Course Description
As the third step in the Prep English sequence, English 11 uses a focus on American literature as the medium for the five strands of study identified in the NAD Curriculum Guide for Language Arts Grades 9-12: reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing. This course progresses in tandem with the US history course--also taken by Prep juniors.

Course Objectives
In English 11, students will have opportunities to:

• Read selected American literature texts in a way that is significant to themselves,
• Participate in discussion by listening thoughtfully to others and presenting their own idea cogently and persuasively,
• Write sentences of increasing maturity and complexity,
• Write coherent paragraphs and essays that demonstrate a logical progression of ideas,
• Participate in the process of writing from the inception of ideas to revision,
• Develop a personal style and voice, varying it according to the needs of the subject and audience,
• Incorporate appropriate grammar, spelling, usage, and punctuation in all public work, and
• Better understand Christ and His redemptive power and grace as revealed in language and American literature.

Texts
Students should own, have access to, or rent from Prep these textbooks:

• Bible
• Glencoe Literature: The Reader's Choice (English 11 anthology)
• Potok, Chaim. The Chosen.
• Twain, Mark. Huckleberry Finn.
• Wilder, Thornton. Our Town.
• For home: Access to a current (less than 10 years old) dictionary such as The American Heritage Dictionary, Webster's New World Dictionary, or The Random House Dictionary. A scholarly online dictionary is fine.

Additional Materials
Students should own or have access to these necessary course materials and resources:

• A 1" to 1-1/2 three-ring binder (preferably with a cover sleeve and page lifters).
• Set of 5-tab page dividers. Labels: 'Handouts', 'Journal', 'Notes', In-Progress', 'Returned'.
• Loose notebook paper for class assignments.
  • Use college-ruled paper if your handwriting is small and neat. Use school-ruled paper if you need a little more space to communicate neatly.
  • Paper ripped from spiral-bound notebooks is NOT acceptable for assignments, quizzes, and other class activities unless the edge has perforations that permit the NEAT removal of the little "taggy" pieces.
• Blue or black ink pens are the preferred writing implements. Pencils may be used for marking on rough drafts.
• A USB flash drive and/or email address to facilitate the transportation of writing drafts back and forth to school.
• Pocket folder to submit essays, all drafts and supporting documents. (Folders will be distributed in class when needed.)

Requirements
Students will be required to do the following work:

• Write journal entries in which they respond to assigned journal prompts;
• Read assigned texts (announced in class and/or listed in the English Dept. website);
• Participate in class discussions;
• Complete assigned projects and essays;
• Do in-class exercises, quizzes, and other activities;
• Maintain regular, punctual attendance;
• Write semester examinations.

Class assignments are listed in the English Dept. website. Ask!!!--if you're not sure how to access the English Dept. website. [http://www.pucprep.org/English/index.shtml]

Grading
Course grades are maintained in RENweb where both students and parents/guardians can inspect them at any time during the quarter. The final grade is determined by the percentage earned of the total points possible.

A

=93%

-100%

B-

=80%

-82.9%

D+

=67%

-69.9%

A-

=90%

-92.9%

C+

=77%

-79.9%

D

=63%

-68.9%

B+

=87%

-89.9%

C

=73%

-76.9%

D-

=60%

-62.9%

B

=83%

-86.9%

C-

=70%

-72.9%

F

=below 60%

Elements of the course are weighted as follows:

Tests, quizzes and other assessments	= 60% of the final grade
Daily work, projects, essays, journals	= 40% of the final grade

Grade changes are made according to the policy in the PUC Prep Student Handbook.

Understanding Grades

While many teachers and students might agree that life without grades would be much more fun, grades don't look like they're going to go away any time soon. So what do grades tell us? And--more importantly--what can students do to get better grades in English?

The course grade for English is made up of two components (tests and daily work) that measure different student skill sets. Generally speaking, the test component measures how much class content was understood and retained and can be explained back to the teacher. The daily work portion of the grade reflects how faithful a student is about coursework. A student who turns in every assignment, completed correctly and on time, will earn a high score in daily work. In an ideal world, being faithful about the homework (daily work) is reflected in test scores.

