1. Parent Information Night
Medford High School
Mr. David Ambrose
English 10:
British Literature
Thursday, September 22, 2016

2. 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.
To answer any questions about the course syllabus.
To set some goals for your children.

3. Meet Aranxta King
Two-time Olympian
Stanford University

4. Meet Chris Vaudo
Boston College
Mountain Climber

5. Software Engineer at Facebook and Google
Meet Roger Zurawicki
Harvard University
Software Engineer at Facebook and Google

6. Dancer and Choreographer
Meet Susan Trinh
Brown University
Dancer and Choreographer

7. Music and Video Producer
Meet Laurore Etienne
Music and Video Producer
Founder, L-Star Beats

8. Medford Overcoming Addiction
Meet Janell Rocco
Founder,
Medford Overcoming Addiction

9. Your children are next!
These students sat in these same desks just a few short years ago.
Your children are sitting there this year.
In future years, I look forward to incorporating your children and their great accomplishments into my presentation!

10. A Little About Me 35 years old, 13 years teaching at MHS
English 10 Honors and English 10 Standard
Nexus Support Course
Yearbook
Proud father to Ben and Charlotte (also students!)
UMass Amherst ’03, B.A. English and Journalism
UMass Amherst ’04, M.Ed. Urban Education
2014 Graduation Speaker
Accreditation Committee

11. Curriculum Goals
To create a safe and comfortable learning environment for each student.
To provide each student the opportunity to express himself/herself in a variety of appropriate and creative ways.
To analyze and evaluate literature from various genres and time periods.
To foster a love and appreciation for reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
To prepare for standardized tests such as the MCAS and PSAT.

12. School-wide Initiatives
Outdoor Education
“One of the best days in high school took place yesterday, June 10.  We, as a student body, have finally been allowed to use the Middlesex Fells Reservation, a wonderful school and community resource.  How often do school headmasters sincerely ask their students if they had fun?  It felt like the school administration and teachers were interested in what we wanted to do.”
Connor Bryan, class of 2016

13. Class Information Review Syllabus Literature
An overview of British literature
Standardized Test Preparation
PSAT (October 2016) - $15, during the school day
MCAS (Spring 2017) – 3 days
Reading and Writing Workshop
Self-selected reading, nonfictional informational texts
Grammar
Vocabulary

14. Grading Policies Every student has the opportunity to succeed.
Quarterly grades will be determined by dividing total points earned over total possible points.
5-30 point assignments: daily homework and classwork, participation
50 point assignments: quizzes, essay rough drafts
100 point assignments: projects, formal essays, tests
Digital grade reports are available via iPass

15. MCAS An important focus for sophomore year
Graduation requirement
John and Abigail Adams Scholarship
Weekly preparation on Fridays
Weekly vocabulary, grammar, and nonfiction
Focus on nonfiction informational texts
“MCAS”
“Test Items”
MCAS Question of the Day
A tip for MCAS success: read, read, read!

16. Two-Way Communication
Please bookmark the course website.
On the website, you will find the following:
Current and archived homework assignments
An link
Examples of student work
Links to help your child with homework
Follow me on Twitter
me any time you like
Weekly Friday

17. Wrap Up Writing Contests Parent-Teacher Conferences
Following first quarter report cards
Does anyone have any questions?
Thank you for coming!

18. Index Cards Your name and your child’s name
Have you been receiving s?
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?