Advanced Placement Language and Composition

Instructor: Kody Partridge Email: kodypartridge@rowlandhall.org Telephone: 801-455-3280 Reading the world always precedes reading the word, and reading the word implies continually reading the world. Paulo Freire Many philosophers would argue that we define our world and ourselves through language. Following their line of logic, we need to consider whether or not we can have an awareness of self without language. In fact, it seems that without language, we would struggle to make sense of the world around us. Language allows us to create and invent. We can use language to build bridges to others or construct walls to exclude them. With language, we can also attempt to erase the past or to reconcile it with the present in order to fashion a future for ourselves. Language is power. In this particular course, we will test the power of language to transform the self and ones community local and global. To this end the course begins and ends with the question, who am I what is my story? It is by telling stories that we create reality; it is by using language that we shape our experience and thus create meaning; it is by participating in the writing of history that we lend credibility and authority to our own lives. We will also ask the question about others and strive to better understand their stories as well. _____ Summer Reading: The Color of Water: A Black Mans Tribute to His White Mother (James McBride) and Glass Castle (Jeannette Walls) Primary Texts: The Norton Reader, Hawthornes Short Stories (Nathaniel Hawthorne), Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain), Beloved (Toni Morrison), and The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald) Other Texts: In addition, we will read other works, in particular, non-fiction texts such as personal essays, letters, political speeches, critical essays (relevant to the novels we are reading), and articles that address media and other contemporary issues. Advanced Placement Language and Composition is a college-level course. It will be challenging, and it will demand your time and attention, but most importantly, it will require dedication. At first, you might be frustrated with the complexity and nuances of the AP curriculum. When I ask you to tackle the first AP prompt, you may find the task daunting, but with hard work and determination, you will acquire the tools needed to dissect a variety of texts. Since this class is designated as an AP course, I assume that each of you possess strong reading skills and the ability to think abstractly. It is also critical that you already have a clear command of standard American English and a strong foundation as a writer. (I must assume that you possess these skills since the College Board assumes it.) This course will emphasize the critical reading and writing of expository, analytical, and argumentative essays. In particular, this course is designed to help you become skilled readers of prose written from different historical contexts as well as from various disciplines. At years end, you will be a more adept writer who can compose in a variety of modes using different rhetorical strategies to target a particular audience. [Note: The focus of AP Language and Composition is the rhetorical analysis of language not creative writing. Because of its rigor, we will devote much of our attention to the analysis of the rhetorical strategies that writers use in constructing their respective texts. Students who enroll in an AP course are required to take the AP exam.] Writing: I will assign students to complete a number of different writing assignments, including but not limited to inclass writing prompts, short analytical exercises, and formal essays ranging from an analysis of a particular text to a persuasive editorial to a personal narrative.

Revision: Because students can learn from revising their work (and because the formal essays constitute a significant percent of the final grade), students may revise any formal essays and resubmit them for a higher grade (up to an A minus). Students have one week to revise. I do not allow students to revise the AP prompts because students need to learn how to craft impromptu essays; however, the prompts written at the beginning of a trimester do not carry the same weight as the prompts written later in the trimester. Vocabulary: Since the AP Language and Composition exam expects students to be competent readers and writers, it is critical that students have access to a wide range of words. First, you will need to familiarize yourself with the vocabulary common to analyzing the rhetorical devices that a writer might employ. You will be tested on these terms. Second, you will study Latin (and Greek) roots and learn their etymologies (as a means of understanding how language is constructed) and relevant vocabulary. In addition, you will be responsible to keep track of new words in the texts we read as a class. You will be held accountable for studying and mastering the vocabulary assigned. Quizzes and Test: Written responses to assigned readings and/or excerpts will be the principal mechanism for testing your mastery of the subject. However, since it is critical that you come to class prepared, I will give reading and vocabulary/terminology quizzes periodically. (I will not always announce quizzes.) These quizzes are not meant to penalize but rather to encourage you to master the vocabulary/terminology as well as to read the assigned texs with care. (If a student arrives late without a note, he or she will not have a chance to make-up the quiz and will receive a zero.) You will also be asked to take a series of multiple-choice style practice tests based on the AP format and be graded on these practice tests. Grades: Most written work in this class will be graded according to standards consistent with the AP exam. (From past experience, it is common that students who get an A in this class score a 4 or a 5 on the AP exam.) However, students will be graded on their achievement as high school seniors, not college students, and their performance will be graded against others in their particular class. Final grades will be determined from the following areas: class participation (10%), quizzes (10%) and tests (20%), formal and informal writing assignments (30%), AP writing prompts and multiple choice exams (15%), and the trimester exam (15%).1 Expectations and Policies: Community Expectations: I expect that everyone respect one another at all times. No exceptions. Class Participation: I also expect you to come to class having read the assigned text and prepared to take a short reading quiz and/or write an impromptu reflection/response as well as engage in a rigorous discussion. (I tend to avoid lengthy lectures because I prefer that students engage each other and that different voices and points of view can be heard.) As AP students, you should be intellectually curious and prepared to question and dismantle stereotypes. You must make an effort to attend every class on time and with the appropriate materials, i.e., pen and/or pencil, notebook (with paper), and the text to be discussed. Please leave cell phones, iPods, and other gadgets in your locker. If I see them, I will confiscate them. Students can carry a water bottle and/or a small snack, but it must not cause any disruptions, or I will rescind the privilege. (If a student is late because he or she is buying a snack or returning from lunch, he or she will be marked tardy.) Since we are now a laptop school, I will expect students to have their laptops (and chargers) with them and to be prepared to work on them and to email me in-class assignments and notes. However, I also expect students to maintain their focus on the discussion and work at hand. Any student working on an assignment for another class or surfing the net can expect that they will lose points for participation and that they have lost the right to work on their computer for that class period.

