Mr. Rohol_______Spruce Creek High School



Mr. Gufford Spruce Creek High School

Room O-33 2013-2014

pwguffor@volusia.k12.fl.us

Syllabus: Pre-IB English I

IB Mission Statement:

The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

IB Learners

Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Principled,

Open-minded, Caring, Risk-takers, Balanced, Reflective

IB Group 1 AIMS

1. introduce students to a range of texts from different periods, styles and genres

2. develop in students the ability to engage in close, detailed analysis of individual texts and make relevant connections

3. develop the students’ powers of expression, both in oral and written communication

4. encourage students to recognize the importance of the contexts in which texts are written and received

5. encourage, through the study of texts, an appreciation of the different perspectives of people from other cultures, and how these perspectives construct meaning

6. encourage students to appreciate the formal, stylistic and aesthetic qualities of texts

7. promote in students an enjoyment of, and lifelong interest in, language and literature.

8. develop in students an understanding of the techniques involved in literary criticism

9. develop the students’ ability to form independent literary judgments and to support those ideas.

The course is built on the assumption that literature is concerned with our conceptions, interpretations and experiences of the world. The study of literature can therefore be seen as an exploration of the way it represents the complex pursuits, anxieties, joys and fears to which human beings are exposed in the daily business of living. It enables an exploration of one of the more enduring fields of human creativity, and provides opportunities for encouraging independent, original, critical and clear thinking. It also promotes respect for the imagination and a perceptive approach to the understanding and interpretation of literary works. Group 1 courses are designed to support future academic study by developing a high social, aesthetic and cultural literacy, as well as effective communication skills.

In Language A: Literature, the formal analysis of texts and wide coverage of a variety of literature, both in the language of the subject and in translated texts from other cultural domains, is combined with a study of the way literary conventions shape responses to texts.

Students completing this course will have developed a thorough knowledge of a range of texts and an understanding of other cultural perspectives. They will also have developed skills of analysis and the ability to support an argument in clearly expressed writing, sometimes at significant length. This course encourages students to appreciate the artistry of literature and to develop an ability to reflect critically on their reading. This course will enable them to succeed in a wide range of university classes, particularly in literature but also in subjects such as philosophy, law and language.

Formal critical analysis is seen as central in that it allows students to assemble evidence to support an argument. Students are also required to reflect on and assess the role of context in shaping meaning; the meaning of texts may alter according to the time and circumstances in which they are produced and received. All texts may be understood according to their form, content, purpose and audience, and through the social, historical, cultural and workplace contexts that produce and value them.

ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES

1. Knowledge and understanding

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of individual literary works as representatives of their genre and period, and the relationships between them

• Demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which cultural values are expressed in literature

• Demonstrate awareness of the significance of the context in which a work is written and received

• Substantiate and justify ideas with relevant examples

2. Analysis, synthesis and evaluation

• Demonstrate an ability to analyze language, structure, technique and style, and evaluate their effects on the reader

• Demonstrate an ability to engage in independent literary criticism on both familiar and unfamiliar literary texts

• Show an ability to examine and discuss in depth the effects of literary techniques and the connections between style and meaning

3. Selection and use of appropriate presentation and language skills

• Demonstrate an ability to express ideas clearly and fluently in both written and oral communication, with an effective choice of register and style

• Demonstrate a command of terminology and concepts appropriate to the study of literature

• Demonstrate an ability to express well-organized oral and written arguments

• Demonstrate an ability to write a sustained and detailed literary commentary

IB TEACHER’S ROLE

The teacher is viewed as a supporter of student learning, rather than a transmitter of knowledge, and should promote the IB learner profile in students and their work in the following ways:

• Providing an inclusive, positive and safe class ethos.

• Empowering students. Recognizing that students learn in different ways. Facilitating critical discourse.

• Promoting the appreciation of language as an art form.

• Enabling students to explore a wide variety of texts.

• Providing opportunities for student inquiry into the subtleties and implications of cultural contexts.

• Providing opportunities for writing about literature.

• Scaffolding the processes necessary for making reasonable comparative judgments about texts.

