COURSE SYLLABUS: ENGLISH 9 BRIAN BURKHART In English 9 we will explore works that contain the theme of coming of age. Coming of age can be broadly defined as an individual s struggle to learn what it means to be an autonomous individual. As beginning high school students, hopefully you will be able to draw meaningful connections between the characters and concepts we encounter and your own life. The works we shall read this year will cover all genres and various time periods, ranging from ninth century BC (The Odyssey) to contemporary short stories. Our class will also focus on literary terminology and characteristics of genre such as theme, characterization, motifs, symbols, plot, setting, and conflicts. Please read this syllabus carefully and refer to it whenever you have a question about grading, homework policies, or course requirements. If you have additional concerns, please feel free to come and speak with me personally. GOALS OF THE COURSE: Enjoyment and Development Simply understanding what happened in the works we read is a very small part of what you will accomplish this year. You will sharpen your skills at analytical reading and analytical writing, both of which are of paramount importance to the rest of your lives whether or not you pursue English further. You will learn how to ask important questions and make and prove your own arguments. I want you to think for yourself; the best essays are often ones I disagree with or that argue a side that is unpopular. This is not like other disciplines where there is always a right or wrong answer but you must base your arguments on evidence (generally contextual evidence) and then communicate it effectively. My goal is to help you cultivate the skills, both as a writer and a speaker, to do this. In short - can you come up with an interesting idea and then prove it? Just as importantly, English class should be fun. In the works we discuss, we will explore what it is that makes them both important and interesting. We will look for common threads between these works and various books/movies/etc that you enjoy. Keep in mind that these various readings are meant to entertain the reader in one way or another. TEXTS The Seagull Reader Stories, Edited by Joseph Kelly The Odyssey. Homer, ed. Fagles The Catcher in the Rye. J.D. Salinger The Oedipus Cycle. Sophocles, trans, Fitts and Fitzgerald Othello. William Shakespeare, ed. Folger Death of a Salesman. Arthur Miller, ed. Penguin Plays. Poetry Packet (to be handed out later) Vocabulary Workshop. Sadlier-Oxford Levels E and F GENRES Short Story Epic Poem Modern Novel Greek Drama Shakespearean Tragedy Modern Tragic Drama Narrative, Lyric, Dramatic, and Sonnet
PREPARATION FOR CLASS You will likely need a notebook and folder for English class. For each unit that we cover, you should collect notes, lists of relevant literary terms, handouts, responses, homework, quizzes, review sheets, and unit tests. When we are finished with the unit, you may want to remove your materials and store them in a safe place where they can be retrieved in order to facilitate your preparation for the final exam. Always bring your binder/notebook/folder, a writing utensil, and the appropriate text to class. GRADING SYSTEM Papers 40% Tests 30% Quizzes/Homework/Responses 15% Vocabulary 10% Participation 05% WRITING: We will focus on expanding your competence in writing analytic essays, but you will also write responses and creative works that borrow themes or techniques from the works we read. Formal analytical essays will be assigned at least two weeks before they are due. As per department policy, one third of a grade will be deducted each day a composition is late. For example: On Time = A- One day late = B+ Two days late = B Once each semester, you may submit a paper 1 day late without penalty. To receive this extension however, you must clearly denote on the assignment that you are using your exception, which means putting 1 Day Late Excused: Free Pass in the appropriate place at the end of your paper. Consult the Pingry Manual of Style if you have further questions. Please note: 1 day in this case is literally just one day. If the paper is due on Friday, you must submit it on Saturday, NOT Monday. All papers should be submitted online via Moodle. Paper Length: Aim for 2.5 pages immediately and we will move to 3-4 by midyear. Please note however: I do NOT grade based on paper length. Part of becoming an effective writer is learning how to be concise. I merely give suggested lengths because you will likely need that much to effectively argue your point. REVISION POLICY: You may rewrite a paper for a better grade if you consulted with me regarding your draft at least 2 days before the paper was due. You may only rewrite a paper once, with the exception of your first writing assignment, which you may rewrite as many times as you like (to a maximum grade of an A). The revision and original grade are averaged for the assignment s overall grade, up to an increase of 2/3 of a letter grade (ex B- to a B+). Occasionally, I may insist that you rewrite a paper. This is usually because your paper is incomplete in some way and would receive a failing grade. Papers that demand a rewrite go into my gradebook as a 50/100 until they are rewritten. After 2 weeks, the failing grade becomes permanent.
