development, examples, and details lacking the more mature style of the superior paper
No major errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation
No more than several minor errors, depending on length
The “C” paper is an AVERAGE paper, marked by the following qualities:
Average diction, often simple, immature, and inappropriate
Adequate organization
Good syntax but often simple and without variety
Fair logic, clear enough to convey the paper’s purpose
Average maturity of thought but lacks adequate development
Only one major error in grammar, spelling, and punctuation and/or several minor errors
The “D” paper is a BELOW AVERAGE paper, marked by the following qualities:
Poor diction, misuse of words, one-standard expressions
Some attempt at organization
Garbled, fragmented, or unclear sentence patterns
Little thought, resulting in poorly conceived, expressed, and developed ideas
Serious errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation, mechanics
No more than two major errors or multiple minor errors
The “F” paper is a FAILURE, marked by the following qualities:
Poor and immature diction
Lack of organization
Disconnected or garbled syntax
Long, uncontrolled, infantile, short/choppy sentence patterns
Lack of logic which fails to conceive, state, or develop an idea
Three major errors and/or multiple minor error
** If you are required to rewrite your failing paper, I will average the grade from the first (failing) paper with the grade from the second (rewrite) paper. That will be the final grade for that assignment.
_______________________________________________________________________
** The numerical evaluation system for English will be the same as the Pitt County policy:
A= 100-90
B= 89-80
C= 79-70
D= 69-60
F= Below 60
** Your final grade for the six weeks will be averaged as follows:
Formal papers, projects, presentations, tests=50%
Daily work, quizzes, opening bell work, class participation=30%
Homework=20%
___________________________________________________________________
- VII. DAILY CLASS PROCEDURES/ROUTINES:
- Attendance is crucial! Missing classes will cause you to fall behind in this course and can lower your grade considerably. Do not miss this class unless it is absolutely unavoidable.
- Be ready to work at the appointed hour. Have pencils sharpened, materials and work ready to begin the period. You will have an opening bell assignment every day, so get started on that as soon as the period begins.
- Check the absentee binder! If you are absent from class, check the white absentee binder in the front of the room. Your assignments from the previous day(s) will be in that notebook. You have up to three days (depending on the number of days missed) to make up the work. The three-day rule does not apply if you were present on the date that the assignment (paper, quiz, test) was announced. That assignment is due on the day you return from your absence.
- Use the restroom before class starts. Do not ask to leave in the middle of a quiz, test, presentation, teacher lecture, etc., unless it is an emergency.
- Clean up around your table and dispose of any trash near your table each day before you leave. Make sure you push your chairs under your tables when leaving. I will dismiss you, not the bell, and I will not dismiss you until I see that these tasks have been completed.
- Avoid plagiarism in your writing. You will receive specific handout addressing this issue.
- See me with any questions. I can’t help you if I don’t know that you have questions.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
List of Materials and Supplies for English
2018-2019
REQUIRED:
Pencils and/or pens (blue or black ink)
One-subject spiral bound notebook for notes
Loose-leaf notebook for class work.
Lose-leaf notebook paper
Multi-colored pencils for editing
Calendar for long range planning.
Personal computer or tablet
** Earbuds or headphones**
WISH LIST FOR CLASSROOM:
Boxes of tissue