Welcome to your senior year
August, 2010
Dear Seniors,
Welcome to your last and best year of high school. I expect it will be a great year for all of us. This letter details expectations and procedures, plus a general outline of what we’ll be studying this year. Keep it with your important papers so we’ll always be on the same page.
• Daily warm-up: you’re used to it by now. Look for it on the board, on the screen, or on paper on the student table at the door. Come in, sit down and do it. Usually, I won’t collect it (but I’ll keep track of who’s doing it) and we’ll review it together. There will be regular warm-up quizzes.
• Turning in your work: For your protection – do not hand it to me or put it on my desk! You will place all work that needs my attention in a daily class basket that will be marked for your class.
• Getting your work back: I will keep all tests and quizzes in the class until the end of the semester. Other work will be returned to you in five business days.
• Class Rules: Be prompt, be prepared, be kind, and follow school rules.
• The stuff on my desk is mine. It is not my responsibility to provide paper, pens, white out or other school supplies.
Supplies
Mandatory:
• Loose-leaf paper, pencils and pens (It’s English class – we read and write every day.)
• Composition book for your journals
• Three ring binder with at least five dividers
Blue or black ink pen
Helpful, but not required:
• Tape, glue stick, white-out, colored pencils, makers, pocket dictionary
**I’ve seen these at Wal-Mart and the Dollar Tree for $1.00 each.
Academic Focus for the Year
Reading: in-class and on your own. There’s no better way to learn. In addition to timely newspaper and magazine articles, we will study novels and plays from the 12th-grade list, which may include Heart of Darkness, Frankenstein, Macbeth, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and others that are not listed.
MUGS: mechanics, usage, grammar, spelling – to help you improve your scores on the ACT and SAT and to help you speak the “money” language.
Writing: We’ll create a writer’s portfolio (why you need a binder with sections, one of which will be writing book) every day to increase both your comfort level and proficiency, and to give you multiple starting points for required portfolio pieces. This does not include the senior exit paper.
Writing Portfolio Requirements
The Writing Portfolio is intended to be a collection of what a student considers to be his/her most exemplary writing. Teachers must provide students with multiple opportunities to create pieces in each defined category. The portfolio pieces are student-selected, and the students should be afforded opportunities to revise and edit pieces before they are included in the “final” portfolio. In addition, each student must submit evidence of the writing process stapled to the back of one (student choice) of the required portfolio pieces.
The following writing pieces are required in the 12th grade portfolio:
1. A reflective composition that uses personal experiences as a basis for reflection on some aspect of life; draws abstract comparisons between specific incidents and abstract concepts; maintains a balance between describing incidents and relating them to more general, abstracts ideas that illustrate personal beliefs; and moves from specific examples to generalizations about life.
2. A literary analysis. The literary analysis organizes an insightful interpretation around
several clear ideas, premises or images and supports judgments with specific references to the original text, to other texts, authors and to prior knowledge.
3. A functional document (e.g., requests for information, resumes, and letters of complaint, memos and proposals). The functional document reports, organizes and conveys information accurately; uses formatting techniques that make the document user-friendly; and anticipates readers’ problems, mistakes and misunderstandings.
4. An informational essay. The essay develops a controlling idea that conveys a perspective on the subject; creates an organizing structure appropriate to the purpose, audience and context; includes information on all relevant perspectives; considering the validity and reliability of primary and secondary sources, makes distinctions about the relative value and significance of specific data, facts and ideas; anticipates and addresses a reader’s potential biases, misunderstandings and expectations; and provides a sense of closure to the writing. Sources are correctly cited.
5. A persuasive composition with research. The persuasive composition articulates a clear position; supports assertions using rhetorical devices, including appeals to emotion or logic and personal anecdotes; and develops arguments using a variety of methods (e.g., examples, beliefs, expert opinion, cause-effect reasoning). Sources are correctly cited using both internal citations and works cited page.
6. A writer’s reflection, in which the student describes, discusses, and demonstrates his or her own growth as a writer as supported by the pieces selected for inclusion in the portfolio.
The effort you put into the class this year will determine what you get out of it. I look forward to our year together.
Sincerely,
Ms. Rougley
704-597-5100
Cynthia.rougley@crossroadscharter.org
www.gotitans.org follows the link to my blog page
*It’s easy to fall behind when you miss class. Keeping up with your work is the best way to have a relaxed and successful senior year.
