Syllabus
ENGLISH TEACHER: Mrs. Bertram
CLASSROOM: AC 136
EMAIL: Bertramj@mcmsnj.net
Course Description: The English Department at the Middlesex County Magnet School of East Brunswick provides students with necessary higher-level thinking skills, such as analysis, reasoning, problem-solving, and critical-thinking. These skills are applicable to students endeavoring to pursue a career - in any field. In this course, students will become more advanced thinkers by regularly reading fiction and nonfiction texts, writing short-answer responses, essays, and speeches, and by participating in all class activities.
Class Expectations:
1. Respect one another.
2. Respect the established MCMS rules.
3. Arrive to class at the scheduled time.
4. Arrive to class prepared. That is, with course text(s), paper, writing utensils, and any other assigned materials.
5. No profanity.
6. Keep your class clean.
7. Homework assignments must be completed and handed in on time. Failure to comply may result in a decline in academic standing.
8. Cell phones are prohibited unless advised otherwise.
9. Be prepared to participate in class every day.
Homework: Homework assignments will be graded based on the quality of the work produced. Most homework assignments will be graded on a letter grade scale. Failure to complete these assignments will poorly impact your grade. If you are unable to complete a homework assignment, you are held accountable for communicating that with me. Unexplained, missed, or incomplete, homework assignments are unacceptable and will result in a zero in the gradebook. One letter grade is deducted from your grade with each passing day following the due date.
Attendance: What does it actually mean to be in class? In my class, it is not enough to just show up. I expect all of my students to arrive at my class eager and ready to learn. What does that mean? You must be prepared with the assigned text(s), your journal and/or something to write on, and a writing utensil. Additionally, you must be involved in all lessons. That may mean taking notes, or that may mean leading a group discussion. Whatever the case, you must bring more than just your body to my class. Bring your mind, too!
Late Work: Grades will drop one letter grade with each passing day following the due date.
Absentee Policy: It is your responsibility to contact your teachers and/or classmates about missed work during an absence. You will be held to the same expectations as every other student in the class. You will be allotted the same amount of time as your classmates to complete an assignment. If you know that you will be absent on certain dates, please let me know in advance. If there is a medical and/or family emergency, you and I will make alternative arrangements so that you can successfully complete class lessons.
Plagiarism: “The practice of taking someone else’s work or ideas and passing them off as one’s own” (Google). All of the written work produced in this class must be original and derived from your own mind. You will be expected to cite the work of others in this class, but to avoid plagiarizing you must always credit the person(s) and/or source(s) who have given you the information you are utilizing. You can do this by employing the use of quotation marks, or in-text/parenthetical citations.
Group Discussion Guidelines: During in-class discussions, you are expected to conduct yourself in a professional manner. Inappropriate behavior (that is, disrespectful comments, use of profanity, failure to comply with established rules, etc.), will be dealt with accordingly. Generally speaking, I expect all students to participate in the group discussions. Participation is 30% of your grade, so come to class prepared – having read all assigned texts and completing assigned work on the expected due date – and you should do just fine in this grading category.
Essay Guidelines: I expect all essays to be typed in MLA Format unless advised otherwise. MLA Format requires you to type in 12pt. Times New Roman font with 1” margins. There is always a header on the left side of the page, clearly listing the writer's name, the course title, the teacher’s name, and the date (double spaced). Additionally, you must type the page number in the upper right-hand corner, and create a title below the header. Refer to https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/13/ for more information regarding my essay requirements. Failure to comply with this format may lower your grade.
*If you do not have access to a computer at home, please communicate that with me.
Journal Writing: In this course, you will participate in journal writing. You will be prompted to write about a specific topic sometimes, and to free-write other times. Free writing is exactly what it sounds like it is. You will write about anything you like. Your journal entries may be no less than 5-7 sentences. You must also write in an organized and neat fashion – including your name and date – as I will be reviewing these entries. I will grade your journal entries based on your ability to follow these instructions.
Monthly Vocabulary: You will be given 5-8 new vocabulary words each month. At the end of each month, you will take a test. You can expect a midterm in January and a final in June.
Grading System
You are all walking into this class with 100%.
· Homework…………………………………………………………. 15%
· Quizzes……………………………………………………….…….… 15%
· Tests/Essays……………………………………………….………..40%
· Class Work/Participation/Attendance…………………. 30%
Tentative Course Texts:
Grades & Genesis: You, and your parents/guardians, have access to your grades on Genesis. However, be aware that the gradebook is not always accurate and your online score may not reflect the most recent data, as I can only grade so much at a time. On that note, if you have any questions/concerns about your grade, simply ask.
