English 9 and 10: 2015-2016

Ms. Evans
Room: N2

Office Hours: By appointment see

in advance

Email: candace.evans@sanjuan.edu
Class Website: http://.englishencinamsevans.weebly.com
Phone: 916-971-7538
School Vision
All Encina graduates will be academically qualified and intellectually prepared to succeed at a four year
university.
Classroom Goals
1) To have ALL students move up two points on the CSU writing rubric.
2) To be able to articulate effectively and coherently in class discussion using high academic
language and challenge the status quo.
Introduction
Welcome to English 10! The class is designed to prepare you for academic writing at the collegiate level. In this
class you are expected to work hard, participate, read, and write every day. We are reading some fantastic pieces
of literature this year, and in order to get the most from each text and this class we all need to come to class
prepared and ready for discussion and activities. Expect to write, write again, and write some more! I will hold
you accountable, support you, and demand the very best from you all year long. I believe that you are the best;
therefore I will accept nothing but the best from you.
Needed Materials: Binder (with four tabs). Every student must have four tabs in a binder. Before the first tab,
students will keep the class syllabus.
Pens (blue or black) and pencils
Binder Paper
Spiral bound or Composition Journal. The journal is essential to have with you every day in order to
have success in this class.
Please have these items by Friday, August 21st to receive full credit for homework assignment. IF YOURE
HAVING DIFFICULTY PURCHASING THESE ITEMS PLEASE SEE ME IMMEDIATELY.
Class Objectives
By the end of the year, you will have
demonstrated the ability to understand, analyze, evaluate and respond to a variety of literature through writing
and speaking activities.
formed original opinions based upon the literature you have read.
explained and defended your opinions logically in writing and speaking activities through use of evidence
from literature, critics, and life as support.
experimented with a variety of writing and editing styles and methods with the goal of producing effective and
meaningful writing.
used a variety of critical and creative problem solving methods.
exhibited an understanding of Standard American Grammar and punctuation, their proper uses, and the various
forms of composition in order to produce effective writing.
written expository, narrative, and argumentative essays, short stories and poetry.
maintained a journal throughout the year.
demonstrated the ability to comprehend new vocabulary words throughout the year through proper spelling,
definition, and use.
actively and effectively participated in large and small group discussions.

 demonstrated critical, coherent, creative, and thorough thinking in writing and speaking.
demonstrated the ability to be a conscientious learner by maintaining an organized notebook, taking notes,
being prepared for each class, submitting assignments which exhibit high effort, and collecting all graded work.

Expectations

Respect for the teacher and visitors-Questions, concerns, and suggestions are welcome when they are
constructive and respectful.
Respect the Learning process-Take notes, read, prepare for discussions, participate, ask questions. Come to
class prepared and begin working on the Do Now before bell rings.
Papers are due at the beginning of the class on the date they are due (if you need an extension please see me
before the due date).
Writing must be legible, in blue or black ballpoint pen or pencil
Respect the materials and the room-Clean up after yourself, keep materials clean and
orderly; no eating, drinking(except bottled water); no make-up application in class; do
not write anything on books, desk, or whiteboards; do not utilize any of the items in the
zip lock bags for personal usage. You are to use these items following the
instructions of the instructor.
Respect your peers-Treat others the way youd like to be treated. Do not talk to
someone in a rude or disrespectful manner.
Please refer to the student/parent handbook for specific consequences regarding classroom and school offenses

What You Can Expect From Me

I take time reading and commenting on what you have writtenespecially longer pieces that you
write.
I will challenge you to think and act outside of your box.
Honesty
I will never treat you in a condescending manner, nor will I ever insult or demean you.
I always make time for you when you sincerely need it.

Teacher Help

I am always available for help; please schedule an appointment.

Always see me at the first sign of trouble. Do not wait until multiple disasters strike and expect a
bailing out at the end of the semester.
I have reading, studying, and comprehension strategies available for nearly every unit.
You can also email me during office hours which are located on the syllabus.
Please do not be afraid to see me for help; I enjoy helping students!
IF YOU FIND YOURSELF STRUGGLING IN THE CLASS PLEASE SEE ME IMMEDIATELY
IN ORDER NOT TO FAIL.
Remember: Failure is not an option! I am here to help you in any way possible!

Class Protocol

Extra credit may be available at my disposal.

No littering or writing on desks.
No entering my desk at all.
Any form of cheating, including plagiarism will suffer (minimally) the consequences outlined in the
School Handbook.
Water is allowed-as long as you are responsible and throw away your bottle in the trash. No sodas or
juice-this is in order to not increase the amount of ants in the classroom.
Any kind of disruption is not allowed-as it affects class time.

