Parent Information Night Medford High School Mr. David Ambrose English 11 Honors: American Literature Thursday, September 24, 2009

Welcome, parents! Thank you for coming this evening. Goals for tonight: To help you understand the work we will be doing throughout the school year. To explain my expectations for my students. To share information about how you can support learning at home.

Curriculum Goals To create a safe and comfortable learning environment for each student. To simulate a college English classroom by providing students the opportunity to guide their own learning. To analyze and evaluate American literature from various genres and literary movements. To begin focused exploration of colleges and universities. To prepare for standardized tests such as the SAT. To improve students’ reading and writing skills.

Grading Policies Every student has the opportunity to succeed. Quarterly grades will be calculated as follows: Homework 20% Tests 20% Essays 20% Projects 15% Participation 15% Quizzes 10% Printed grade reports are available upon request. Digital grade reports will soon be available on the web.

Class Information Literature Standardized Test Preparation An overview of American literature Standardized Test Preparation PSAT (October 17, 2009) SAT (January, March, May, June 2010) Reading and Writing Workshop Self-selected reading; creative writing Grammar Vocabulary SAT Vocabulary “Hit Parade” In-context Vocabulary

PSAT and SAT PSAT (October 17, 2009) A “no consequences,” realistic practice for SAT National Merit Qualifying Exam A status which is quite prestigious $30 registration fee Friday practice sessions in class Thursday afternoon sessions (beginning next week) SAT (January, March, May, June 2010) www.collegeboard.com Sign up for the SAT Question of the Day A tip for SAT success: read, read, read!

How to get Involved Please bookmark the course website. www.misterambrose.com On the website, you will find the following: Current and archived homework assignments An e-mail link Examples of student work Links to help your child with homework

Goals What are your goals for your child this year? Is there anything you want me to know so that I may be a better teacher for your child? Is there anything you would like to share about your child’s personality, interests, or previous academic experiences?

Questions? Does anyone have any questions? Parent-Teacher Conferences Following first quarter report cards 781.264.0881 misterambrose@yahoo.com www.misterambrose.com

Thank you for coming!