Ms. O’Halloran English Teacher Room 107

Expectations

The Five B’s Be present. Be punctual. Be prepared. Be polite. Be a participant.

Be Present Be in class with your body, mind and heart. Missing class, means you miss instruction, practice, participating and learning. Being present means you are engaged with the lesson or task at hand.

Be Punctual Class begins when the bell rings. When the bell rings, be in your seat, ready to work.

Be Prepared Supplies: pens, pencils, loose leaf paper, an eraser, highlighters Class Notebook with all materials Reader/Writer’s Notebook Assigned books or texts Homework

Be Polite Say please and thank you. Listen intently. Be patient. Treat others as you would like to be treated. Share.

Be a Participant Share your thoughts. Stay on the same page. In group work, do your fair share. Be an interested and active listener.

Classroom Procedures Arrivals & Departures Attendance Conduct Grades

Arrivals Be on time. On time means you are in your seat ready to work. If you are not in your seat or ready to work, you are not on time and will be marked tardy.

Departures The teacher dismisses the class. Wait for my instruction before packing up. Clean up your area; do not leave any books out or trash behind you. Stay seated until dismissed.

Attendance Your success requires your presence.

Attendance Excused Absences Planned Absences: –Notify Ms. O’Halloran in writing and request class work and homework. Unplanned Absences: –You are responsible for finding out what you missed and making up that work. –Late work will be accepted if the absence is excused.

Attendance Unexcused Absences Truancies will be reported to the Attendance Office and your family. Consequences may include a court citation and detention.

Attendance Tardies Excessive tardiness (3+) results in the following: –Missed class work –Disorientation –A U in work habits –Detention –A U in cooperation if no improvement –Referral to the Dean

Conduct Do your work. Follow instructions. Be polite. Treat people and property with respect. Obey school and district rules: no cell phones, no hats, no MP3 players, no eating, no drinking (except for water), no profanity, and no hate speech.

Grades I do not give grades, you earn them. Each assignment is worth points; more on this later. Late work is not accepted unless you have an excused absence. Essays may be revised to raise your grade. I do not give extra credit.

How can you be successful in this class? Be punctual. Be present. Be prepared. Be polite. Be a participant.

Class Routine Dispatch assignment will be on display when you arrive. Do this short assignment quickly. Use the same sheet of paper for one week, then turn in dispatches on Fridays. Dispatches focus on grammar and vocabulary.

Class Notebook You will keep a 3-ring binder for English class. Expect the notebook to be checked and graded three times during the semester. Grades are based on completeness and organization. The notebook forms the basis for your mid- term and final portfolio.

Reader’s Notebook You will be given a composition notebook to use for quick writes and other unit assignments.

Class Portfolio Portfolios are a collection of representative work, peer reviews and self-assessments. Portfolios will be used as mid-term and final exams. We will discuss portfolios in greater detail next week.

Course of Study The year will be divided into three major units. Each unit focuses on a different type of writing: persuasive, research and exposition, and responding to literature. Each unit culminates with a formal essay and an exam.

The Big Read Apart from the units just mentioned you will read the novel Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya. You will use this novel as a launching pad for a learning project that may involve other classes, such as Algebra or Biology. You will respond to the novel--its imagery or ideas--through poetry.

Strategies You will use reader/writer notebooks to construct meaning. That is, the teacher will not tell you what to think. You will discover your ideas and thoughts through writing and class discussion.

Creative Writing You will write poems and stories to sharpen your academic writing, explore ideas, and express your personality. Creative writing will include reading aloud and publishing your work. Student poets may be chosen to join a select group of Fairfax writers at the annual UCLA Teen Writing Project Weekend at Lake Arrowhead.

So, how can you be successful in this class?

That’s right! Be punctual. Be present. Be prepared. Be polite. Be a participant.

Questions? If you don’t understand an assignment, speak up. If you don’t understand, it’s because I haven’t explained it for you. Ask. Don’t leave any class if you aren’t sure what your homework is. Ask. ???

Have a great year! I’m glad you’re here!