HONOR CODE / PLAGIARISM If you have not done so already, please be sure to familiarize yourself with the Pingry Honor Code. In this class, as in all other areas of school life, each member of the Pingry community is expected to uphold every aspect of the Pingry Honor Code - both in terms of academic guidelines and personal conduct. In this class, you are to work independently except during special group assignments. Unless I indicate otherwise, you should not consult or quote from outside sources in any of your essays; the use of published literary criticism is unnecessary for your papers in this course. The use of Spark Notes and other such materials is not allowed. I am interested in what you know and think about your reading and not what someone else thinks. Cutting and pasting from Internet sources and calling it your own is plagiarism. Plagiarism is defined as copying or imitating the language or thought of another and passing it off as one s own. This pertains to parent and tutor help as well. If you have any questions about plagiarism, please consult me rather than risking an Honor Code violation. Always cite quotations and ideas as outlined in The Pingry Manual of Style. Throughout the course, we will talk extensively about appropriate procedure when writing papers and will also workshop some papers in class. Developing effective and original writing skills is a major goal of this course. *The Teacher is the only individual, other than the student, who is allowed to make SPECIFIC CORRECTIONS to the paper. The Teacher is the only individual who is allowed to give the student aid in their efforts to complete the assignment. *All other individuals (tutors, family, friends) may make GENERAL HINTS/SUGGESTIONS that enable to student to find areas in the paper that might need attention. Examples: - "I see that you may want to check your paper for consistent verb tense. I can t point them out or help you fix them. If you need help, you need to see your teacher." - "You may want to make your topic sentences relate more to your thesis. I can't tell you how - and I can't do it for you." - "Your introduction should begin with a general statement and end with a specific thesis statement. If you are having a lot of trouble, you need to see your teacher. - "You need to add more quotations to prove your points. Even though you are having difficulty finding quotations - you need to do it. If you need more help please see your teacher." - ETC. *The student is the only individual, besides the teacher, who can legally: Generate ideas/make connections Correct grammar Write any sentences/paragraphs Find quotations to be used in the paper Find resources for a research paper MOODLE / ONLINE WORK Course documents and assignments will be posted on the Moodle website, found at moodle.pingry.org (do not type in www beforehand). You already have an account made simply log-in using the username and password you would use for your e-mail. Enroll in my section of English 9. We will have many activities on Moodle, so it is important to check this page with regularity. You will be required to post your responses and your papers on Moodle. If regular computer access is an issue for you, you need to speak with me about it as soon as possible.
Before exams and some papers, I will hold online chats, which will be available through Moodle. You may submit questions ahead of time if you cannot make the chat time the entire chat transcript will be available on the site. You are of course encouraged to actually attend so you can ask follow-up questions. Also, the majority of our class discussions will be recorded and posted on Moodle in.mp3 format, so you may listen to them on your computers/ipods/mp3 players. I expect that if you miss a class, you will check Moodle for any documents you missed and also listen to the class, if available. TESTS/QUIZZES All tests will be announced at least one week in advance. Reading pop-quizzes may be administered at any time without prior notice. Unit tests (for literature) will consist of objective and subjective questions, but reading quizzes will focus on details from the narratives. If you are absent on the day of a test, it is your responsibility to take the exam on the day of your return to school. If you are absent for a longer period of time, please see me to schedule a time for review and to take the test. HOMEWORK POLICY In general, I will grade homework assignments on a 10-point scale. It is important that you complete all homework in a timely manner, especially responses, so class discussion can progress. For this reason, I do not accept late homework. Homework is part of the creative process it is a chance for you to begin to cultivate your ideas and show your understanding of what we are covering in class. This, along with discussion, is what will allow you to develop interesting analytical papers. Much of your homework will be in the form of short responses, where you will express your ideas and opinions prior to class. They will be due by 8am on the day we will be discussing that topic. I will provide you with a rubric for how they will be graded. VOCABULARY We will be completing one unit of vocabulary during each week of the course. You can achieve up to 15 points each week. The first 2 sections out of your vocab book are due for each unit on every Tuesday. Completion of this assignment is worth 5 points. If you forget to do your homework, you can complete the entire unit and show it to me before class on Wednesday and receive 3 points. Optionally, you can also write a story using the words from the unit to make up these points. In the beginning of class on Wednesday will be the vocab quiz, consisting of 10 questions 1 point each. If you miss class on a day of the quiz, you have up to 1 week to make it up. I post missed quizzes on the board cork-board in the back of my office. They have the proper names on them and you may walk in and take them at any time. PARTICIPATION For each semester, you will receive an effort grade based on the quality of your participation, your preparation for class, your involvement in class discussion, and your respect for your classmates and for me. Remember that class participation is not only about what you say; it also has to do with how you treat others who voice their own opinions. I expect you to treat each individual in the classroom with respect - to listen to them, to answer their questions thoughtfully, to take notes from their comments. Being a good listener is part of being a good student. Your participation grade is not only contingent
on your participation in the classroom however; I also consider contributions you make to our online classroom on moodle, such as posting in discussion forums and updating glossaries. HELP I expect to consult with each and every one of you on your work this year. Remember, I am a resource for you to use as you work towards becoming an effective writer. I am available to help you whenever possible. However, I coach middle school athletics during Upper School conference period. I am available during non-school hours sporadically via AOL Instant Messenger. My screen name is: Mr Burkhart Help. Also, for help on papers, you may submit a complete draft to me, once, via e-mail and I will get back to you with comments as soon as possible. The deadline for this is two full days before the paper is due. You may also send me smaller pieces of your writing with specific questions. I teach periods 5, 6, and 8 and I coach during CP. When there is a paper due, I will make sign-up times available for you to come and meet with me. Depending on the assignment, these meetings, as well as submitting parts of your paper as you progress, may be required. You are also welcome to friend me on facebook and/or follow me on Twitter (MrBurkhart). You will find there the same news updates that are on Moodle.