Unfortunately, we do not live in an ideal world. There is often a disparity between the tests and daily work grades. It is possible--for a number of reasons--for a student to be very faithful about homework and not perform as desired on tests. Or, a student may be somewhat lazy on the homework and still pull out a decent grade on tests. Other variables also come into play here:

• Does the student have a natural ability (aptitude) for the subject?
• How motivated is the student to actually learn the subject and not just go through the motions?
• How well does the student read and retain information?
• How well can a student express what s/he knows in the test situation?
• How closely aligned are the test questions to what was actually covered in class?
• How closely aligned are the test questions to what the student actually knows?
• Is the student able to express what s/he knows in the time allotted for the test?
• How thoroughly did the teacher prepare the students for the test?

These variables (and others) are very hard to measure and include as a component of grades.

The goal is to achieve an overall picture that accurately reflects performance in class. Teachers want grades to reflect faithfulness and mastery but also compensate for the other variables where possible. Students who work very hard but struggle for mastery and understanding are rewarded by the daily work component of the grade. Poor test scores should not sink faithful students. Students who know the subject well are rewarded in the test portion of the grade. These students are also encouraged by the daily work component to be faithful about their coursework--a useful skill for other courses where they may not have a natural ability. Probably no individual grade is ever exactly perfect, but across the classroom grades seem to be a fairly accurate reflection of effort and mastery.

So, how can students use this information to achieve good grades in English? First, keep in mind that the part of the grade with fewer variables out of your control is the daily work component. If you are interested in good grades, make sure you ALWAYS are ready to turn in your correctly completed homework on time. Nothing defeats good grades quite like a "0" score. . . or, worse still, two or three (or more!) zeroes in the daily work section. If you have an excused absence, make sure you take care of any missed work. (See "Attendance and Course Policies" below.) You have total control over this. Make sure EVERY assignment is done correctly and completely and is turned in on time.

The next thing to work on is figuring out the teacher's system for assessment. This is no time for high mindedness. Because it is not possible to test everything that is taught/learned in a class, each teacher HAS to devize his/her own system for assessing student learning. This is a variable that you have little control over but which you can learn to predict successfully. Part of mastering the role of "good student" is figuring out how each teacher will assess your learning. Think consciously about this. For example:

• What does the teacher think are the important points?
• Does the teacher favor a certain kind of test format that requires a specific studying strategy?
• What is the relationship between the test review and the actual test?
• Does the teacher provide essay questions ahead of time?

Mastering the teacher's assessment system will put you well on the road to performing well on the test component of the course grade.

You DO control an awful lot of what goes into your grade. Maximize your control for the best grades. Step forward determined to take advantage of every opportunity you have to directly impact your grade. After all, it IS your grade!

Class Participation
Each student is expected to contribute positively to the learning environment of the English classroom.

• Students making a positive contribution:
  
  • take responsibility for their own success in class,
  • listen attentively,
  • exhibit self-control,
  • respect classmates and teacher,
  • raise their hands when they have a question or want to make a comment,
  • work independently (unless instructed otherwise),
  • do their class work efficiently and carefully,
  • behave safely in the classroom,
  • walk into class quietly when they are late,
  • bring their materials to class for each meeting,
  • take care of bodily needs (drinks, potty, etc.) outside of regular class time so that they can devote the full time to class activities and not disturb others by walking out and back in, and
  • seek to preserve a quiet environment so all class members can listen and concentrate.

Students who choose these behaviors make English class better for themselves and others.