• Ensuring students acquire core skills. Providing systematic formative assessment.

• Ensuring practice of rhetorical skills. These are the skills that students require in order to deliver effective oral presentations to a variety of audiences.

Teacher Expectations

• Respect for yourself, the teacher, guests, and your peers.

• Preparation for and participation in class discussions and activities.

• Compliance with the Honor Code you’ve signed and all other school and county rules and policies.

• Cell phones must NOT be used during class unless explicit permission is given. If the texting or cell phone use occurs during class time, a warning will first be recorded. If a second incident occurs, a referral will be written and, thus, the Conduct Grade on the report card for that quarter will be a “2”; this would mean you will not be eligible for the honor roll that quarter.

• I expect students to be in class every day, alert and ready to engage in class discussion. Missing class will negatively impact your preparation for essays and exams. You are expected to meet all reading deadlines.

• Keep an organized binder (1.5” or more) that organizes and divides your homework, handouts, quizzes, tests, assignments, and other class items.

Policies and Guidelines

• Passes will not be given during active instruction. You must show your student ID.

• Food and drink are not allowed during class. Bottled water is the exception.

• Students must bring a blue or black ink pen, a notebook, and handouts/texts to class daily.

• All major assignments done outside the classroom should be typed and double-spaced in twelve-point Times New Roman font with standard (1”) margins as explained by MLA.

• Outside assignments and homework are due at the beginning of class. Daily class work is due at the end of class. If the work is not turned in at these points, it will be considered late work. Note that NO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR A GRADE in any IB English class.

• Make-up work for EXCUSED absences must be completed according to county policy. Tests must be made up within the same time frame—before school or during lunch. Any assignment / test not completed within this time frame will be considered late work.

GUIDANCE AND AUTHENTICITY (IB Policies—For Future Reference!)

• The written assignment submitted for external assessment must be the student’s own work.

• It is the responsibility of teachers to ensure that all students understand the basic meaning and significance of concepts that relate to academic honesty, especially authenticity and intellectual property. Teachers must ensure that all student work for assessment is prepared according to the requirements and must explain clearly to students that the work must be entirely their own.

• All work submitted to the IB for moderation or assessment must be authenticated by a teacher, and must not include any known instances of suspected or confirmed malpractice. Each student must sign the coversheet to confirm that the work is his or her authentic work and constitutes the final version of that work. Once a student has officially submitted the final version of the work to a teacher (or the coordinator) for assessment, together with the signed coversheet, it cannot be retracted.

Classroom Consequences for Plagiarism and/or Cheating

[See parent letter for info on SCHS English Dept Honor Code policy; see IB office for IB Honor Code]

The consequences for cheating are severe:

• Students will receive a zero for any work, quizzes, or tests if found cheating or plagiarizing.

• A repeated offense of plagiarism or cheating will result in disclosure of cheating violations to college and university admissions directors; scholarship committees; etc.; and, depending on circumstances, dismissal from the IB program.

• Plagiarism or cheating on assessed portions of the IB curriculum will result in failure to receive an IB diploma.

Plagiarism/Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to the following:

PLAGIARISM:  When an individual uses another person's ideas, expressions or writing as if they were his/her own.

• Copying verbatim - This happens when an individual copies words, expressions or ideas directly from another source (e.g. book, article, internet, lab report, friend) without giving proper credit to the author. This also includes copying materials from a source text and supplying proper documentation, but leaving out quotation marks.

• Paraphrasing - This means an individual borrows written ideas from a source and rewrites them in his/her own words, but does not give credit to the original author usually through a citation such as parenthetical documentation.

• Use of an idea - This means an individual adapts an idea from another source without giving proper credit. (e.g. This could happen when asked to write an original piece, such as a short story, and you borrow an idea from a TV program, video, article, or classmate.)

Students from one class period sharing information of any kind about a test or quiz with students who take the same class in a different period ARE CHEATING.

• Students who use old tests or other materials given to them by a student who took the same course in a previous year ARE CHEATING.