I can ask to see your English binder at any time in order to check on your organizational skills.
You must save all major essays throughout the year.
o Always keep multiple copies (hard copies and digital copies) of your essays and works.

You may never work on homework from another class.

DO NOT ASK ME FOR A WRITING UTENSIL (PEN/PENCIL). ASK YOUR GROUP PARTNER.
Never pack to leave the room until the final bell rings.
Vulgarity (cursing) will not be tolerated.
I DONT KNOW is not an answerwith the help of the class and suggestions from me you will be
probed for a conscientious response.
ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS! THERE TRULY ARE NO DUMB QUESTIONS.

Tardy for Class

Tardies are not allowedperiod.

You may not make up a quiz for an unexcused tardy.

Missed Classes

In the event of an absence, it is the responsibility of the student to determine what assignments need to
be completed.
The instructor will not devote class time to explaining assignments missed.
If you were absent, it is your responsibility to see me before or after school, during lunch, or
through email-the day you return- to discuss what assignments are missed.
You are responsible to make up the work for an excused absence.
It is also YOUR responsibility to see me in order to receive information on what assignments you
missed.

Make Up Work

Since the assignments are posted on our class website, you are responsible for completing each days
assignments even if you are gone (unless the assignment requires being in class).
Only work missed through excused absences (illness, sports, etc.) will be allowed to be made up for full
credit.
If you skip an assignment, you may turn it in late. However, 15 points will be deducted from the overall
score. Remember: some points are better than none at all. ALL LATE WORK MUST BE TURNED
IN THE FOLLOWING DAY OR ITS A ZEROPERIOD. NO EXCUSES, NO
NEGOTIATIONS! AN EXTENSION MAY APPLY.
To receive full points on an assignment that you did not know about (i.e.- if your absence is excused),
upon return to school, you need to see me immediately to secure additional assignments, borrow notes,
get an extension, or reschedule a missed test or quiz.
o This is your responsibility; I may not remind you of what you missed.
o This must be done on the day you return to school, or the work will be considered late.
o If you cannot find me, leave a note with the front office, including the date and time, saying
that you stopped by does not constitute of leaving a note.
o Do not slide anything under the door.
All quizzes and tests must be made up within ONE WEEK.

Homework Passes
-I will award homework passes, for insightful comments during discussion, good behavior, and active class
participation. 1 H.W. passes=100% on any homework assignment that you have a low score.
-This does not count for zeros you received due to an unexcused absence.
-H.W. passes are exactly what they mean-a homework pass. This does NOT count towards any exams.

Exams
-If you failed the exam (i.e. 69% or lower) you may re-take the exam for a 70%.
-You may re-take the exam once.
-This is beneficial to those of you who do not want to fail the class.
-If you received a 70% or higher, you may re-take the exam to receive the highest score possible.
Grading and Assessment Categories
Your grade will be posted every 2 weeks and will be based on the following criteria:
Formative Assessments-40%
Summative Assessments-45%
Projects-15%
Class Procedures
Do Now-We will begin each class period with work that will be on the board when you walk in. All students
are expected to begin this assignment before the bell rings each day.
Daily Affirmation- Everyday, the class will recite our class affirmation. You are required to recite the
affirmation and there are no negotiations to this procedure. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action.
Tardy- After the bell rings, any student not present, seated, and ready to work will be counted as tardy. Tardy
students need to check in with the hall monitor or front office to get tardy pass.
3 Strikes Law-In this class, there is a 3 strikes and youre out law. 1st strike= warning and the expectation to
correct the behavior. 2nd strike= Own it, Fix it, Learn from it, parental conference or another form of
disciplinary action. 3rd strike= youre out! Please proceed to the vice-principals office.
SLANT- Use SLANT to remind yourself of proper classroom etiquette.

S = Sit up straight.
L = Listen.
A = Ask and answer questions.
N = Nod.
T = Track the speaker.
Restroom/Hall Passes- Only one student will be allowed to leave class at a time and only after the first fifteen
minutes or before the last fifteen minutes of class. Keep in mind also students, that when I state, were in a
red zone- this means you may not ask to leave for the restroom. That may occur during class instruction.
Once I say, were in the green zone-you may hold up a number 1 to use the bathroom.