• Behaviors that disturb the learning environment include (but are not limited to):
  
  • acting disrespectfully to classmates or the teacher,
  • talking out of turn (without raising a hand to be acknowledged),
  • blurting out irrelevant comments,
  • making comments that are off-topic and demonstrate that a student is not paying attention,
  • criticizing, laughing at, or putting down other students,
  • making comments or acting in way that promotes ignorance or stupidity rather than intelligence and competence,
  • poking, prodding, or otherwise disturbing another student,
  • sleeping or otherwise indicating disengagement from classroom activities,
  • walking around the room unnecessarily,
  • leaving classroom without permission,
  • behaving in an unsafe manner in the classroom,
  • using electronic devices without teacher's permission,
  • answering a cell phone or texting,
  • failing to pay attention and follow directions, and
  • eating and/or drinking during class time.

A student who chooses to behave in a way that disturbs the positive learning environment in the classroom can expect a conversation with the teacher about how we can best meet individual needs and encourage personal responsibility for behavior. Persistant behavior disturbing the learning environment will result in an incident report--as described in the Discipline Policy section of the PUC Prep Student Handbook.

Make wise choices, and contribute positively to the English class learning environment!

Attendance and Course Policies
Each student is responsible for all material and assignments presented in class and is expected to maintain regular attendance at all class sessions. Conscientious, thorough, responsible students make better grades than students who make choices that diminish these characteristics. To encourage students to make wise choices for success in English class, these are the policies that apply to PUC Prep English classes:

• Assignment deadlines
  Assignments are due at the beginning of the class period of the due date, unless otherwise noted in the English Dept. website and/or announced by the teacher in class. Generally, late assignments are NOT accepted.

• Excused absences
  Work missed because of an excused absence (usually confined only to absences resulting from illness, a medical/dental appointment, a death in the immediate family, or a school-sponsored trip) must be made up as promptly as is practical. Generally, you will be given twice as many days as you missed plus one day to make up the work. For example, if you are sick for three days, you'll be given seven school days to make the work up: (3 days X 2) + 1 day = 7 days.
  
  YOU are to initiate necessary arrangements the first day you return to class. Better yet, contact me before or while you are absent (or check the website!) so that you can begin your make-up work before you return.
  
  Foreseeable excused absences (field trips for other classes, varsity games, music tours, Bible conferences, etc.) do not alter student responsibilities. Make arrangements before you go. Class work must be made up as arranged.
  
  It is to your advantage to have the assignment done for the first day of your return to school following any absence. Having your work ready allows you to fully participate in class activities and move on with new material. Go to the English Dept. website to find out what you have missed during an absence and do your homework before you return to class.

• Unexcused absences
  Daily work, quizzes and tests missed because of unexcused absences or tardiness cannot be made up and will be assigned a score of zero. Absences that are NOT considered excused include--but are not limited to--missing class because you slept in, having computer/printer problems, forgetting which class you're supposed to be in at a particular time, running an errand for another teacher, etc.
  
  You must be in class for your work to be accepted. The teacher will NOT accept work turned in by another person for a student with an unexcused absence. If you know you are going to have an excused absence, turn your work in ahead of time or make other arrangements with the teacher PRIOR to your absence.
  
  If a large project/essay that is late because of an unexcused absence IS accepted (a circumstance SO rare and unusual that it is worked out on individual bases), the grade penalty will be 10%/day (not including weekends).

• Test scheduling
  Students are expected to take all tests when they are scheduled--during the school year AND during exam weeks. If for any reason--other than an excused absence, a student cannot meet this expectation, s/he MUST make re-scheduling arrangements with the teacher PRIOR to the test time. Tests missed without prior arrangements being made receive a grade of zero except in the most unusual circumstances--if the teacher determines that an excusable situation prevented the student from contacting the teacher prior to the test time.
  
  Tests missed because of an excused absence (such as illness) are to be re-scheduled and made up as described above in "Excused Absences."

• Eating and drinking in classroom
  PUC Prep School provides a lunch period during which students may eat and drink. Please do NOT bring food or drinks (other than water) into the English classroom during class periods. Students who arrive in the classroom with open food and/or drink will be asked to take it back to their lockers or dispose of it in a trash can in the hall (NOT in the English classroom trash can). If this request makes a student late back into the classroom, an unexcused tardy will be recorded.