Contact Information:
Email: Bertramj@mcmsnj.net
CLASSROOM: AC 136
EMAIL: Bertramj@mcmsnj.net
Course Description: The English Department at the Middlesex County Magnet School of East Brunswick provides students with necessary higher-level thinking skills, such as analysis, reasoning, problem-solving, and critical-thinking. These skills are applicable to students endeavoring to pursue a career - in any field. In this course, students will become more advanced thinkers by regularly reading fiction and nonfiction texts, writing short-answer responses, essays, and speeches, and by participating in all class activities.
Class Expectations:
1. Respect one another.
2. Respect the established MCMS rules.
3. Arrive to class at the scheduled time.
4. Arrive to class prepared. That is, with course text(s), paper, writing utensils, and any other assigned materials.
5. No profanity.
6. Keep your class clean.
7. Homework assignments must be completed and handed in on time. Failure to comply may result in a decline in academic standing.
8. Cell phones are prohibited unless advised otherwise.
9. Be prepared to participate in class every day.
Homework: Homework assignments will be graded based on the quality of the work produced. Most homework assignments will be graded on a letter grade scale. Failure to complete these assignments will poorly impact your grade. If you are unable to complete a homework assignment, you are held accountable for communicating that with me. Unexplained, missed, or incomplete, homework assignments are unacceptable and will result in a zero in the gradebook. One letter grade is deducted from your grade with each passing day following the due date.
Attendance: What does it actually mean to be in class? In my class, it is not enough to just show up. I expect all of my students to arrive at my class eager and ready to learn. What does that mean? You must be prepared with the assigned text(s), your journal and/or something to write on, and a writing utensil. Additionally, you must be involved in all lessons. That may mean taking notes, or that may mean leading a group discussion. Whatever the case, you must bring more than just your body to my class. Bring your mind, too!
Late Work: Grades will drop one letter grade with each passing day following the due date.
Absentee Policy: It is your responsibility to contact your teachers and/or classmates about missed work during an absence. You will be held to the same expectations as every other student in the class. You will be allotted the same amount of time as your classmates to complete an assignment. If you know that you will be absent on certain dates, please let me know in advance. If there is a medical and/or family emergency, you and I will make alternative arrangements so that you can successfully complete class lessons.
Plagiarism: “The practice of taking someone else’s work or ideas and passing them off as one’s own” (Google). All of the written work produced in this class must be original and derived from your own mind. You will be expected to cite the work of others in this class, but to avoid plagiarizing you must always credit the person(s) and/or source(s) who have given you the information you are utilizing. You can do this by employing the use of quotation marks, or in-text/parenthetical citations.
Group Discussion Guidelines: During in-class discussions, you are expected to conduct yourself in a professional manner. Inappropriate behavior (that is, disrespectful comments, use of profanity, failure to comply with established rules, etc.), will be dealt with accordingly. Generally speaking, I expect all students to participate in the group discussions. Participation is 30% of your grade, so come to class prepared – having read all assigned texts and completing assigned work on the expected due date – and you should do just fine in this grading category.
Essay Guidelines: I expect all essays to be typed in MLA Format unless advised otherwise. MLA Format requires you to type in 12pt. Times New Roman font with 1” margins. There is always a header on the left side of the page, clearly listing the writer's name, the course title, the teacher’s name, and the date (double spaced). Additionally, you must type the page number in the upper right-hand corner, and create a title below the header. Refer to https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/13/ for more information regarding my essay requirements. Failure to comply with this format may lower your grade.
*If you do not have access to a computer at home, please communicate that with me.
Journal Writing: In this course, you will participate in journal writing. You will be prompted to write about a specific topic sometimes, and to free-write other times. Free writing is exactly what it sounds like it is. You will write about anything you like. Your journal entries may be no less than 5-7 sentences. You must also write in an organized and neat fashion – including your name and date – as I will be reviewing these entries. I will grade your journal entries based on your ability to follow these instructions.
Monthly Vocabulary: You will be given 5-8 new vocabulary words each month. At the end of each month, you will take a test. You can expect a midterm in January and a final in June.
Grading System
You are all walking into this class with 100%.
· Homework…………………………………………………………. 15%
· Quizzes……………………………………………………….…….… 15%
· Tests/Essays……………………………………………….………..40%
· Class Work/Participation/Attendance…………………. 30%
Tentative Course Texts:
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (12th grade)
- A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry (11th grade)
- Antigone by Sophocles (10th grade)
- Lord of the Flies by William Golding (9th grade)
- The Crucible by Arthur Miller (11th grade)
- Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (10th grade)
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (11th grade)
- Night by Elie Wiesel (9th grade)
- The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom (12th grade)
- Course textbook (grades 9-12)
Grades & Genesis: You, and your parents/guardians, have access to your grades on Genesis. However, be aware that the gradebook is not always accurate and your online score may not reflect the most recent data, as I can only grade so much at a time. On that note, if you have any questions/concerns about your grade, simply ask.
Contact Information:
Email: Bertramj@mcmsnj.net