Hand Gestures
Please use the following hand gestures to leave the classroom:
1=Restroom (use bathroom pass)
2= blow nose (should be done inside class and not in a distracting manner)
3= Water (use bathroom pass)
4=Sharpen your pencil
5=Question or answer related to class topic.
Writing Utensils-Students should have sharpened pencils and working pens with them at all times. I do not
provide pencils or pens for the class. You may borrow a pen or pencil from a member of your group or you may
purchase a pencil for .25 cents in Rm N4
Tissue-Once you are allowed to blow your nose you must go to the back of the classroom and blow your nose
in a quiet manner.
College Voice-Students are expected to speak in a voice that the entire class can hear. Students are also
expected to speak in complete sentences at all times and restate the question in your answers.
College Hands- Students are expected to raise their hand and wait to be called on to answer or ask questions.
Street words vs. Academic words-You are expected to speak in academic language at all times. In a class
discussion (especially Socratic seminar) if slang is used in your dialogue I will state street word once you
hear street word you are required to replace the street word with an academic word i.e. Im finna go to the
store=Im about to go to the store.
Essays- This class is designed to prepare you to write at the college level. As a result, you will write a plethora
of essays. All final draft essays must be submitted via turnitin.com. The software is used in many colleges and
universities. Once again, this course is designed to prepare you for success in a four-year college and university;
as such the software assists you with writing at a higher level of academia. Turnitin is designed for your
success-not your failure!
Telephone, Guests, Emergencies- The phone ringing is a signal to quiet our voices and the hanging up of the
telephone is a signal to continue normal behavior. Visitors are always welcome and normal behavior is
expected. Emergencies require you to ALWAYS lend your ears, eyes, and body language.
Class Decorum: When were having class discussions please keep in mind that I need your voice to be at class
discussion voice-no shouting or yelling is allowed. Also since we conduct Socratic seminar in the class, please
remember that were not always going to agree! We must remember to respect each persons opinion. As
Francois Voltaire states, I may not agree with what you say, but I shall defend your right to say it.
Own it, Fix it, Learn from it: This is the result of a strike 2 offence. You are expected to think and write about
the experience thoroughly. You and I will then discuss your reasoning behind your actions and reach a positive
conclusion. Once weve reached our conclusion its concluded. We move on and focus on the class.
Detention- This is also the result of a strike 2 offence. You are required to either stay during lunch or after
school for 15 minutes. There is a writing assignment that accompanies JAG. We will then debrief and reach a

positive conclusion. Once weve reached a positive conclusion its concluded. We move on and focus on the
class.
Living room corner- The living room corner is available for you if you are sleepy, irritated, angry, or need time
to yourself. You may stay there for a few minutes. This is a privilege, therefore you are required to sit silently,
or read silently without talking to anyone. You are required to return to your seat after the allotted time.
You will not use it more than once in a day. You will not use it every day of the week.
Profanity- Is not allowed in the class at all. There is a warning (strike 1). If inappropriate language persist, the
2nd strike follows. The 3rd strike is followed by dismissal to the deans office.
Final note: No hats, food (due to safety reasons-i.e. food allergies), gum, candy, cell phones, or iPods are
allowed in class. See the handbook if you have questions.
Backpacks/purses/bags must remain on the floor during class.
Chewing gum, candy, or food (after 1st strike) results in a JAG of removing gum from underneath desk, chairs,
and tables. Gloves and paper towels are provided!

Please return the last page of your syllabus to class. Due-Wednesday August 19, 2015. This
is a graded homework assignment!
I understand that if I ever have any questions about homework or assignments, it is my
responsibility to contact Ms. Evans in person or by email [candace.evans@sanjuan.org]. I agree
to the terms of the syllabus as listed above.
___________________________________(Print name)
___________________________________
Student Signature

___________________________________

__________________________________

Student cell phone number and home number

Date

________________________________(Print name)
________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature

____________________________________
Date

_________________________________
Parent cell phone number and home number

If you play sports on campus or plan to play a sport on campus please list the name of the sport and the name of
your coach.
Name of sport:________________________________

Name of coach:______________________________

If you plan to become involved with any school club or activity, please list the club or activity you plan to be
involved with.
Name of club:__________________________________

Role:_____________________________________

Role (president, vice-president, member, secretary, etc)

EXIT TICKET
Directions: Please provide a brief response for each question below.
1.

After reading and discussing these procedures, describe three procedures that you believe are most important to
the entire class? After each procedure you choose list the reason why it is important.

2.

What does your best work look like?

3.

Where do you want to go to college? What do you want to study? Why?

4.

What is at least one goal you have for this school year?

5.

What is one thing about yourself that you are proud of?