Merion Mercy Academy Back to School Night Tuesday, 9/18/12 World Cultures Mr. Paul Clementi Codes 5, 7 and 8 Welcome to …..

4 Questions in 10 Minutes 1. Who is this guy? 2. What’s the content? 3. How does he teach it? 4. How does he grade? 5. Does he see my child?

My Background Personal  Personal  Married, 3 children  Parishioner, St. Thomas of Villanova  Education  B.S. Economics, Villanova University  J.D., Seton Hall Law School  Previous Career with ExxonMobil

Teaching Assignments  Merion Mercy (2008 to present) Other Courses: World Cultures, Introduction to Law, US Government and Psychology  Other Courses: World Cultures, Introduction to Law, US Government and Psychology  Mock Trial Program Coordinator  3 rd Place: Univ. of Penn Ben Franklin Invitational  Top 16: Princeton Moot Court Competition  Adjunct Professor (2005 to present)  Villanova, Eastern, Immaculata and West Chester Universities

Course Content  Ancient Greece and the Hellenism World  The Roman Republic and the Roman Empire  The Rise of Islam  European Middle Ages  The Chinese and Mongolian Empires  Societies and Empires of Africa  People and Empires in the Americas  The Renaissance and Reformation  European Absolutism and Exploration  The Age of Enlightenment

Course Goals Every student will…  understand, compare and critique the cultural universals of the predominant civilizations from Ancient Greece to the Enlightenment.  recognize and critique how one’s cultural experience affects their worldview.  understand, evaluate and synthesize the legacies these cultures have on the contemporary world and the lessons which our society can learned from these cultures in addressing contemporary issues.

Assessments  Formal Assessments 80% of (Quizzes, test, papers) semester work grade  Daily Assessments 20% of (Class participation, semester work grade class work and homework)  Final Exam20% of semester grade

Quizzes, Tests and Projects  Key Points …. 1. “Nothing should be a surprise.” 2. Quizzes may be given on any day and may be announced or unannounced. However, unannounced quizzes if homework / class work is collectively unsatisfactory. 3. Test and projects will be announced ahead of schedule and given/due only on the assigned testing dates (day 2 and 5). 4. On particularly longer units, a comprehensive test may be given that draws on information prior to the previous test.

Class Participation From the syllabus “…. [T]o achieve our academic goals active participation of the students in class is vital. The development of interpersonal and communication skills is an important part of any social studies class. This grade is a good faith effort grade; students will not be scored on the correctness of your answers, but the on the quality of your commitment to the learning process…”

Homework and In Class Assignments  Key Points on Homework…. 1. On average 30 minutes every night; purposeful in either reinforcing the day’s learning or preparing for tomorrow. 2. Periodically checked and graded for accuracy and/or good faith. 3. Student binders are subject to review at any point during the semester for grading purposes. 4. Any student carrying below an 80% cumulative grade may be asked to submit homework on a daily basis for review.  Key Points on Class Work…. 1. These assignments may be individually, pair or team based. 2. Periodically checked and graded for accuracy and/or good faith effort.

Mid Term and 2 nd Semester Project  Key Points on Mid Term…. 1. Counts as 20% of 1 st semester grade. 2. “Nothing should be a surprise.” 3. Will have study guide and at least 2 days of review. 4. Early January  Key Points on 2 nd Semester Project…. 1. Counts as 20% of 2 nd semester grade (in lieu of final.) 2. Individual research paper component (60% of grade.) 3. Team presentation component (40% of grade.) 4. Detailed instructions and rubric in February Due May 2012.

But the big question… Does he see my child?