Welcome to English 10

English 10 with Mr. James Cook

1. Know the school policies in the student handbook. (Here's a link to last year's handbook. When the administration posts the updated handbook I plan to update this link.)

2. Show respect, take responsibility, try hard, have integrity, be engaged

·   Show respect for yourself, each other, me, other teachers, administrators, staff members, the room (including desks, floors, walls, etc.), and the equipment (books, etc.)

·   Take responsibility for your own education and behavior.

·   Put forth a good faith effort.

·   Don't copy other people's work. Don't plagiarize. In other words don't cheat. And don't make up fictional excuses. In other words don't lie.

·   I promise to work hard to make sure lessons are purposeful and relevant to your life. If you can read well, write well, and think critically you will have more control over your own life. I can help you with that. I also promise to work hard to make sure we read, write, and think about big questions that human beings have long been concerned with, especially this one: How do people respond to society's pressures? In return I ask that you engage with the work we do in class and the work I ask you to do outside of class.

3. Stay organized

·          Use a large three-ring binder to keep all photocopied handouts and completed work, including graded processed papers, projects, tests, quizzes, and homework. (Keep photocopied handouts for the semester. Keep processed papers and projects for the entire year. Keep graded tests and quizzes for the semester. Keep returned homework assignments for the term.)

·          The binder you bring to class daily should contain a source of paper.

·          You will also be responsible for bringing whatever book we are reading to class each day.

·          Use your school handbook to record homework assignments. Homework assignments are written on the right side of the whiteboard at the front of the class.

 

4. Know how you will be graded.

30% UNIT-WORK GRADES (Formative Assessments)

These assignments assess your learning along the way.

·          This category consists of homework and class work assigned during units.

·          Individual assignments (of the type cited above) will be graded using the following system:

·         The work is considered advanced (90-100, A-range, check-plus, 4 on the open response rubric) if the work is complete and shows exceptionally thorough and thoughtful understanding of concepts and mastery of skills;

·         the work is considered proficient (80-89, B-range, check, 3 on the open response rubric) if the work is complete and meets expectations by showing understanding of concepts and mastery of skills; 

·         the work needs improvement (65-79, C/D-range, check minus, 2 on the open response rubric) if the work is nearly complete and/or shows partial understanding of concepts/skills;

·         the work triggers a warning (<65, F, 1 on 4-point rubric) if the work is incomplete and/or shows little to no understanding of concepts/skills.

70% END-OF-UNIT ASSESSMENT GRADES (Summative Assessments)

These assignments assess your learning at the end of a unit.

·          Grades on unit tests, unit projects, and multi-draft papers will be worth two hundred points.

·          Grades on content quizzes, single-draft take-home essays, in-class timed essays, graded discussions, etc. will be worth one hundred points.

·          These assignments will be graded using rubrics that students will become familiar with throughout the year.

           

5. Know the policy for late work

Unit Work (especially homework)

·         Unless you are informed otherwise, homework that is completed late but before the end of the unit will be accepted but for reduced credit. (The grade will be reduced from advanced to proficient, proficient to needs improvement, or needs improvement to warning.)

·         Unless you are informed otherwise, homework that is completed after the end of the unit will not be accepted.

 

End-of-Unit Work (especially papers and projects)

·          If you are between one and five school days late with an end-of-unit assessment your grade on that paper or project will be reduced by ten points.

·          If you are more than five school days late with an end-of-unit assessment you may receive a passing grade (65) on that paper or project if you discuss the lateness with me , you turn the assignment in a week or more before the end of the term, and the work meets requirements.

·          Not doing an end-of-unit assessment is not an option.

6. Know the policy for retaking quizzes and tests, and for rewriting papers
·          Unless you are informed otherwise, students may make arrangements to retake a quiz or test during the five school days following the original quiz or test. Retake quizzes and tests cover the same information as the original quizzes and tests but are not identical to them.

·          In some cases students may also rewrite papers. If you would like to rewrite a paper ask  me.
·          Unless you are informed otherwise, the new grades will replace the old grades if the new grade is higher. If the new grade will not replace the old grade is the old grade is higher.

7. Know what will happen if you're late or skipping.

·          If you are late to class (meaning you arrive at your desk after the bell and after I have begun the day's lesson) you may be asked to stay after school.

·          If you are late by more than seven minutes you will be marked absent from class. This is school policy as set forth in the student handbook.

·          If you are discovered to have skipped class a zero will be added to your unit-work grade. (This consequence is in addition to the consequences outlined in the student handbook.)

8. Absences and make-up work

·          Work missed due to absences is your responsibility. The absence policy for GHS is outlined in the student handbook.

·          On the day you return to class, you will be expected to take tests, quizzes, participate, and turn in any assignments that are due on the day of return or had been due during your absence, so long as the due date was announced or posted before your absence.

Note:  These policies are subject to change.  All changes will be announced in class.  Students will cross out the changed language and write in the new.

9. Class Blogs & Emails

·          The class blog can be found at http://jcookenglish10.blogspot.com.

·          My staff website can be found at https://sites.google.com/a/gloucesterschools.com/jcook/

·          Email questions to jcook@gloucester.k12.ma.us

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After reading the policies, use the comment box below to write your first name and last initial followed by the sentence "I understand Mr. James Cook's English 10 policies."

Ask me questions if you have questions.