English 9 Syllabus (Management Plan)

Class Meeting Times: M, T, W, F Period 2

Contact Information: Ms. Drake
edrake@rams.colostate.edu
Office Hours: M-F: Periods 3, 5. T, R: Period 7
Door
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Smart
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Teacher
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Classroom Ambience/Physical Space:
My hope is for my classroom to feel like a safe zone for students to
come and express their individual thoughts without fear of any type of
judgment. Students will often work in groups, but will also have to do
individual work. In order to avoid having a teacher centered class, I will have
the desks split in half where the two halves of the class will face each other
rather than the board to promote positive interaction skills. The white board
and projector/smart board will be placed on either side of the classroom in
between the sets of desks to promote their importance without being the
center of attention. The classroom ambience and physical space cannot be
separated as each play off of each other in order to create an effective
classroom.

Managing Resources:

All examples and handouts will be available for one week after being
handed out in class in an organizer at the front of the classroom by the
door. Having these handouts available here will allow students to easily
access anything they may have missed for absences. Before students should
come talk about what they have missed, they should first refer to the unit
calendar, talk to their classmates, and collect any missing handouts, then
speak with me about missing assignments and potential makeup work. After
one week of being in the organizer, handouts will become available on the
class website only.
When students first come into the classroom each day, they should be
in their seats reading either the book we are reading as a class or part of
their 600 pages of outside reading. Once I have taken attendance and
approximately 10 minutes have passed for students to work on their reading,
we will begin the lesson for the day. Students are also expected to stay in
their seats until the bell rings to dismiss them from class. If a lesson is ever
completed before the bell rings, students are expected to continue their
readings.
In addition to being physically prepared for the school day, students
are expected to come in mentally prepared to be a part of the community.
Each student contributes to the climate of the classroom. Negativity will
cause a negative climate and so I encourage each one of you to come in with
a positive mindset. I will do my best to come to class with a fresh mindset
and hope students will do the same. If there is a day where outside problems
overcome this ability, I encourage students to talk with me so we can come
up with a plan for the following days.
Expectations:
Students are expected to give respect to one another. I will do my best
to give and show respect to each student. If I do not fail to do so, students
are expected to give the same level of respect. In order to succeed in this
class, cell phones should be put away at all times, students should not speak
over one another, and students should be actively doing assignments,
reading, and participating in discussion.
Failure to succeed in any of these categories will first result in a
warning, then a loss of participation points, then a discussion with me about
what we can both do better.
Rules:
Come to class prepared
o On time
Respect one another
o Language
o Eye Contact
Cell Phones Put Away
Be ready for a positive day

Grading:
Participation (25%): This means coming to class fully prepared with
homework completed. Students are expected to participate in the
discussions at least one time per week, respecting others as they contribute
to the discussion, and having cell phones away at all times. Students will
receive 40 points at the start of each week and will lose two points at a time
as they chose not to properly participate. 10 points will be lost at the end of
the week if students fail to contribute to the discussion.
Homework (15%): This means having homework assignments fully
completed and turned in at the start of each class. Each homework
assignment will be graded on a check, check minus, check plus scale. If the
homework is completed on time and shows a level of effort was put into it,
students receive a check plus for the assignment. If the homework lacks one
of the two qualities, students receive a check. If both are lacking, students
receive a check minus. If the homework is never completed or turned in, it
will be graded as a zero.
Tests/Quizzes(20%): All tests and quizzes will be administered on the class
website. Students are expected to bring their laptops to class on days
previously announced as quiz and test days. At the start of each test/quiz,
students will be given a password to access the test/quiz. All quizzes will be
multiple choice or matching while tests may include written answer prompts.
If a test/quiz is missed due to illness the student must make arrangements
with me within their first two days back to class. If a student is going to miss
a test/quiz due to anything other than medical reasons, they must make
prior arrangements for making up the test/quiz with me.
Group and Individual Projects (20%): Throughout the course of the semester
their will be varying projects that will be individually graded, the scores will
be put together in one category in order to comprise of 20% of students
overall grade.
Writing Assignments (20%): There will be three papers written during the
semester. An average of the three scores will comprise this category.
Absences and Tardies:
According to school policy, tardies more than 5 minutes after the bell
has rung results in an unexcused tardy for the day. Once a student is
unexcused tardy more than three times, it will begin to affect their
participation grade as they are not in class fully prepared to start the day.
All students have the chance to make up the work for being absent.
Students will have two additional days to complete an assignment beyond
the due date for each day they are excused absent. If additional days are
required, students must make arrangements with me before the new due

date. Assignments turned in by the due date will receive full credit.
Discussions can be made up by completed a worksheet provided by me.
More than two unexcused absences will result in a 10-point automatic
deduction per unexcused absence from the participation grade.

Students who chose to succeed will succeed. It is your

choice, not mine; I am here to help you prosper.