• Leaving classroom
  As the teacher is legally responsible for all students during class, no student is to leave the English classroom without permission from the teacher once class has started.

  • Students who leave the room without permission once class has started will be marked absent.
  • Students who must leave to retrieve items that should have been brought to class but were forgotten must ask for permission to leave and may be marked tardy upon their return to the classroom.
  • Plan so that you do NOT have to leave class. Take care of water fountain and bathroom needs before or after class so as to avoid distracting other students by unnecessary comings and goings during class.

• Electronic devices
  Cell phones, iPods, laptop computers, calculators, game toys, and other electronic devices are to be turned off and out of sight during English class unless the teacher has given specific permission for their use. Items disturbing the learning environment of the English classroom will be confiscated by the teacher and returned at the teacher's discretion and convenience. A repeat offence may mean that the confiscated device will be turned in to the office for return to the student (or parent) at the principal's discretion and convenience. (See the Personal Technology section of the PUC Prep Student Handbook for the schoolwide policy.)

Academic Integrity
"Cheating is not tolerated at Prep. Students who choose to cheat may expect a variety of consequences, including but not limited to loss of grade, loss of class office or loss of ability to participate in extracurricular activities. Consequences will be at the discretion of the teacher involved, and will be discussed with the student and parent/s.

"Failing to properly give credit for words [music, graphics, or other creative material] written by someone else is plagiarism. Using documents or parts of documents [or other files, such as music or graphics] found on the Internet or elsewhere without giving credit is plagiarism. Consequences will apply as listed above" (PUC Prep Student Handbook).

Any attempt to pass off another person's work as your own is dishonest. Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to: copying from a neighbor during a test, using an electronic device to retrieve resources not permitted in a learning situation, copying homework done by a classmate, and collaborating on schoolwork and/or sharing or "checking" answers with a peer (unless given specific permission to do so). To be safe--on all English class work--assume that you are to work individually. Exceptions will be clearly stated in the classroom.

What to Do If You Think the Teacher Has Made a Mistake
Teachers are human; they make mistakes sometimes. If you think a teacher has made a mistake, you need to draw it to her attention. Most teachers try very hard to be scrupulously fair; if you have earned a point, teachers want you to have it. There are several very positive, constructive ways to draw your teacher's attention to a mistake. These all involve approaching the teacher kindly--just like you would like to be approached if someone were pointing out an error you made. "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger" (Proverbs 15:1).

Approaching a teacher in an appropriate manner allows both teacher and student to have a positive experience. If a teacher really has made a mistake, by not attacking her personally you give her the opportunity to gracefully correct it without seeming to question her teaching qualifications and her right to coexist with you on this planet. If you've made a mistake in assuming the teacher made a mistake, approaching her politely means that you won't have to feel embarrassed if she tactfully explains your error, and you can gracefully learn more about the subject. Either way, both go away from the conversation with feelings intact and maybe even boosted.

Most teachers are basically pretty reasonable, but they don't like feeling personally attacked. Behaviors that make a teacher feel attacked are the same kinds of behaviors that make you feel attacked. Stop and think: if someone approached you in the manner you are just about to use to approach your teacher, how would you respond? For example, grousing loudly to your neighbor about what an idiot you think the teacher is and then approaching her belligerently with "Why did you mark me off here?" sends an attacking message to her. This probably isn't the message you want to send your teacher's way when you're hoping she'll add a few points that may have been subtracted erroneously from your paper.

A good way to start a conversation that allows both teacher and student to save face is, "Help me understand why I was marked off here." Another positive starter is, "I think you may have misunderstood me here. I would like to explain myself further." Another option is, "My reading of the text led me to respond in this way. Did I misinterpret it?" Also, it's helpful for both teachers and students to remember that a few moments' reflection before we open our mouths will usually soften our words and get us better responses.

ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, PUC Prep School will make reasonable accommodations to provide equal access for persons with disabilities. If you need an accommodation due to a disability, please make an appointment to discuss this with the teacher outside of class time.