Course Syllabus
“Teachers open the door. You enter by yourself.”
Immersive Reader Version Click Here
English Composition
Fall 2020
Online-First Quarter
Canvas
Instructor: Ms. Deby Jizi Email: debrajizi@fcschools.net
Classroom: Room 620 Phone: 919-494-2332, extension 287
Tutoring: TBA Planning Period: 1st Period, 9:00-10:15
Welcome to English Composition with Ms. Jizi. Please take some time to read the following information concerning your course requirements. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Materials and Supplies:
These are required each day for class.
- 1 marble composition book-or Google Doc-must choose one for the quarter
- Black ink pens if using composition book-must be black for contrast
- Charged Chromebook/or other device to access Canvas
Course description
COMPOSITION Grade Level: 10 Prerequisite: English I Course Code: 10252X0 This course is designed to be a transition course for tenth grade students needing reinforcement of the skills necessary to be successful in English II and future English courses. This course will emphasize expository writing in preparation for the English II End-of-Course exam. Grammar usage and vocabulary will also be included. Students will read world literature selections as a focus to model and analyze in writing.
This course will have you examine three important questions through your writing and reading:
- Who am I?
- What matters to me?
- What am I going to do about it?
During this course you will write in the following genres:
- Descriptive Writing
- Journals and Letters
- Narrative Writing
- Expository Writing
- Argumentative Writing
- Inquiry-based Research and Writing
Grammar and vocabulary will also be a part of this course. Weekly grammar and vocabulary lessons will help you develop your writing and reading skills.
This course will require students to keep all drafts of their writing and to complete a Writer’s Portfolio as a final project/exam.
Assignments and Grading Procedures
Grading for the nine week period will include two categories: formative and summative assessments. Each category will be worth 50% of your grade.
- Formative assessments are assignments that allow you to practice a skill required for this course. (classwork/ homework). -50%
- Summative assessments include any assignment where you demonstrate what you have learned (tests/ quizzes/ projects/ essays). -50%
Point System- 1,000 points per nine weeks
Formative Assessment- 50%- 500 points
Summative Assessment- 50%- 500 points
Formative Assessments will average about 65 points per week for 8 weeks= 520 points (20 bonus points)
Summative Assessments will include- 5 essays= 500 points
900-1000=A
899-800= B
799-700=C
699-600=D
Below 600=F
Semester grading will be broken down into three categories:
- 1st nine weeks: 40%
- 2nd nine weeks: 40%
- Final exam: 20%
Mastery Learning-
Grading Formative Assignments
Grades can be an obstacle to learning. They don’t often reflect what a student knows how to do, and that means they are often useless in measuring achievement. It is not difficult for me to create assignments that I know help students learn, but it has been difficult for me to find a way to grade those assignments so that students focus on the learning and not on the grades.
Therefore, all formative assessments in my classroom will be either complete or incomplete. If they are complete they earn the points assigned and if they are not, they will not get any points.
Grades will be entered in PowerSchool within a week of the due date. I will note “incomplete” or “missing” with a zero.
Assignments that have been attempted but not completed can be revised for full credit. The goal is to get students to do what they know, ask questions about what they don’t, and to receive feedback from me to help them when they need it most. A zero only stands as long as the assignment is not completed. Due dates are there to help students stay on track. An assignment that has not been completed is more than a missing grade; it a missing opportunity to practice highly valuable literacy skills.
Students who have learned to average their grades in order to decide what to complete and what not to complete will not learn what is needed in my English class. They will suffer from serious gaps in their English skills, and that is why I have revised my grading policy.
Grading Essays
The goal of education is to learn- not to receive a grade. I have taught hundreds of students at several community colleges who earned high school diplomas but who did not have the reading or writing skills to take college courses. What they could have learned in high school for free, they are paying to learn in community college. What often happens is that students get discouraged and quit college before they even get started in their field of choice because they find the developmental English and reading courses to be too difficult. They lose their motivation for continuing.
Essays will be graded based upon clear expectations which will be made known to students when they begin writing their essays. All essays may be revised after I give feedback.
If students don’t like the grade they receive on a paper, they can revise for a higher grade.
Time Limits for Late/Missing/Revised Assignments
- Exit tickets close on Fridays of the week assigned. I will not give an exit ticket on Fridays.
- Students have one week after I give feedback/grade an assignment to revise it.
- Two weeks after the due date, all missing/incomplete assignments will be assigned a permanent zero. No submissions/revisions will be allowed.
Course Policies and Expectations
Daily Class Meeting and Assignments: It is important that you keep up with the daily assignments in this course. Due to current circumstances, I am aware that all students may not be able to attend the live class everyday, though I hope you make the effort to do so because it will make the course easier for you. I would like to know ahead of time of any circumstances that prevent you from participating fully in the course. I want to work closely with each of you to make sure you complete the course successfully.
Attendance Requirements: In order to be counted present you must do one of the following:
- Attend the online class and type present in the chat.
- Log into the Canvas course sometime during the day. This must be by 11:59pm.
- Email Ms. Jizi, or return an email she has sent you, by 11:59pm that day.
If you cannot attend class by doing any of the above, you will need to follow the attendance guidelines in the Student Handbook and provide documentation for absences.
Late Work: Unless you have contacted me in advance and explained why you cannot complete an assignment by the due date, you are responsible for submitting all assignments on time and in Canvas. No emailed assignments will be accepted. This protects you and me. Canvas time-stamps all assignments, and you can keep track of what you have and have not completed. All assignments must be submitted by the due date to receive full credit. After one week, if an assignment is not turned in, a zero will be entered into PowerSchool.
Due to this unusual situation, I understand that you may not be able to turn in an assignment by the due date. You will get full credit for a late assignment if you do the following:
- Email me letting me know the assignment will be late.
- Submit the assignment to Canvas by 10 pm on the first Sunday after the assignment is due.
- If you need additional time, you will need to let me know the circumstances in your email.
Personal Responsibility for Learning:
As teenagers, I understand your need to not be treated like children. With your maturity also comes the responsibility to start taking your learning into your own hands. As you leave your childhood behind, I hope you will see that taking personal responsibility for your learning, and other areas of your life, you will experience the joy of growing up. Sure, there are always growing pains, but, in the end, you will find that you have become the captain of your ship, which is your life.
Syllabus Quiz
In order to make sure you have read the information above, you will take a short syllabus quiz on the second day of class. It will count as a formative (reading for information) assessment. FHS WEEKLY CLASSROOM GUIDE- Ms. Jizi-Composition Oct. 12-16 (1).pdf