This breakdown will be used for the first trimester. As we move into the second and third trimester (and closer to the AP exam) in-class AP prompts and multiple-choice exams will play a greater role in your final grade. AP students will not take a final exam at the end of the third trimester. Consistent with Rowland Hall policy, AP grades will be computed on a 5-point scale.
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Class Participation: Because of the rigor of this AP course, students must be prepared for each class. I will periodically check to see that students have their materials with them in class: text, laptop, notebook (with notes and handouts), assigned homework, and a writing utensil. The students who come to class with these materials and are prepared for the discussion will earn ten points. Students who come to class with some of the required materials but are not prepared to engage in the discussion will earn seven points. Students who come to class but do not have materials and are not prepared will earn one point. These points cannot be recovered. Students who have an excused absence will not be held accountable for this particular check. Students who have an unexcused absence will not receive credit for this assignment. Since it is critical that students come to class having read the assigned text and are willing to engage their peers in a meaningful discussion, the English department has created a rubric for evaluating a students level of engagement and contributions. The periodic checks as well as the evaluation will be recorded throughout the trimester and will constitute 10% of their final grade. Outside Communication: According to school policy, students and teachers are expected to check their email twice a day once in the morning and once in the afternoon before departing from school. This expectation will help students, teachers, and administrators communicate critical information to each other. In addition, I will expect students to check the class website on Veracross for any updates regarding readings, homework, and/or clarifications before they leave for the day. If a student needs to contact me and it is after 3:40, then he or she may contact me at home. My telephone number is 801-455-3280. If I do not answer, I encourage students to leave me a detailed message (including their telephone number) so that I am able to return their call when possible. However, if a student calls after 9:00 p.m., he or she should expect that I might not respond until the following day. Attendance: Any absence excused or otherwise disrupts the learning process. Our in-class discussions and activities cannot be reproduced. Therefore, every effort should be made to attend class and to be prepared on a daily basis. I will, of course, work with students who have an excused absence and help them catch up, but students must also understand the schools consultation policy and be accountable for making up the work. Excused Absences: (1) If students know that they will be absent from school (for the entire day), they should schedule a time beforehand to meet with me and get the work.2 If an unexpected absence occurs, it is the responsibility of the students to follow the schools consultation policy. In other words, students should look at the homework and class notes posted on the class website, attempting to be prepared for the following class period. In addition, students must arrange to sit down with me so that I can answer their questions and clarify my expectations. (It is not the responsibility of the teacher to track a student down.) (2) If students attend some of their classes and are only missing a particular class or two, they must turn in the homework to me before they leave (or late points will be deducted accordingly). (3) If students are missing an extended period of school, they should meet with me beforehand to discuss homework and then use the class website to check for updates. I will, of course, abide by the consultation days schedule for collecting the make-up work. However, it is critical that students work on assignments while they are away. Procrastination will not serve them. Unexcused Absences: If students are not excused from an absence, their grade will be impacted. Students who miss a quiz will not be allowed to take it. Students who missed a test will have points deducted from their score. Students who failed to turn in an assignment will have points deducted from their grade as outlined in my discussion of late work. In addition, students should read the schools new policy on unexcused absences. Tardies: Consistent with Rowland Hall policy, students will receive a detention for the third tardy and for every subsequent tardy. A written excuse for tardies must be presented when a student arrives in class. The policy states that after 15 minutes, a student will be considered absent. Students who arrive after this time (without a note excusing them) will be held accountable for any missed work. A student who is tardy cannot make up a quiz. Office Hours for Consultation: On Mondays and Thursdays, I can be available to meet with students during lunch. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, I am also available to meet with students between 9:46 to 10:09 a.m. In addition,
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If you attend any of your classes but cannot attend mine, you must turn in your homework once your arrive or before you leave. (Do not leave it in my box or email it to me.)

students can arrange to meet with me before school or during my free period. However, students must contact me at least 24 hours in advance either by email, by telephone, or in person to schedule an appointment (if they cannot meet during office hours). Be judicious and plan ahead so that I can help you succeed in this class. Late Work: Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date, including essays, which must be submitted in hard copy form and stapled. Anything else is considered late. Students can turn in late work (except for work designated as part of their in-class participation), but students will lose 10% for each day an assignment is late. I will not accept work later than one week after the due date. (In case of extenuating circumstances or an emergency, please come talk with me, and I will work with you. Do not wait until the due date. Procrastination is not a reasonable excuse.) I will follow the consultation day policy as outlined in the student handbook for excused absences. Once again, students who miss class need to schedule a time to meet with me and make up any missed work by the deadline set during the appointment or else it will be considered late. Students who do not schedule an appointment run the risk of having points deducted because it is late or losing the opportunity to turn in the assignment. (To identify an assignment as late work, I will always enter the assignment so that it ends in the number one, i.e., 85.1 or 10.51.) Academic Integrity: Although a few assignments and projects will be collaborative, I expect that most assignments will reflect your own work. Therefore, unless instructed, you should plan on working independently. In terms of formal essays written outside of the classroom, any acts of plagiarism will result in a failing grade and an appointment with the Academic Ethics Committee. I, ________________________________, pledge that I have read this disclosure statement for AP Language and Composition and will do my best to adhere to the guidelines outlined within it. [A final note: Please keep this signed disclosure statement in your English folder/binder for quick reference. If you have questions and/or concerns, please schedule an appointment with me so we can discuss them and resolve them. If you have not met with me, I will assume that this disclosure is a contract to which both parties have agreed.]