COPYING OR WORKING TOGETHER ON INDIVIDUAL HOMEWORK/CLASSWORK

• SHARING IDEAS DURING TEST SITUATIONS (e.g. sharing answers on a take home-exam, asking/telling other students what is on a test/quiz)

• CHEATING ON TESTS AND QUIZZES (e.g. bringing answers into the test room, copying from another student, or using unauthorized notes or technology)

• TAKING CREDIT FOR WORK THAT YOU DIDN'T DO (e.g. not acknowledging assistance of a parent, friend, or tutor; also, turning in another student’s work without that student’s knowledge and/or turning in a paper a peer has written for the student.)

• BUYING A PAPER FROM A RESEARCH SERVICE OR TERM PAPER MILL OR TURNING IN A PAPER FROM A “FREE TERM PAPER” WEBSITE.

Grading / Assessment

Grading scale:

90-100 A

80-89 B

70-79 C

60-69 D

0-59 F

There are two types of graded assessment:

• Formative assessment informs both teaching and learning. It is concerned with providing accurate and helpful feedback to students and teachers on the kind of learning taking place and the nature of students’ strengths and weaknesses in order to help develop students’ understanding and capabilities. Formative assessment can also help to improve teaching quality, as it can provide information to monitor progress towards meeting the course aims and objectives.

• Summative assessment gives an overview of previous learning and is concerned with measuring student achievement.

The Diploma Programme primarily focuses on summative assessment designed to record student achievement at, or towards the end of, the course of study. However, many of the assessment instruments can also be used formatively during the course of teaching and learning, and teachers are encouraged to do this.

As defined by Volusia County Public Schools:

• Formative Assessments: Assessments for learning, used to determine what a student is learning and to adjust curriculum instruction. It involves ongoing assessment and grading feedback for the purpose of instructional decision-making and progress monitoring.

• Summative Assessments: Assessments of Learning, used to determine the student’s knowledge of content at a given period of time (typically as an end output used to judge the success of a process).

Formative Assessments count 40% of the total grade. (Generally THREE formative assessments should precede a summative assessment.)

Summative Assessments count 60% of the total grade.

I will not be rounding quarterly grades up. Grades are available on Pinnacle this year (find the direct link on our class web site: ).

NOTE: Some formative assessments will be unannounced. Make-up tests and quizzes will normally consist of essay questions. Extra credit may be offered occasionally at the instructor’s discretion. Assignments are subject to change at the teacher’s discretion.

PROFICIENCY TEST REMEDIATION

Under the guide of the VPM/VSET, SCHS is providing the opportunity for test remediation on ONE summative assessment per quarter. While “a minimum proficiency level criterion for assessments is 70% or higher,” “students with grades of B or lower may retake ONE summative assessment and only after intervention has occurred.” The requirements for the student to be able to retake the selected summative assessment will be as follows (but not limited to): 1) attend at least one tutoring session, according to the schedule; 2) have completed all formative assessments (homework, classwork, etc) preceding the summative assessment re-test; 3) Retesting and remediation must occur within 3 weeks (15 school days) of the original assignment; 4) Your retest score will be the replacement score even if your performance is lower than the original assessment score (example: original = 83%; retake = 78% means assigned value = 78%).

TUTORING POLICY

If a student needs additional assistance (and/or to qualify for test remediation on a summative assessment), tutoring sessions will be held Monday-Friday during lunch OR before school. Arrangements must be made with me prior to any session. These windows should also be the times when test remediation can be done. Our IB summative assignment day for the 2013-2014 school year is Wednesday.

VIEWING OF PG-13 MOVIE RELEASE

Often appropriate PG-13 movies or sections of PG-13 movies can be utilized effectively to enrich classroom instruction and accomplish identified objectives. If you give permission for your child to view such materials, you do not have to do anything. (NOTE: NO “R” rated movies will ever be shown per Volusia County School Board policy.) If you do NOT wish to grant permission for your child to view any PG-13 movies or sections of PG-13 movies identified by the teacher as effective in teaching the curriculum, please contact me via e-mail (at pwguffor@volusia.k12.fl.us) or send a note in with your student.

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